Senior Product Developer - Licensed Brands

zumiezhomeoffice; Washington; On-site; USD 56,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

401k after 1 year of service

Paid Parental Leave

Employee Stock Purchase Program

On-site skate park & cafeteria

On-site, casual, pet-friendly office

Job summary

Zumiez is seeking a Senior Product Developer - Licensed Brands to lead end-to-end design and development for assigned licensed partners across multiple product categories.

You will mentor the PD team, manage calendars and milestones, and collaborate with Brand, Technical Design, Graphic Design, Buying, Production, and vendors to ensure on-time delivery. This role requires strong project management, apparel development experience, and the ability to drive brand quality while maintaining calendars.

Qualifications

• BA degree in Apparel Design, Product Development, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in apparel product development or related field with leadership experience.
• Experience mentoring or developing team members in product development.
• Strong project and calendar management with ability to prioritize deadlines and communicate risks early.
• Proficiency with Adobe CS (Illustrator, Photoshop) and Microsoft Office tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development for assigned licensed brand partners across multiple categories.
• Mentor and develop the PD team; manage workload and calendars.
• Collaborate with Brand, Technical Design, Graphic Design, Buying, Production, and vendors for fit, construction, and artwork.
• Maintain accurate tech packs, sketches, artwork files, templates, and BOM entries.
• Onboard new brands and manage seasonal workloads and cross-functional alignment.

Job description

Senior Product Developer - Licensed Brands

Reports to: Senior Design Manager

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Department: Product and Brand Services (PBS)

Location: In Office Position at Zumiez Home Office - Lynnwood, WA

Zumiez and Product and Brand Services (PBS)

Zumiez is a leading specialty retailer of apparel, footwear, accessories, skateboards, and snowboards for young men and women who want to express their individuality through the fashion, music, art, and culture of action sports, streetwear, and other unique lifestyles. Headquartered in Lynnwood, Washington, Zumiez operates over 700 stores in North America, Europe, and Australia. We operate under Zumiez in North America, Blue Tomato in Europe, and Fast Times in Australia.

The Zumiez Product and Brand Services (PBS) team is responsible for over 30 unique brands spanning various categories, including men's and women's apparel, accessories, and snow/skate hardgoods. These brands are comprised of private label, licensed, and owned brands.

Position Purpose

The Senior Product Developer is responsible for leading the creative design and development process for assigned licensed brand partners across multiple product categories while providing leadership, mentorship, and workload management for Product Development team members.

This position acts as the senior level liaison for assigned brands and supports the overall execution of team priorities. The role partners with cross‑functional teams and leaders to guide products from concept through finished goods while ensuring calendars, product data, milestones, and communication standards are consistently maintained.

In addition to end‑to‑end ownership of assigned brands, this role helps manage the Product Development team’s seasonal workload, supports onboarding of new brands, mentors and develops PD talent to drive overall team and product success.

Job Duties & Responsibilities:

• Manage and prioritize the Product Development team’s workload to support seasonal deliverables, shifting business needs, and balanced execution across assigned brands and categories
• Own and manage the team development calendar, ensuring key milestones, sample deadlines, product reviews, brand approvals, and cross‑functional handoffs are clearly communicated and met
• Mentor, train, and develop PD team members by providing guidance on development process, communication standards, product execution, time management, and problem‑solving
• Support onboarding of new brands by establishing development timelines, workflow expectations, communication cadence, product data needs, and cross‑functional alignment
• Lead the overall vision and execution of assigned licensed brand product development while partnering with Brand, Technical Design, Graphic Design, Buying, Production, and vendors on fit, construction, details, and graphic applications
• Work cross‑functionally with Design, Graphics, Technical Design, Production, Buying, and external vendors to support development execution and maintain on‑time seasonal deliveries.
• Research trends, construction, materials, and product opportunities to support seasonal concept direction and inform brand development strategy.
• Create, review, and maintain accurate tech pack/technical sketches, detailed artwork files, templates, and bill of material entries following established standards with high accuracy
• Evaluate physical submits for color, quality, weight, construction, artwork application, and technique execution
• Identify and elevate product risks, workload conflicts, partnering with the Manager and cross‑functional teams to resolve issues and protect calendar deadlines.
• Ensure clear internal and external communication of product comments, development updates, vendor feedback, and action items across the PD team and cross‑functional partners.
• Participate in fittings, product reviews, calendar meetings, team check‑ins, and touchbases.
• Actively identify areas for process, calendar, workflow, and systems improvement, recommending solutions that improve team efficiency and product accuracy.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Manager.

Requirements:

• BA degree in Apparel Design, Product Development, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in apparel product development, design, production, or related function preferred, with demonstrated experience leading projects, calendars, or team workflows.
• Experience mentoring, training, or developing team members within a product development, apparel, or cross‑functional environment.
• Strong project management and calendar management skills, including the ability to prioritize team workload, manage competing deadlines, and communicate risks early.
• Proficient with Adobe CS - Illustrator, Photoshop
• Proficient with Microsoft office – Outlook, Excel, Word and Teams
• Clear understanding of garment construction, textiles, and print/artwork application techniques.
• Ability to communicate timely, accurately, and effectively with cross‑functional partners, brand partners, team members, and overseas vendors.
• Ability to lead through influence, coach others, and support team accountability while maintaining a collaborative and solutions‑oriented approach.
• Some travel may be required.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

Ability to sit/stand in a stationary position in an office environment for extended periods and work on a Mac or PC without limitations. Must be able to distinguish colors and inspect the material on the product.

Benefits

• Hourly Pay Range: $41.00-$43.25
• Medical, Dental, and vision Insurance, following an initial wait period.
• 401k after 1 year of service
• Paid Parental Leave
• Life Insurance
• 10 days of accrued paid vacation
• Paid Sick Leave
• Bonus Potential
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Open, casual, pet‑friendly office environment
• Employee Discount on Zumiez product
• On‑site skate park & cafeteria

This job description is not all-inclusive and is only intended to describe the general nature of the work. All job responsibilities are essential job functions. Job responsibilities and requirements are subject to modification to accommodate individuals with disabilities reasonably. The Company reserves the right to modify the job description as it deems necessary for proper business operations.