Digital Product Development Lead

General Summary:

• Responsible to lead the Digital Apparel Development program for Columbia by closely working with internal and external partners. Responsible for supervising the technical engineering functions at FGV's and the digitization of our Materials & Trim components.
• Responsible for managing the Digital Apparel Development process by influencing and leading finished goods manufacturers and material suppliers by transforming and maintaining our digital development processes. That our apparel products are commercialized leveraging Digital Development Processes and drives adherence and execution according to the Digital Visual Quality Standards. This role supports that design integrity, quality, and target cost/margin are achieved/exceeded.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
STRATEGIC
:

Finish Goods Factory Management
: Collaborates with cross functional department heads to expand and maintain the capabilities to develop apparel product through a digital process according to the established Digital Development Strategy. Establishes corrective action plan and follow up to ensure readiness adherence according to our Digital Visual Quality Standards.

Identify the processes changes if needed and keep the Development team updated.

Supplier Performance Management
: Updates vendor performance matrix and tiering data and communicates to vendors. Leads continuous improvement in development lead-time and fit approval.
Process Management
: Ensures that procedures to monitor Digital Development processes are established, understood, and consistently followed by staff and vendors; and implements changes in procedures for process improvement.
Vendor Development
: Responsible for training and performance management of Digital vendor team. Optimizes vendor effectiveness: model company values, support skill development, balance workload and projects.

:

• Provide seasonal digital development support and executes the long term Digital Development Strategy.
• Creates and manages key calendar dates for digital development seasonal work and projects
• Explores software updates and implements versioning across the userbase.
• Provides technical support to Finished Goods Manufacturing Partners and Global Development teams
• Maintains digital development infrastructure and user support/troubleshooting
• Provides on-boarding and training to Finished Goods Manufacturing Partners 3D users
• Optimize processes around digital development software solutions and reduce the dependency of physical prototypes.
• Administers digital files storage systems
• Maintain and update Digital Material and Trim Database
• Collaborate with software suppliers to support the Digital Product Development Strategy
• Create strong interactions and drive communication with Finished Goods Raw Material Partners to ensure a coordinated and efficient process
• Act as the face of Digital Development in Asia

Competencies:
You are:

• Possess innovative knowledge of digital development tools and software
• Possess strong organizational skills and ability to work under pressure, meet strict timelines and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Possess advanced written and verbal influencing skills to deal with various levels of management and employees within the organization as well as vendors and worldwide personnel. Ability to drive negotiated deadlines with cross-functional partners through thorough knowledge of downstream dependencies.

YOU HAVE

• Experience in product creation & 3D apparel creation
• University/College degree specializing in related field and 5+ years of experience in technical Product Development and 3+ years of project management experience
• Work experience directly related to the apparel product development is required
• Advanced knowledge of garment construction methods and manufacturing sewing operations, including pattern making, grading, and marking processes
• Possess innovative knowledge of 3d software (Browzwear, CLO, Opti-tex)
• Experience in materials and the apparel supply chain
• Fluent in spoken and written English

Reporting Line and S
upervisory Responsibility
:
Supervisor, Digital Product Development (M1)
position reports to the Regional India Merchandise Director. The role gives significant freedom to the person to set objective and progressive goals during trek conversation with the manager and work on execution strategy.

This role currently has no supervisory responsibility.

This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company.