Director of Product Development (Kids Denim)

Centric Brands is a leading lifestyle brand collective that designs, sources, markets and sells high quality products in multiple segments, including women’s, men’s and kid’s apparel, accessories, entertainment and beauty. Centric Brands is focused on our customers and our brands that will drive the company’s future growth. We are defined by innovation as we seize new opportunities and thrive in an environment informed by creativity and thinking that is both analytical and outside the box. Centric Brands reflects a team built on respect, for others and for the hard work it takes to achieve our goals and build our bright future together.

Designer

What could be more exciting than putting your mark on some of the world’s most famous and well-loved fashion brands? As a designer for Centric Brands, you’ll use your skills and creativity to create designs based on style plans, sales needs and emerging trends. You will also ensure that your work can be transformed into a finished product in a timely manner and at an appropriate price point. This means working not only with our technical design and production teams, but also building collaborative relationships with outside vendors and other external stakeholders. The challenges are exciting and the possibilities endless – as you contribute your skills in a vibrant, customer- and people-centric culture that celebrates you as a valuable member of the team.

The Director of Product Development is a senior-level technical and product leader responsible for the end-to-end execution of kid’s denim—from early design partnerships through sourcing, development, and bulk production. Reporting into Sourcing/Production, this role serves as the enterprise authority on kids’ denim, ensuring products are age-appropriate, durable, safe, cost-effective, and scalable, while still delivering on brand aesthetic and innovation.

This role acts as the denim center of excellence for the Kids business, balancing creative intent with commercial, quality, and compliance requirements unique to children’s apparel.

Responsibilities:

Kids Denim Product & Technical Expertise

• Subject matter expert on kids’ denim, including fabric weights, stretch/recovery, durability, comfort, and safety considerations
• Guides design on age-appropriate constructions, washes, embellishments, and finishes
• Ensures denim meets performance needs for active children

Design & Development Partnership

• Translates creative vision into technically executable and scalable denim products
• Advises on safe, repeatable wash aesthetics and hand-feel
• Supports fit, pattern engineering, and construction decisions
• Reviews and approves prototypes, lab dips, strike-offs, and wear tests

Sourcing & Vendor Strategy

• Leads denim-specific vendor strategy for the Kids business
• Develop vendors capable of meeting kids’ quality and compliance standards
• Drives vendor performance across cost, quality, lead time, and innovation

Production & Commercialization

• Oversees execution from development handoff through bulk production
• Mitigates risks related to shade, shrinkage, growth allowance, and wash repeatability
• Leads escalation and resolution of production issues

Quality, Fit, Safety & Compliance

• Establishes kids denim quality and testing standards
• Ensures compliance with all children’s safety regulations
• Drives consistency of fit, color, and performance

Costing & Margin Optimization

• Provides leadership input into denim costing
• Identifies cost efficiencies aligned to kids price architecture
• Partners with Merchandising and Sourcing on margin targets

Sustainability & Responsible Manufacturing

• Champions responsible fibers and reduced-impact wash processes
• Partners with Sustainability and Compliance teams

Process Excellence & Knowledge Leadership

• Establishes best practices for kids denim development and production
• Builds wash libraries, fit blocks, and vendor capability matrices
• Educates cross-functional teams on denim risks and innovations

Qualifications & Experience

• Senior Manager: 10+ years of denim development, sourcing, or production experience
• Director: 12–15+ years of denim leadership experience
• Deep expertise in denim construction, washing, finishing, and kids fit considerations
• Experience working with global denim mills, laundries, and factories

Skills & Leadership Competencies

• Expert-level denim technical knowledge
• Strategic and commercial acumen
• Strong vendor leadership and influence skills
• Clear communication across creative and operational teams

Salary Range: $115,000 -$150,000

At Centric Brands, we believe our people are our greatest asset, and we seek to structure competitive compensation offers to ensure that we are able to attract and retain the best talent. Our job postings include an annual base salary range at the time of employment. The stated base salary range represents our good faith estimate as to what candidates are likely to expect, and we tailor our offers within the range based on several factors, including the selected candidate's educational and professional experience, industry knowledge, location, technical and communication skills, and other factors that may prove relevant during the selection process. Base salary is a part of a total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include commission earnings, annual bonus and other Centric Brands sponsored benefit programs.

Be part of our growing community by getting involved with groups, teams and initiatives like Be Green, Be Giving, and Be Celebrated.

Centric Brands is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Please note that Centric Brands will only reach out to interview, make an offer of employment or conduct onboarding activities for candidates who have applied through our careers site. When interviewing for a position, the candidate experience will include live interaction, such as a video conference or telephone call, with a Recruiter and/or company employee(s). We will never ask for any money or payments from applicants at any point in the recruitment process. Be aware of suspicious recruitment activity. If you think you are a victim of an employment scam, you may contact your local law enforcement agency and/or visit the Federal Trade Commission website here: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams.

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