The North Face: Product Developer, Men's Apparel

vfc; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The North Face is seeking a Product Developer for Men's Apparel to own end-to-end development of assigned styles, from concept to bulk production. You will translate design intents into 3D and physical prototypes, manage BOMs, and collaborate with global teams and vendors to uphold quality, cost, and calendar targets.

Ideal candidates have 4+ years in apparel development, strong patternmaking knowledge, and experience with PLM/PDM and 3D tools like Browzwear, CLO, or Optitex.

Qualifications

• Degree in Product Development or Apparel Design or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 4+ years of apparel product development experience.
• Strong product acumen with knowledge of development processes, tools, and systems.
• Familiarity with patternmaking and grading.
• Experience with BOMs, specs, and tech packs; use PLM/PDM and 3D tools.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end development of assigned styles from concept to production.
• Translate design vision into 3D and physical samples, ensuring BOMs meet cost and quality.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with global teams and vendors.
• Update and maintain specs, BOMs, samples, and program records.
• Train and use 3D software to create virtual prototypes.
• Monitor calendar, manage risks, and support production readiness.

Skills

Product development

Cross-functional collaboration

Cost awareness

Project management

Adaptability

Education

Degree in Product Development

Tools

Browzwear

CLO

Optitex

PLM/PDM systems

Job description

At The North Face we dare to lead the world forward through Exploration. We were born to Explore, Disrupt and to Lead. We were born to Love Wild Places and to Spark Curiosity. We believe that exploration is a mindset - both on the mountain and off the mountain - and it infuses everything we do. As a community of explorers, we stay curious about new ideas, places, and people.

So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us - our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side-by-side with a team of adventure-loving people, The North Face just may be the place for you.

To learn more about our values and our culture, visit The North Face Careers or www.thenorthface.com .

Product Developer, Men's Apparel

What will you do?

A day in the life of a Product Developer at The North Face looks a little like this.

Working under the guidance of Product Development senior leadership, this role executes key department initiatives and independently owns the end-to-end development of assigned styles of moderate to high complexity. With manager support as needed, the position ensures products meet design intent, quality, cost, and calendar requirements while partnering cross-functionally with global teams and vendors.

In collaboration with Design, the role translates the overall aesthetic vision into 3D and physical prototype samples, ensuring garment construction and Bills of Materials (BOMs) meet or exceed quality and cost expectations. Responsibilities include owning product specifications and maintaining all associated records, style files, BOMs, samples, and related program documentation.

This position serves as a technical resource for cross-functional teams, providing guidance on garment construction and leading reviews of product execution at each prototype stage. Success in the role requires fostering a collaborative, team-oriented environment within Technical Development and across cross-functional partnerships.

Let's break down that day-in-the-life a bit more.

• Own, build, maintain, and approve accurate BOMs for all assigned styles, ensuring trims, components, colorways, placements, and construction details align with design intent, cost targets, and production handoff requirements.
• Partner with Design, Technical Design, Standards, Merchandising, Materials, Sourcing, QA, factories, and vendors to deliver best-in-class products and resolve construction, fit, workmanship, and documentation needs.
• Support the Costing team with costing validation, consumption analysis, and material-efficiency reviews with vendors.
• Own buy readiness, discrepancy resolution, and seasonal product development communication with sourcing and vendors, with Sr. PD or Manager support as needed.
• Commercialize assigned styles from SMS to bulk production, including product reviews, prototype evaluations, teardown analysis, margin reviews, risk assessments, and commercialization readiness activities.
• Identify and assist in developing department guidelines and standards to ensure operational excellence and consistency across teams.
• Train and work in 3D software to review and create virtual prototypes and/or leverage vendor-created 3D assets to shorten prototype approvals and iterations.
• Balance quality, cost, manufacturability, and speed while resolving development challenges independently.
• Monitor calendar adherence, track development changes, and proactively manage risks to support production readiness.
• Drive continuous improvement within assigned product categories.
• Travel seasonally to overseas manufacturers to support product execution, vendor alignment, and production readiness.

What do you need to succeed?

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while a degree in Product Development, Apparel Design, or a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 4+ years of experience in apparel product development.

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

• Degree in Product Development, Apparel Design, or a related field, and/or equivalent work experience.
• 4+ years of experience in apparel product development.
• Strong product acumen with knowledge of apparel product development processes, tools, and systems, including development, sourcing, and manufacturing.
• Familiarity with patternmaking and grading.
• Working knowledge of Bills of Materials (BOMs), specifications, and tech packs, with experience using PLM/PDM systems and 3D development tools such as Browzwear, CLO, and Optitex.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent collaboration skills with the ability to manage multiple timelines and deadlines.
• High degree of agility and adaptability, with the ability to work effectively under pressure and navigate change with flexibility and an open mind.
• Growth mindset with enthusiasm for learning new tools and solving complex problem