Product Development & Sourcing Specialist

Roots; Golden Horseshoe; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 73,000; Full time

Job summary

Roots is a proudly Canadian lifestyle brand established in 1973, renowned for authentic, quality, and community-driven products. This 16-month contract role focuses on developing and sourcing Mens and Gender Free products from concept to commercialization, partnering with design, materials, merchandising, and vendors to ensure quality, alignment with pricing, and on-time delivery.

The role requires deep apparel product development experience, strong communication, and cross-functional

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience in apparel product development.
• Knowledge of garment construction and ability to communicate with factories.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication abilities.
• Ability to work independently and with a diverse team.
• Proficient PC skills and PLM data management experience.

Responsibilities

• Work with Design from concept to lifecycle maintenance.
• Collaborate on technical packages in PDM, BOM, and packaging.
• Determine construction options during fittings with Technical Designers.
• Propose changes to improve cost and commercialization.
• Communicate development progress to vendors for accurate delivery.
• Facilitate costing processes and negotiate to optimize margins.
• Identify obstacles across development, costing and delivery.
• Manage samples and submissions for milestone meetings.
• Maintain cross-functional relationships across teams.

Skills

Garment construction knowledge

Communication skills

Time management

Independent and team collaboration

PLM data management

Tools

Microsoft Office

PLM data management system

Job description

Product Development & Sourcing Specialist *16 Month Contract*- Mens and Gender Free

Job Description

Established in 1973, Roots is a proudly Canadian lifestyle brand that celebrates authenticity, quality, and community. Inspired by the great outdoors, we create timeless, sustainable apparel and leather goods designed for comfort and everyday adventure. At Roots, we believe in fostering a culture of inclusivity, creativity, and teamwork – where every team member plays a role in shaping our brand’s legacy. If you bring passion to everything you do, lead with integrity, and believe in the power of collaboration to drive growth, we’d love to have you on our journey!

Nature & Scope: Your Role at Roots

As the Product Development & Sourcing Specialist *Contract* at Roots, you will play a key role in bringing products from concept through commercialization for our Men’s and Gender Free categories. You will work closely with Design, Materials, Merchandising, Technical Design, Buyers, and Vendors to help guide the development and sourcing process, ensuring each product stays true to the design vision, meets quality standards, aligns with target pricing, and is delivered on schedule within the required timelines.

• Work in partnership with Design from initial concept to maintaining product lifecycle
• Collaborate on technical packages in PDM, focusing on BOM, and T/pkg updates for production
• Determine best construction options during fittings in tandem with Technical Designers
• Propose changes and development/ production perspectives to improve products, for better costing and ensure successful commercialization.
• Communicate all style development progress to the vendor keeping them updated and addressing concerns to ensure accurate delivery of the product
• Facilitate an effective and accurate costing process, including cost negotiation and delivery of 1st protos, to achieve best possible margin
• Perform root cause analysis and communicate finding; recommending solutions to resolve issues
• Anticipate and identify potential obstacles and issues from all aspects of development, costing & delivery
• Manage Product Samples and production submissions to ensure that deliverables are maintained for all Milestone Meetings
• Develop and maintain strong cross-functional relationships with design, buyers, TD, R&D, and merchandising regarding changes / discrepancies / on time delivery etc.
• Responsible for final and accurate Tech Packs to vendor
• Adhere to company’s product calendar by solving production issues to meet calendar timelines
• Responsible for reviewing weekly vendor WIP & calling out production concerns.
• Management of Pos & POCNs
• Maintain production tracker & other relevant excel documents.

Qualifications & Experience: The Skills You Bring

• 5+ years’ experience in apparel product development
• Knowledge of garment construction and ability to communicate effectively with factories
• Strong organizational skills-able to access accurate information as needed
• Strong communication skills verbal and written - gives concise and focused information
• Excellent time management skills - ability to adhere to calendar deadlines and manage workflow accordingly
• Ability to work both independently and cooperatively with a diverse group of people
• Team player - ability to negotiate and build consensus across multiple functions.
• Proficient PC skills (Microsoft Office) and PLM data management system experience

At Roots we appreciate that skills and expertise are cultivated through a range of experiences. We are committed to reflecting Canada’s diverse landscape in our products, team, and workplace culture. We value your unique perspective and encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet every listed requirement. Accommodations are available for applicants throughout the recruitment process.

Please note: Roots uses technology-assisted tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), to support parts of the recruitment process. These tools may be used to help review applications, assess qualifications, and support interview documentation. All hiring decisions are reviewed and made by our Talent team and key leaders involved in the recruitment process.

• Pay Type
• Salary
• Hiring Min Rate
• 64,500 CAD
• Hiring Max Rate
• 72,500 CAD