Director, Apparel Product Development Local Creation NA

Global Sports Jobs Limited; Pahokee (FL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Global Sports Jobs Limited is seeking an NA Local Creation Apparel Director to lead a cross‑functional team of Product and Material Developers, driving the NALC product vision from concept to production in North America.

You will partner with Design, Product Management, Sourcing, Sports, and other functions to deliver innovative, commercially successful apparel with speed and rigor. Travel up to 15‑25% is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Product Development, Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field.
• 9+ years of relevant apparel product creation experience.
• Proven track record leading across functions, cultures, geographies, and complex organisational environments.
• Demonstrated success leading multi‑level organisations, including people leaders, while driving alignment and results across cross-functional teams.
• Proven experience creating and activating long‑term strategies by collaborating and working through others to achieve business results.
• Ability to develop talent and build inclusive, high‑performing teams, with demonstrated success coaching managers.
• Proven examples of results‑orientation, problem solving, and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Exceptional influence, communication, and stakeholder alignment skills.
• Ability to lead effectively in complex, fast‑paced, and evolving environments.
• Enterprise mindset, strong business and product acumen, and ability to translate strategy into clear priorities and action.
• Ability to balance consumer and athlete insights, product excellence, speed, and operational rigour to deliver industry‑leading results.
• Authentic, inclusive, and highly effective people leadership, with comfort operating within a matrix organisation, influencing without direct authority, and creating clarity in moments of ambiguity.
• Ability to bring teams together around a shared vision and mobilise them to deliver exceptional product with speed, quality, relevance, and impact.
• Ability to travel up to 15-25% per year, domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a cross-functional team, partnering with Design, Product Management, Sourcing, Sports, and other key functions to bring the NALC product vision to life.
• Directly lead a team of Product and Material Developers, fostering collaboration, clear accountability, and excellence throughout the product creation process.
• Serve as part of the NALC Leadership Team, managing the Apparel and Material Development teams, leading refresh product across multiple Consumers x Sports, and developing new competencies for the geography including new apparel creation (cut & sew).
• Drive product excellence from initial concept through to commercialisation and production.
• Ensure the Product Development Team delivers on‑time products according to critical dates, product specifications, sustainability, and profitability goals.
• Partner closely with cross‑functional teams and global stakeholders to align strategy, priorities, and execution.
• Lead and develop a team of developers, including people managers, while building future organisational capabilities and operatingmodel.
• Apply workloadmanagement tools and metrics to support data‑informeddecisions.
• Translate organisational strategy into goals for the Apparel and Material Development teams to deliver exceptional product for the North America consumer.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across the Apparel organisation.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Product Development, Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field

Job description

About the Role

The North America Local Creation (NALC) team creates distinctive, locally relevant product grounded in deep consumer, cultural, and hyperlocal insights, serving athletes and consumers across North America. As the NA Local Creation Apparel Director, the role leads and inspires a cross-functional team, partnering closely with Design, Product Management, Sourcing, Sports, and other key functions to bring the NALC product vision to life. The role directly leads a team of Product and Material Developers and is part of the NALC Leadership Team, managing the Apparel and Material Development teams. It leads the NALC Apparel Development team and plays a key role in defining and delivering the product excellence vision, strategy, and execution. It is responsible for driving product excellence from concept through commercialisation and production while building future organisational capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a cross-functional team, partnering with Design, Product Management, Sourcing, Sports, and other key functions to bring the NALC product vision to life.
• Directly lead a team of Product and Material Developers, fostering collaboration, clear accountability, and excellence throughout the product creation process.
• Serve as part of the NALC Leadership Team, managing the Apparel and Material Development teams, leading refresh product across multiple Consumers x Sports, and developing new competencies for the geography including new apparel creation (cut & sew).
• Drive product excellence from initial concept through to commercialisation and production.
• Ensure the Product Development Team delivers on‑time products according to critical dates, product specifications, sustainability, and profitability goals.
• Partner closely with cross‑functional teams and global stakeholders to align strategy, priorities, and execution.
• Lead and develop a team of developers, including people managers, while building future organisational capabilities and operatingmodel.
• Apply workloadmanagement tools and metrics to support data‑informeddecisions.
• Translate organisational strategy into goals for the Apparel and Material Development teams to deliver exceptional product for the North America consumer.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across the Apparel organisation.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Product Development, Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field; any suitable combination of education, experience, and training will be accepted.
• 9+ years of relevant apparel product creation experience.
• Proven track record of leading successfully across functions, cultures, geographies, and complex organisational environments.
• Demonstrated success leading multi‑level organisations, including people leaders, while driving alignment and results across cross-functional teams.
• Proven experience creating and activating long‑term strategies by collaborating and working through others to achieve business results.
• Ability to develop talent and build inclusive, high‑performing teams, with demonstrated success coaching managers.
• Proven examples of results‑orientation, problem solving, and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Exceptional influence, communication, and stakeholder alignment skills.
• Ability to lead effectively in complex, fast‑paced, and evolving environments.
• Enterprise mindset, strong business and product acumen, and ability to translate strategy into clear priorities and action.
• Ability to balance consumer and athlete insights, product excellence, speed, and operational rigour to deliver industry‑leading results.
• Authentic, inclusive, and highly effective people leadership, with comfort operating within a matrix organisation, influencing without direct authority, and creating clarity in moments of ambiguity.
• Ability to bring teams together around a shared vision and mobilise them to deliver exceptional product with speed, quality, relevance, and impact.
• Ability to travel up to 15-25% per year, domestically and internationally.

Preferred Skills

• Experience in the apparel and/or footwear product testing, development, marketing, engineering, retail, or customer service industry is preferred.

The Application Process

Accommodations are available to complete the interview process, including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in‑person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed.