Product Developer — End-to-End (Product Brief to Development Plan)

Overview We're a growing DTC outdoor & lifestyle brand looking for an experienced Product Developer to own new products from brief to launch. This is not a pure sourcing role — we need someone who thinks like a developer: understands cost drivers, explores and compares manufacturing options, challenges and refines the brief, and coordinates everyone involved to get a great product made. You don't need to be a designer yourself, but you should know how to work with one (and potentially with a sourcing agent). We will have several new products this year, so it is a long term mission What you'll do - Take a product brief, re-study and pressure-test it, and turn it into a clear development plan. - Explore different material, construction, and supplier options, with a strong grip on costs and trade-offs (cost vs. quality vs. MOQ vs. lead time). - Coordinate with designers to translate concepts into production-ready specs and tech packs. - Manage back-and-forth with China-based suppliers: samples, revisions, quality feedback, and iterations until the product is right. - Drive the product through all launch steps (sampling, validation, pre-production, handoff), keeping timelines and budgets on track and challenge all the fabrics, costs etc.... You're a great fit if you have: - Proven experience developing new physical products end-to-end, with full ownership of the process. - Solid understanding of manufacturing costs and how to optimize them. - Experience working directly with suppliers in China (communication, sampling cycles, modifications). - The ability to coordinate designers and read/produce or interpret design specs and tech packs (a background or strong familiarity with design is a big plus). - Excellent organization, billigual in English, and a hands-on, problem-solving attitude. Nice to have: Experience with soft goods / bags / luggage / outdoor gear. An existing network of reliable suppliers. Chinese is a plus How to apply : Please share: (1) 2–3 products you developed end-to-end and your exact role, (2) your experience working with Chinese suppliers, and (3) how you typically approach cost optimization on a new product.