Who We Are:
Kontoor Brands, Inc. (KTB) is the parent company of Wrangler®, Lee® and Rock & Republic®, with owned manufacturing facilities in Mexico and Nicaragua. Kontoor also owns and operates over 140 retail stores across the globe. Our global company employs more than 15,000 people in 65 countries, with world headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina, and regional headquarters in Geneva and Hong Kong.
Job Posting:
Manager, Product Development
Location: Greensboro, NC
Job Summary
The Product Development Manager is the key liaison between the Brand and Supply chain to guarantee best-in-class quality and on-time execution of the product line in alignment with the overall business strategy and ensuring the brand meets or exceeds financial target goals. This manager owns and is responsible for an efficient product development process overseeing sampling and calendar timeline management through to final pre-production approvals to deliver product execution true to Design aesthetic intent.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Assess best sources/partners appropriate to the Brand to drive product strategies and capability/capacity needs to enable category growth, new product opportunities and market innovation
- Manage an efficient, streamlined work flow processes to attain optimal results in execution accuracy, shortening lead times, lower minimums and costs. Support the implementation and management of proper systems, working tools and standardized best practices
- Partner closely with Design to ensure alignment throughout the development process. Work closely with Fabric, Pattern and Tech Design to provide on-time, accurate and complete product development packages. Organize all sample order requests to suppliers to track on-time sampling accuracy execution.
- 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
- Responsible for delivering on-time, accurate development product costing in adherence to critical calendar milestone dates
- Oversee and manage the briefing and development of all new trims and label packaging for all product categories in line with GTM calendar
- Build and drive a motivated service-oriented, results-driven team. Manage personal growth and development of direct reports through mentorship coaching and guidance.
Experience
- Managerial product development/sourcing job experience
- In-depth apparel industry knowledge particularly in Denim
- Experience working in medium-large companies interacting with cross-functional teams
- Proven ability and responsibility managing teams of minimum 3-5 direct reports
Education and/or certification requirements
- University degree or equivalent
- Technical college textile related field preferred
Skills
- High proficiency with MS Office applications (Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Word)
- Efficient time management in multi-tasking priorities and meeting calendar deadlines
- Excellent verbal/written/interpersonal communication skills
- Result-driven and service oriented team player
- Strong analytical skills and attention to details
Why Kontoor Brands?
At Kontoor, we offer a comprehensive benefit package to fit your lifestyle and our benefits are crafted with the same care as our products.
When our employees are healthy, secure and well, they bring their best selves to work. Kontoor Brands supports you with a competitive benefits program that provides choice and flexibility to meet your and your family’s needs – now and in the future. 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.
Our Kontoor D&I Mission
At Kontoor, we believe that D&I is a key enabler to a culture that empowers us to work with passion and confidence, shaping our brand and future.
Our Kontoor D&I Commitment
- Create a global workforce of high-performing teams that both unlocks our individual uniqueness and harnesses our collaborative talents
- Ensure an equitable environment that attracts & promotes diverse workforce
- Foster inclusivity, ensuring employees feel they can bring their whole selves to work
Top Skills
What We Do
Kontoor Brands (NYSE: KTB) is a global lifestyle apparel company, with a portfolio of some of the world's most iconic consumer brands: Wrangler® and Lee®. We design, manufacture and distribute superior high-quality products that look good and fit right, giving people around the world the freedom and confidence to express themselves.
