PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER | INNOVATION & QUALITY GARMENTS
About our client:
Our client is a well known business sold in more than 60 countries. They create superior performance wear worn by athletes worldwide! With a generous product offering, that is advanced and created using state of the art equipment and techniques, you wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity! On offer is a generous salary & benefits.
About the job:
This role will lead the end-to-end process across all categories, from concept through to production handover ensuring all products deliver the brands high standards for innovation, function and fit. You will work with design, merchandising, sourcing and production teams and be part of a talented team. You will manage 2 garment technicians in this position and report to the VP of Product & Merchandise.
About you:
You will be a proactive and solutions driven Product Development Manager, with experience leading full development cycles across technical apparel (active/sport/performance ideal). You will have a strong understanding of garment construction and fabric innovation and can bring design concepts to life without comprising on quality. You will be confident managing global vendor relationships, juggling tight timelines and be collaborative across departments. The most important part about you will be that you are passionate about product and what you do!
If you're interested in hearing more about this position, please send your CV to jad@whointhezoo.com.au or connie@whointhezoo.com.au to organise a confidential chat.
Hiring Consultant JADE/CONNIE
Job Code:1046178
Please note that only those applicants who fit the brief will be contacted in relation to their application.
RESPONSIBILITIES +
Product Development & Fit
- Proactively lead product development timelines and critical path milestones to ensure that development schedules are met without compromising on quality or fit standards.
- Work closely with the Design team from the initial product brief through to final sign-off, contributing technical expertise across all stages of development.
- Develop and maintain accurate and comprehensive tech packs for each style, including fully graded size specifications, construction details, measurement charts, BOMs (Bill of Materials), and tolerances.
- Apply a strong understanding of garment construction, patternmaking, and grading techniques to translate design intent into technically sound, production-ready garments.
- Manage fit model selection and facilitate fit sessions using physical prototypes or virtual 3D samples to assess proportions, mobility, and design alignment, providing expert guidance on necessary adjustments.
- Collaborate with athletes and wear testers to conduct structured performance testing, capturing and analyzing feedback on fit, durability, and function. Make iterative improvements to ensure the garment performs under real-world conditions.
- Maintain and utilize the block library to streamline development, ensure consistency across product categories, and support fit standardization across seasonal ranges.
- Maintain all Size Guides, Technical standards across all categories to be shared with internal departments. Cross-Functional Leadership
- Act as the primary technical liaison between internal development teams and external vendors, ensuring all critical path deadlines, specifications and revisions are clearly communicated and understood.
- Collaborate with the VP of Product & Merchandise and Sourcing team to troubleshoot and resolve any technical or production-related issues, escalating concerns in a timely manner and contributing to efficient problem-solving.
- Support Design and Supply Chain teams by ensuring all raw materials, trims, and finishes are technically viable, tested, and approved prior to garment finalization.
- Maintain detailed documentation and version control across all development stages, ensuring full traceability of changes and decisions throughout the product lifecycle. Production
- Lead the technical handover process from product development to production teams, ensuring all assets—final tech packs, approved PPS (Pre-Production Samples), labeling information, and care instructions—are complete, accurate, and aligned with brand standards.
- Oversee the execution of final fittings and quality sign-offs for production readiness, ensuring that the product is not only fit-for-purpose but also consistent across sizes and production runs.
- Partner with the Quality Control team to ensure all garments meet internal quality benchmarks and adhere to vendor compliance requirements before mass production begins.
- Conduct post-launch assessments to evaluate how the garment performs in-market, drawing insights from customer feedback, returns data, and athlete performance outcomes.
- Use findings to recommend improvements to future product development cycles, helping to drive continuous improvement and elevate the customer experience. Management
- Mentor the Garment Technician team leveraging your experience to contribute to team knowledge sharing.
- Recommend and implement process improvements to increase efficiency and reduce development lead times.
- Support VP of Product & Merchandise with special projects (e.g. Custom, Capsule programs).
REQUIREMENTS +
- Minimum 7–10 years of experience in product development, ideally within performance apparel or equipment category.
- Bachelor’s degree in Product Development, Apparel/Fashion Design or related field.
- Proven track record of managing complex development processes and cross-functional teams.
- Excellent organizational, communication and project management skills.
- Strong knowledge on construction, pattern making, grading, technical fit and quality workmanship.
- Experience working directly with overseas factories and managing vendor relationships.
- Proficiency in PLM systems, Adobe Illustrator, MS Office and 3D design and pattern making software experience beneficial.
- Understanding of biomechanics or performance testing is a plus.
- A genuine interest in sport, culture, and brand building with meaning.