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Product Development Associate
Kayser-Roth Corporation
Greensboro, NC, United States
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Job Responsibilities:
Product Development
• Attend meetings related to the brands/categories of responsibility to understand brand strategy and initial design ideas.
• Accountable for reviewing and approving color, strike offs, PP’s, TOPs for development for various brands and categories
• Work closely with design and merchandising teams to understand what fabrications and/or technologies are needed within the assortment.
• Once each season, participate in competitive shopping.
• Maintain development and testing tracking chart.
• Participate in fit sessions with the Technical Design team.
• Ensure that product information is accurate in PLM for vendors to access and provide comments to supplier in PLM during the development season.
• Ensure that fabric and/or print strike off packages are created to house all product information and comments and linked to corresponding styles.
• Track and review initial prototypes for workmanship and provide feedback to vendors.
• Communicate daily with agents/vendors to ensure clarity on all aspects of development and KR requirements.
• Follow up with vendors to ensure timely submits for approvals.
• Review and approve all color and wash/shade band submits and maintain solid documentation on approvals.
• Attend and participate in weekly and biweekly touch base meetings with Merchandising and Design to review and discuss outstanding and/or current issues.
• Work closely with Design and Merchandising on current development to address product/line needs.
• Work closely with Sourcing/Production team on issues that may affect production and delivery.
• Understand calendar and ensure all product development deadlines are met.
• Support Sourcing team in any costing related topics.
• Facilitate effective team interaction
• Participate in the maintenance of opening KR mail submit filing, storage room, storage areas, samples sale preparation
Quality
• Address any potential garment quality and/or execution issues during the development stage.
• Manage garment/bulk testing and follow up with vendors on testing submits and testing results.
• Evaluate testing results to ensure they meet KR and industry standards.
• Track, follow up and review Pre-Production Samples and Top of Production Samples in a timely manner, to insure on time, quality product.
• Review and reference WIP reports from suppliers to effectively prioritize sample reviews and/or submit reviews.
• Create and Maintain trim library for specific brand/category of responsibility
• Send approved Pre-Production Samples and Top of Production Samples to the Distribution Center, for the Quality team to use as reference when performing quality audits.
• Monitor vendor garment execution and trim qualities and provide appropriate direction for improvement when needed.
• Be involved in decision making when DC audits do not pass inspection.
• Work closely with design and with assigned factories to identify any quality issues as product is being developed.
• Ensure all final tech packs are completed in PLM correctly and on time.
• Understand all new products and strategies associated.
• Work closely with design and with assigned factories to identify any quality issues as product is being developed.
• Communicate all potential quality issues with assigned vendors, design and management and update team on approval status.
• Work closely with KR Quality team on any production related product topic.
Company Strategy / Vendor Development
• Provide guidelines and training to new vendors on product development processes including KR manual information, PLMs, submit forms, sample submit processes, PP and TOP expectations.
• Ensure new vendors receive initial and supplemental PLM training.
• Send submits / samples to suppliers for cost exercises when needed
Fit / Wear Testing
• Assist and attend in scheduling fit sessions and act as liaison between design callouts and fit team needs.
• Determine when wear testing is warranted and administer wear tests as needed.
Required Skills:
Job Qualifications:
Knowledge of knit product, understanding of garment development processes, understanding of trims and knit fabrics. Understanding of garment production and testing. Very strong organization and follow-up skills, attention to detail. Ability to assess quality of goods. Strong, clear communication skills. Ability to excel in multi-tasking, cross-functional collaboration and possess knowledge of the following:
• Knit garment construction, preferably knit bottoms, sleepwear
• Ability to pass a color test
• Experience evaluating/communicating color visually
• Product performance test methods and commercially acceptable requirements for knitted apparel
• Overseas Supplier Experience
• Develop Cycle experience
• Self-starter
Required Education/Training:
• College degree desirable, background in product development, production and fashion of knit/legging products.
• Previous product development/sourcing experience.
• Excellent basic computer skills.