Senior Manager, Apparel Product Development

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Oregon.

📋 Description

• Oversee the execution of customized sports uniforms and apparel development across designated adidas accounts, programs, and product categories.

• Lead the planning and implementation process from client intake and concept translation through to sampling, approvals, production readiness, and commercialization.

• Manage multiple ongoing development programs, identifying potential risks and adjusting priorities, timelines, or resources as necessary.

• Convert adidas requirements into actionable development plans, timelines, resource needs, technical specifications, and production deliverables.

• Ensure that development activities align with cost, margin, quality, performance, and client service objectives.

• Provide technical expertise on custom sports uniforms, including garment construction, fit, materials, decoration methods, manufacturing feasibility, quality, and commercialization.

• Foster alignment among Technical Design, Pattern, Artwork, Costing, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, commercial teams, and adidas stakeholders.

• Act as the primary Product Development liaison for assigned adidas stakeholders.

• Collaborate with internal teams and manufacturing partners to transition approved concepts and prototypes into scalable production.

• Monitor development costs, margin performance, resource requirements, and financial risks.

• Establish and refine product development processes, tools, documentation, and best practices.

• Track KPIs and reporting for delivery, quality, productivity, cost, capacity, and client service.

• Identify potential risks and implement strategies to mitigate them for product quality, capacity, and timelines.

• Investigate quality issues, determine root causes, and lead corrective measures.

• Ensure that products comply with adidas quality, performance, compliance, and brand standards.

• Promote continuous improvement across workflows, systems, documentation, handoffs, and operational processes.

• Provide project updates, risk assessments, capacity insights, and business recommendations to leadership.

• Assist with development planning, resource strategies, workforce planning, and organizational initiatives.

• Recommend workload allocation, staffing, process investments, systems, and capabilities.

• Lead, mentor, and develop members of the Product Development team.

• Set team priorities and performance expectations; offer coaching, feedback, and professional development.

• Support workforce planning, succession planning, hiring recommendations, retention efforts, and talent development.

• Act as an escalation point for adidas product development challenges.

⛳️ Requirements

• Advanced knowledge of the apparel product development process from client intake and concept translation to commercialization and production readiness.

• Strong understanding of custom sports uniforms, technical apparel, garment construction, fit, fabrics, trims, decoration methods, costing, manufacturing processes, and production requirements.

• Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams in a dynamic, client-focused environment.

• Excellent project management, organizational, and prioritization skills, capable of managing multiple complex development programs concurrently.

• Demonstrated capability to manage strategic client or brand relationships, communicate with complex external stakeholders, and drive cross-functional alignment without direct authority.

• Strong business acumen with knowledge of cost management, margin analysis, budgeting, productivity measurement, forecasting, and commercialization processes.

• Ability to translate client requirements into practical product development plans, technical deliverables, resource priorities, and operational actions.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, PLM systems, project management, and workflow tools; experience with ClickUp is preferred.

• Familiarity with major global brand standards, structured client approval processes, and strategic account development programs is preferred.

• Proven ability to leverage operational data to identify risks, enhance processes, and scale development capabilities.

• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish is preferred.

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion, Product Development, Business Administration, Project Management, Engineering, or a related field is preferred; equivalent experience will be considered.

• A minimum of 7 years of experience in apparel development, product development, technical apparel, manufacturing, or a related field.

• At least 3 years of experience in people leadership, with responsibilities for coaching, performance management, and employee development.

• Experience managing complex, high-volume product development programs for major brands, strategic clients, or licensed partners.

• Experience in custom sports uniforms, team sports apparel, or technical performance apparel is preferred.

• Experience with financial planning, cost management, forecasting, and operational performance reporting.

• Experience working with manufacturing or supply chain operations in Central or North America is preferred; familiarity with PLM, OMS, AS400, and project management systems is preferred.

🏝️ Benefits

• Comprehensive Health Care Benefits.

• HSA Employer Contribution/ FSA Opportunities.

• Wellbeing Program.

• 401(k) plan with company matching.

• Company paid Life, AD&D, and Short-Term Disability.

• Generous My Time Off & Paid Holidays.

• Varsity Brands Ownership Program.

• Employee Resource Groups.

• Access to Financial Coaching and member-owned Credit Union.

• St. Jude Partnership & Volunteer Opportunities.

• Employee Perks including discounts on personal apparel and equipment!