Product Developer Apparel (Originals)

The Product Developer Apparel (Originals) manages the product development process for assigned styles from seasonal kick off through to commercialisation. The role collaborates with internal teams and suppliers to provide an effective transition from brief and design through to development "buy-ready" commercialisation, on time, within the agreed margin parameter and at the required quality standards. The position sits within the Product Development & Operations team and works closely with Design, Marketing and Brand Operations (Development, Materials, Costing and Pattern Making), T1 merchandising and patternmaking, and LO/OC merchandising, technical services and costing.

• Communicate all necessary information to Marketing, Design, Suppliers and LO/OC to ensure the effective and efficient creation of outstanding product.
• Ensure target price and product designs are aligned through predictive costing, reviewing, validating and approving T1 costing information throughout the entire creation process, ensuring compliance to agreed standards and negotiating with T1 as needed.
• Manage handover from design to T1 to ensure that all information provided to T1 is complete, and manage T1 feedback to design and marketing, incorporating it where quality or cost can be improved without sacrificing product aesthetics.
• Ensure timely and accurate data entry by T1 regarding AD/BOM, costing or other data as required at calendar milestones.
• Evaluate all prototypes for compliance with AD, manage fit approval and size specification, approve colour, accessories and materials, and manage comments to T1.
• Ensure that all materials and accessories as well as prototypes are tested and adhere to adidas quality, safety and A01 standards, managing quality exceptions with senior management as needed.
• Review size sets for accuracy of measurements and merchantability of the complete size range, including logo placement and fit, where required.
• Review and sign off sealing samples with complete AD including all related documents prior to buy ready dates, ensuring full conformity to published policies to secure a final legal AD for the final product.
• Research innovation from the market or supply chain in areas such as garment construction, pattern/fit, embellishment and trims, working cross-functionally with BOPS teams, aIT, Sourcing and T1/T2 to implement it into product creation.

• Knowledge of material construction and related testing.
• Knowledge of wear and physical product testing.
• Knowledge of production garment construction and manufacturing.
• Ability to fit a garment and comment to T1 on changes required.
• Knowledge of costing and ability to negotiate as required.
• Effective communication and negotiation skills.
• Understanding of the respective vision and strategy for the brands, and the ability to communicate that vision, strategy and the success criteria needed from sourcing and T1 teams to LO/OC/T1.
• Fluent in English, written and spoken.
• Strong IT skills (MS Office) and ability to work with Product Data Management Systems.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.
• College or University degree in clothing technology and/or manufacturing, or comparable education.
• Minimum 2-3 years of work experience in the garment/textile industry.

The company believes that embedding diversity, equity and inclusion into its culture and talent processes gives employees a sense of belonging and the brand a real competitive advantage.