Apparel Product Development Lead (6-Month Contract)

Ivy City Co.; Riverton (UT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Ivy City Co. in Utah is seeking an Associate Product Development Manager to own the product development calendar from design handoff through TOP sample approval. You will manage vendor relationships, ensure styles move to bulk production, and collaborate with Design and Technical Design teams to prevent delays.

This is a 6-month temporary position. 3–5+ years of apparel product development experience and overseas vendor management are highly valued for success.

Qualifications

• 3 to 5+ years of apparel product development experience, ideally in women’s wear or dresses.
• Proven experience approving bulk production, including fabric, PP, and TOP samples.
• Experience managing overseas vendors directly, including negotiating timelines and resolving quality issues.
• Strong knowledge of garment construction, fit, measuring, and quality standards.
• Adobe Illustrator experience preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, specifically Excel.
• Experience with Airtable, Asana, Slack, and WhatsApp is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communicator who gives clear, direct feedback to vendors.
• Highly organized, detail oriented, and analytical, with the judgment to prioritize when everything feels urgent.
• Collaborative, flexible, and calm under deadline pressure.

Responsibilities

• Own the product development calendar from design handoff through TOP sample approval, keeping every style on track for critical due dates.
• Proactively identify timeline risks and build recovery plans with vendors and internal teams.
• Gather and review weekly vendor reports, resolve delays directly with vendors, and escalate to management when needed.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for vendors, consolidating style details and communicating requirements and timelines for each style.
• Negotiate timelines, sample rounds, and quality resolutions with vendors.
• Track vendor performance, including on‑time delivery, quality, and responsiveness, and share trends with management.
• Send consolidated vendor comments within 24 hours of review for bulk swatches and within 48 hours of review for PP and TOP samples. (Fit sample comments are sent by Technical Design.)
• Approve all styles to bulk production, including bulk swatch, PP sample, and fit sample review.
• Receive, check in, and review all bulk swatches, PP and fit samples, and TOP samples, logging comments and approvals in Airtable.
• Own QC issue resolution: identify the root cause, partner with vendors on corrective action, and keep management informed.
• Measure samples according to Technical Design’s needs.
• Strong understanding of how fabric, trim, construction, fit, and finishing choices impact the overall aesthetic and perceived quality of a garment.
• Able to provide thoughtful, design‑minded feedback during fittings, sample reviews, and development without overstepping the role of Design.
• Ability to balance aesthetic considerations with cost, quality, manufacturability, timeline, and commercial objectives.

Skills

Vendor management

Production scheduling

Garment construction

Communication

Organization

Tools

Airtable

Asana

Slack

WhatsApp

Excel

Adobe Illustrator

Job description

Ivy City Co. in Utah is seeking an Associate Product Development Manager to own the product development calendar from design handoff through TOP sample approval. You will manage vendor relationships, ensure styles move to bulk production, and collaborate with Design and Technical Design teams to prevent delays.

This is a 6-month temporary position. 3–5+ years of apparel product development experience and overseas vendor management are highly valued for success.