The North Face: Senior Product Developer

vfc; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The North Face seeks a Senior Product Developer, Apparel, to lead end-to-end development from concept to bulk production. You’ll translate design intent into 3D and physical prototypes, manage BOMs, and drive cost- and quality-focused decisions with cross-functional teams.

You will partner with Design, Technical Design, and Sourcing to ensure manufacturability, schedule adherence, and successful product launches, including travel to overseas factories when needed.

Qualifications

• Degree in Product Development, Apparel Design, or related field.
• Familiarity with Patternmaking and grading.
• 6+ years of experience in Apparel Product Development.
• Fluency in English (additional languages a plus).
• Strong product acumen with knowledge of development processes, sourcing, and manufacturing.
• Proactive problem-solver with a collaborative mindset.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end development of complex apparel products from concept through bulk production approval.
• Own commercialization strategy for high-risk, high-profile, and innovation-driven product categories.
• Ensure products meet quality, cost, calendar, construction, BOM, and manufacturability objectives.
• Translate designer intent into 3D and physical prototype samples while recommending construction and cost-engineering solutions.
• Own product specifications, BOM accuracy, style files, development records, samples, and production-ready documentation.
• Lead product reviews, teardowns, risk assessments, and commercialization readiness activities with cross-functional partners.
• Collaborate with Technical Designer when construction adjustments affect fit.
• Travel seasonally to overseas manufacturers to support product execution, vendor alignment, and production readiness.

Skills

End-to-end development

3D prototyping

Cross-functional collaboration

Garment engineering

English fluency

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

6+ years Apparel Product Development experience

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 .

Senior Product Developer, Apparel

What will you do?

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

As Senior Product Developer, you will work under the guidance of Product Development team Sr Leadership and execute department initiative. You will lead and manage the development of the most complex products, high-profile initiatives, and strategic business categories. This role independently manages challenging development projects while influencing product creation best practices across the organization. The Senior Product Developer serves as the primary escalation point for complex product development issues but does not have direct people management responsibilities. You will partner with Design to translate the overall aesthetic into 3D and physical prototype samples, ensuring construction and BOM requirements meet or exceed expectations for quality and cost. You will own product specifications, publish and maintain records, style files, Bills of Materials, and samples associated with assigned products and related programs. You will provide expert guidance to cross-functional teams on product construction, development execution, and technical requirements.

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

• Lead end-to-end development of complex apparel products from concept through bulk production approval.
• Own commercialization strategy for high-risk, high-profile, and innovation-driven product categories.
• Ensure products meet quality, cost, calendar, construction, BOM, and manufacturability objectives.
• Translate designer intent into 3D and physical prototype samples while recommending construction and cost-engineering solutions, to support prototype development and reduce approval timelines and iterations.
• Own product specifications, BOM accuracy, style files, development records, samples, and production-ready documentation.
• Lead product reviews, teardowns, risk assessments, and commercialization readiness activities with cross-functional partners.
• Serve as a subject matter expert in garment engineering, construction methods, manufacturing feasibility, and technical execution.
• Collaborate with Technical Designer when construction adjustments affect fit.
• Resolve complex development issues, evaluate manufacturing risks, and recommend practical mitigation strategies.
• Partner with Sourcing, Costing, vendors, and manufacturers to align on construction, capabilities, timelines, and production readiness.
• Own the communication for product development, workmanship and construction of seasonal styles with sourcing and vendors.
• Support vendor capability discussions, factory onboarding, and the advancement of manufacturing best practices.
• Identify and lead process improvements, in constructions standards, calendar optimization, and special projects with minimal supervision.
• Mentor Associate and Mid-level Product Developers while supporting onboarding, technical training, and team alignment.
• Collaborate closely with the Technical Designers and Standards teams to align priorities, fit consistency, share expertise, and deliver best-in-class products.
• 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 formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 6+ years of experience and professional achievements.

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

• Degree in Product Development, Apparel Design, or related field and/or equivalent work experience.
• Familiarity with Patternmaking and grading.
• 6+ years of experience in Apparel Product Development.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills including fluency in English (any other language is a plus)
• Strong product acumen with knowledge of apparel product development processes/tools/systems, including development, sourcing, and manufacturing.
• Proactive approach to identifying the root cause of issues, seeking the best solutions with a values driven commitment to do what is right
• Excellent collabo