Product Developer – Lee

kbi; Greensboro (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid parental leave

Flexible Fridays

Tuition reimbursement

Employee discounts

Job summary

Kontoor Brands is seeking a Product Developer to act as the liaison between Brand and Supply chain, ensuring on-time product execution and margin targets. You will manage the development process, oversee sampling accuracy, and support pre-production approvals to deliver designs true to the brand aesthetic.

Responsibilities include guiding denim styling, organizing sample orders, and driving cost analysis to meet calendar milestones.

Qualifications

• Apparel product development experience in denim or denim finishing.
• Experience working in medium-large companies with cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency with MS Office and collaboration tools.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with Brand and Supply chain to ensure on-time, cost-effective product execution.
• Review samples with tech team and guide quality and styling with fabric partners.
• Organize sample orders to suppliers and track development through pre-production to final product.
• Analyze costs vs. margins and identify cost-saving opportunities.

Skills

Apparel product development

Denim finishing

Cross-functional collaboration

MS Office proficiency

Education

University degree or equivalent

Textile-related technical college preferred

Tools

MS Office

Smartsheet

OneDrive

Job description

Who We Are:

Kontoor Brands is a portfolio of three of the world’s most iconic lifestyle, outdoor and workwear brands: Wrangler®, Lee® and Helly Hansen®. Kontoor Brands is a purpose-led organization focused on leveraging its global platform, strategic sourcing model and best-in‑class supply chain to drive brand growth and deliver long- term value for its stakeholders.

Job Posting:

Product Developer

The Product Developer assists as the key liaison/administrator between the Brand and Supply chain to guarantee best-in‑class quality, on‑time execution of the product line and meeting margin goals. This Product Developer owns managing an efficient & effective product development process in overseeing sampling accuracy in information flow, achieving preliminary cost margin targets and on‑time calendar management through final pre‑production approvals to deliver product execution true to Design’s aesthetic intent.

Responsibilities:

• Work with tech team to review samples and assist in guiding best quality, cost viable styles. Partner with fabric team on development as it relates to proper assignment for garment styling.


• Organize all sample order requests to suppliers to meet calendar due dates. Ensure all development and product sampling activities are tracked and delivered on-time for briefs, protos, salesman, pre-production size sets approvals to final manufacturing-ready product.


• Evaluate and submit on‑time, accurate development product costing in adherence to critical calendar milestones and margin goals. Analyze costs to margin expectations and identify/provide viable cost saving opportunities.


• Partner closely with Design on seasonal line development to ensure alignment throughout the development process executing to product aesthetic and intent. Focus on denim and denim finishes including wash development.


• Manage efficient, streamlined workflow processes and working tools for optimal execution accuracy, shortening lead times, lower minimums and costs. Operate and support current and future new business system management. Standardize and institute best practices where possible.


• Collaborate with fabric and design teams in researching of new product innovation and trend ideas.

Requirements:

• Apparel product development/sourcing/manufacturing work experience


• In-depth apparel industry knowledge particularly in Denim and Denim finishing


• Experience working in medium-large companies interacting with cross-functional teams


• High proficiency with MS Office applications (Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Word, Smartsheet)


• Efficient time management in multi-tasking priorities and meeting calendar deadlines


• Excellent verbal/written/interpersonal communication skills. Ability to work with cross-functional teams.


• Result‑driven and service‑oriented team player


• Strong analytical skills and attention to details


• University degree or equivalent


• Preferred experience:


• Technical college textile related field preferred

Leadership Competencies Expected for this Role:

• Emerging Leader


• Global Agility – Open to diverse views, adapts to new ways of working


• Purposeful Integrity – Demonstrates ethical behavior, follows through on commitments


• Strategic Foresight – Understands team goals, asks strategic questions


• Customer Centric Innovation – Suggests improvements from customer feedback, tries new methods


• Urgency for Impact – Act quickly and take ownership of outcomes


• Bold Accountability – Own your work and deliver consistently strong results


• Empowered Collaboration – Share ideas, listens well, collaborates with peers

Why Kontoor Brands?

At Kontoor, we offer a comprehensive benefit package to fit your lifestyle. Our benefits are crafted with the same care as our products.

When our employees are healthy, secure, and well, they bring their best selves to work. Kontoor Brands supports you with a competitive benefits program that provides choice and flexibility to meet your and your family’s needs – now and in the future. We offer resources to support your physical, emotional, social, and financial wellbeing, plus benefits like discounts on our apparel. Kontoor Brands also provides four weeks of Paid Parental Leave to eligible employees who are new parents, Flexible Fridays, and Tuition Reimbursement.

We are proud to offer a workplace culture centered on equitable opportunities and a sense of belonging for all team members. Here we have a global workforce of high‑performing teams that both unlocks our individual uniqueness and harnesses our collaborative talents.