Burton USA
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Product Development
Sr Product Developer- Outerwear Full Time
The Breakdown:
The Softgoods Senior Developer will work with a variety of cross-functional partners to own the commercialization of product from hand off to buy ready for salesmen sample production and bulk production. You will be responsible for executing product in accordance with the company’s operational calendar, standards of quality, functionality & accuracy, and in alignment with Burton’s Purpose and Profitability goals.
What You Get to Do:
- Collaborate with Design, Merchandising, Tech Design, Raw Material, Sourcing & Production, Innovation, to effectively execute product development to briefs and FOB targets supporting margin goals and Fair Labor Association Guidelines.
- Develop and foster a collaborative partnership with the Asia Merchandising team to facilitate seamless product development through bulk production for assigned styles according to critical dates, product end use, sustainability, quality, performance, and margin goals. Delegating and planning workflow accordingly.
- Provide expertise and partnership with Raw Materials team on necessary end-use requirements including quality, sustainability, and costing needs.
- Analyze cost breakdowns in conjunction with the Asia Merchandising team and manage costing data in PLM. Be responsible for identifying opportunities for cost savings, efficient manufacturing, and construction that meet quality requirements. Strive to outperform margin goals while protecting product integrity.
- Ensure consistent, accurate information and communication to support desired product execution. Input and maintain accurate data in PLM for current styles/ colors, bill of materials, style evaluations, costing, and technical sketches.
- Collaborate with Sustainability, Raw Material, Quality, and Regional teams to facilitate testing and ensure steward of global testing compliance requirements. Be responsible for raw materials commercialization risk assessment and decision-making.
- Plan, follow and communicate development calendars with Asia Merchandising partners. Facilitate the hand-off from product development to assigned production vendor. Assist in troubleshooting any issues as needed.
- Present and execute alternative options for construction, etc. when needed to meet margin goals while maintaining design intent/ aesthetic, product integrity and functionality.
- Drive continuous improvement. Partner with Quality & Design team to create supplemental technical construction guides, standard features packages. Troubleshoot manufacturing issues and incorporate learnings in future seasons.
- Responsible for compiling accurate copy and product features for marketing material, proof-reading and approving copy across various tools and platforms. Provide expert product support to regional sales and customer service teams (ex. product deep-dives, video creation, in-store events).
- Demonstrate ability to bring R&D ideas to Proof-of-Concept evaluation in collaboration with Designers and Innovation teams on inline project development and R&D at Asia-based proto lab.
- Streamline processes to support efficiency & agility. Identify, initiate, and create opportunities in the Product Development process to gain speed to market, resource, quality, and overall efficiency.
- Manage multi-season development calendars tracking seasonal product development progress and reporting in PLM.
- Facilitate strong external and internal communication with the focus on superior product quality.
- Communicate closely with cross functional teams throughout the development process to ensure finished goods meet planned schedules and quality standards. Demonstrate leadership in managing projects that collaborate across various product teams.
- Facilitate PDSA mentality in continuous work to drive best results.
- Travel internationally to visit vendors for development and cost negotiations.
- Provide team cross-training in Burton processes and best practices as needed.
What You’ll Bring to The Team:
- Bachelor’s degree in Apparel Design, Product Development, Textile Science, or related field
- 5+ years of experience developing technical or performance outerwear (e.g., ski, snowboard, mountaineering, rainwear, or tactical).
- Strong understanding of functional garment construction, fabric performance, and technical specifications.
- Experience working with waterproof/breathable laminates, taped seams, insulated systems, and functional trims.
- Strong knowledge of global sourcing, manufacturing, and the costing process
- Experience with Microsoft Office, Adobe software, and Centric PLM systems or other similar database systems.
- Candidate must have keen attention to detail, strong organizational skills and excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Must be deadline driven, have a proactive approach to problem solving and be comfortable with changing priorities
- Must be passionate about product and the development process
- Must have the ability to work in a global team environment while having fun!
How Your Success Will Be Measured:
- Product Development- on time, on cost, and ability to meet creative, performance and quality intent
- Technical accuracy- Tech packs, BOMs, and other product data are complete, precise, and require minimal clarification
- Construction integrity- Seams, taping, finishing applications consistently pass quality and performance tests (e.g., waterproof rating, seam strength)
More Info to Seal the Deal:
Burton’s benefits package includes health insurance (medical, dental and vision), life insurance (company paid), flex spending, short- and long-term disability insurance (company paid), great parental benefits, 401k plan with company match, and paid time-off. Other perks include a discounted season pass, free lessons, product discounts, free demo equipment, ride days, casual work environment, and many more…
The hiring range for this role is $73,000-$83,000, depending on relevant experience and/or education, specific skills, function, and available budget. Please note that the range details above reflect the base pay only and does not include any potential bonus and other benefits that we offer. This is an on-site role, based in Burlington, VT. We will offer relocation assistance to move to Vermont to any candidate who is hired.
