Product Development Sourcing Coordinator

We are seeking a PD Sourcing Coordinator, who would be a critical member of the Product Development team responsible for sourcing, initiating, and engineering innovative product to market in a timely and cost-effective manner. The scope of the role consists of driving novelty component development for customer accounts and primary ownership of our main Spirit® seasonal lines. This individual excels in working cohesively with cross-functional partners in Design, Sales & Production to execute exceptional product within ambitious timelines.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• New supplier & sub-supplier/contractor sourcing, counter-sourcing, cost exercising, compliance, and general vendor management functions.
• Sourcing of new fabrics/yarns, trims, notions, packaging & technologies for Spirit-driven development, as well as customer adopted active styles.
• Setup & documentation of the all the above in PLM; Thorough RM record completion: Material properties, FDS docs, unit cost, performance pre-testing, etc.
• Development of novelty embellishments – screen print innovations, embroidery applications, garment dye & wash techniques, AOP capabilities, etc. – w/ external supplier base and Spirit internal printing dept.
• Complete, agile timeline ownership for all component sourcing; Most of these items will be disconnected from external (customer) deadlines.
• Directing activities of Spirit development team in Central America to follow thru on execution/timeliness for the above.
• Close coordination with Design & Sales team for all novelty development direction; Administer input on feasibility, optimal execution, technical parameters, and cost considerations.
• Collaborate in tandem with downstream product developers and Production team to lock down sourcing strategy.
• Catalog/Blank* style development, setup and tech pack creation: Defining BOM items, garment decoration process, packing & trim requirements, and special handling instructions. Work with tech designer to ensure all technical elements are included and sample evaluations are completed.
• *Catalog/Blank styles include all Spirit CND Catalog bodies, new Spirit Ecom/DTC silhouettes and new off-cycle bodies for future key account consideration.
• Coordinate sampling workflow & timelines for Catalog/Blanks, including proto/fit samples, quality samples & salesman samples.
• Complete costing ownership & negation for Catalog/Blank styles – domestic CMT and full package. Compare like-product costs and counter-cost across supplier base to ensure margin adherence.
• Oversee and maintain dept. libraries for Catalog/Blank styles, embellishment, fabric & trim components, physical and digital.
• Co-administration of development calendars; Drafting and implementation. Follow up w/ Design and hold upstream partners accountable for meeting key milestones/PD handoffs in timely manner.

Critical Aspects

• Main functions predominantly consist of raw product development and R&D. This workflow will be very unstructured and freeform coming from Design. Less style numbers, more individual material items.
• Heavy interaction with and direction from Design Dept VP and company President, as well as Sales team to a lesser extent.
• Downstream functions are more organized and process oriented. Will require some switching back & forth from unstructured to structured workflows.
• Tight collaboration with PD managers to handoff newly developed/sourced components for incorporation into their product adoptions; Expectation of overlap in activities as sampling is initiated.
• Will need to share management of dept personnel (sample cutter & sewer, tech designer) with PD managers to coordinate sampling, material inventory and program resources without friction.
• This is a new position. Flexibility and accommodation as we navigate establishing these workflows.

Key Competencies:

• Fundamental understanding of apparel technical components, garment construction & apparel product lifecycle process.
• Exceptional communication skills written and verbal; Ability to clearly articulate messages to a diversity of audiences and garner productive feedback; Excellent active listening skills.
• Prioritizes working closely with others, building & nourishing robust working relationships; Takes pride in being a team player.
• Organized & process oriented, while simultaneously possessing the capacity & flexibility to swiftly pivot to different types of tasks as the workload demands it
• Impeccable time management; Accustomed to working with & excelling with demanding lead times; Able to successfully balance individual priorities amid team & company priorities.
• Have a strong drive to learn and a thirst for knowledge; Enthusiastic to supplement existing skillset through the undertaking of new challenges.
• Enterprising & self-motivating; Resourceful and self-starting with a resolve for owning their responsibilities and taking pride in their work.
• A mindset of innovation and broad creativity; sharp problem solving skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years work experience in apparel PD/sourcing environment.
• English language proficient, written & oral; Strong preference for Spanish bi-lingual skills.
• Working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator & MS Office suite.
• Means of local mobility/transportation and willingness to travel abroad.
• Strong experience in PLM or PDM software.
• Experience in ERP software preferred.

Salary Range
$USD annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Work Location: In person

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $68,640.00 - $80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• How many years of experience do you have in apparel PD/sourcing environment?
• How many years of experience do you have in PLM or PDM software?

Work Location: In person