Product Developer - Ski Apparel and Resort Wear

Title: PRODUCT DEVELOPER

Location: Vancouver, BC (remote, with in-person meetings)

Employment Type: Contract, 12mo Term

Reports To: Director of Product Development

About CORDOVA

CORDOVA is a fast-growing leader in luxury performance ski apparel and resort wear, known for elevated design, technical excellence, and quality construction. As a small but ambitious team, we foster a culture of versatility, collaboration, and a proactive hands-on approach.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Product Developer with a strong technical foundation and demonstrated experience sourcing raw materials, performance fabrics, and trims. Reporting directly to the Director of Product Development, working alongside another Product Developer and Design, this role will translate concepts into technically constructed luxury products across women's and men's ski, outerwear, resort and swim. Experience in ski, snow sports, technical outerwear, or performance apparel is required, alongside an understanding of the luxury design market and high-end product development.

The Product Developer will manage the development lifecycle from design through approved pre-production samples, with a complete handoff to the Production Manager after approved SMS. This person will coordinate materials, technical packages, samples, fit, costing inputs, and vendor communication while ensuring that each product meets CORDOVA's standards for design, performance, quality, cost, and timing.

This role is best suited for an experienced Product Developer who is confident managing their workload and supplier communication with limited supervision. The successful candidate will have a solid understanding of the apparel and fabric development process, be proactive in identifying and resolving issues, and know when to escalate key decisions or risks. Our team is remote and travels frequently to suppliers, mills and fairs. This role is ideally located in Vancouver, BC in order to meet in person with design.

Key Responsibilities

Material Sourcing and Development

• Lead the sourcing and development of raw materials, performance fabrics, linings, insulation, trims, hardware, zippers, labels, and other components based on seasonal design direction and product requirements.
• Build and maintain relationships with mills, trim suppliers, agents, and development vendors; evaluate capabilities, minimums, lead times, pricing, quality, and technical suitability.
• Assess materials for hand feel, weight, durability, stretch and recovery, abrasion resistance, waterproof and breathable performance, insulation, seam-sealing compatibility, color, and intended end use.
• Request and track swatches, lab dips, strike-offs, trim samples, test reports, and approvals; maintain an accurate, organized material library and seasonal sourcing records.
• Recommend material and trim solutions that balance creative intent, technical performance, quality, target cost, minimums, and lead time.
• Maintain accurate material specifications, supplier information, pricing, and approval status in BOMs, PLM tools, and development trackers.

Product Development and Technical Execution

• Manage assigned styles from design handoff through prototypes, development samples, fit samples, size sets, and approved pre-production samples.
• Create, update, and maintain complete technical packages, including BOMs, construction details, measurement specifications, artwork placement, and clear sample comments.
• Participate in fit sessions and translate feedback into precise pattern, construction, and specification revisions, with attention to fit consistency across women's and men's products.
• Troubleshoot development issues with a solutions-oriented approach, safeguarding the quality standards, budgets and calendar requirements of the business
• Review samples against design intent and technical requirements; identify construction, material, fit, or performance issues and drive timely resolution with vendors and internal partners.
• Collaborate with factories, pattern makers, and technical partners on garment construction, seam placement, insulation mapping, seam sealing, finishing, and manufacturability.
• Support product costing and value engineering during development without compromising the intended design, quality, or performance.
• Maintain development calendars and trackers, confirm approvals, surface risks early, and deliver complete, accurate product information for a smooth handoff to production.
• Proactively manage competing priorities and respond effectively to changes in design direction, delivery requirements and development priorities while maintaining accuracy and agreed timelines.

Vendor and Cross Functional Collaboration

• Serve as a day-to-day development contact for mills, trim suppliers, factories, and other external partners.
• Confidently manage development across a mid-sized international supplier base, coordinating multiple factories, mills and trim/component suppliers.
• Work closely with Design, Merchandising, Production, and Operations to align on product requirements, assortment, target costs, development timing, and feasibility.
• Communicate sample status, changes, risks, and delays clearly to the Director of Product Development and relevant internal and external partners.
• Contribute to stronger development systems, material documentation, product data accuracy, and cross-functional ways of working as the company grows.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of apparel product development experience, with direct responsibility for materials, technical development, sampling, and vendor communication.
• Demonstrated experience sourcing and developing raw materials, fabrics, and trims through mills, suppliers, agents, and manufacturers.
• Experience in ski, snow sports, technical outerwear, or performance apparel is required; experience developing both women's and men's product is a plus.
• Strong understanding of garment construction, pattern making, fit, grading, fabric behavior, and apparel manufacturing processes.
• Working knowledge of performance textiles and components, including waterproof and breathable materials, insulation, seam-sealing systems, technical trims, and hardware.
• Ability to create and maintain accurate tech packs, BOMs, measurement specifications, fit comments, and material records.
• Excellent supplier and vendor management skills, with clear written communication and sound judgment when resolving development issues.
• Adaptable and resilient, with the ability to remain organised and solutions-focused when priorities, timelines or product requirements change.
• Fluency in English is required; proficiency in Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, or another relevant supplier language would be a strong advantage.

Compensation

• Annual compensation for this role is CAD $84,000 - CAD $112,000
• Generous PTO policy