Product Developer – Lee

Kontoor Brands, Inc.; Revolution (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discounts on apparel

Paid Parental Leave (4 weeks)

Flexible Fridays

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Kontoor Brands, Inc. is seeking a Product Developer to bridge Brand and Supply chain, ensuring on‑time, margin‑driven product execution from concept to pre‑production.

You will work with design and fabric teams to develop denim products, manage samples, and ensure accurate costing while meeting calendar milestones and vendor constraints.

Qualifications

• Apparel product development, sourcing, or manufacturing experience.
• Industry knowledge in Denim and finishes.
• Experience with cross-functional teams in medium–large companies.
• Proficient in MS Office applications and project tools.
• Strong time management and calendar discipline.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• University degree or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Review samples with the tech team and guide quality and cost‑effective styles.
• Collaborate with fabric team on garment styling development.
• Organize all sample orders to meet calendar deadlines.
• Track development activities from briefs to pre‑production approvals.
• Submit accurate development costing aligned with margins.
• Analyze costs and identify cost reduction opportunities.
• Collaborate with Design on seasonal line development and aesthetics.
• Focus on denim and denim finishes including wash development.
• Support new business system management and continuous improvement.

Skills

Apparel development

Denim finishing

Cross-functional teams

MS Office

Time management

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Education

University degree or equivalent

Technical college textile field

Tools

MS Office (Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Word)

Smartsheet

OneDrive

Teams

Excel

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.

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. 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. Kontoor Brands is 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.

• discounts on our apparel
• four weeks of Paid Parental Leave to eligible employees who are new parents
• Flexible Fridays
• Tuition Reimbursement

Kontoor Brands, Inc.

Kontoor Brands, Inc. Kontoor Brands is a lifestyle apparel company with a strong established global footprint. We operate in more than 50 countries, with corporate offices in the United States, Europe and Asia, as well as internal manufacturing facilities located in the Western Hemisphere. This is an exciting time to be a part of Kontoor Brands globally, as we are focused on leveraging our global platform to drive brand growth and are committed to further geographic expansion.

Kontoor Brands, Inc. Diversity Vision Statement

Kontoor Brands is committed to creating an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the differences among all of our associates, customers, suppliers and the communities in which we live and conduct business.

The continued success and growth of Kontoor Brands is enhanced through initiatives that promote diversity throughout Kontoor Brands around the world.

Kontoor Brands is an equal employment opportunity/ affirmative action employer of minorities, females, protected veterans and the disabled.

Kontoor Brands is committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, and treating our Kontoor Brands associates and Kontoor Brands applicants without discrimination on the basis of their race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status, HIV/AIDS status, or any other legally protected factor.

If you have any questions about an open position at Kontoor, please contact us at [e-mail]