Assistant Product Developer - New York, United States - United Legwear and Apparel Company

Description

OUR COMPANY
Founded in 1998 United Legwear & Apparel Co. (ULAC) is a global designer, manufacturer, and distributor of socks, legwear, sportswear, bodywear, and accessories. As one of the leading resources in the industry, ULAC offers a full range of apparel, from newborn/toddler sizes through teens and adults, thanks to our partnership with Puma and licensing agreements with renowned brands such as Hurley, Skechers, Champion, Van Heusen, Weatherproof, just to name a few.

OUR TEAM
United Legwear & Apparel Co. has assembled a team of experienced professionals with like priorities all working together to make the company the very best in the business. Whether in sales, finance, planning, licensing, or shipping, the goal is always customer satisfaction and superior products.

INNOVATION, DESIGN AND MERCHANDISING
Our design and merchandising teams have expertise in identifying emerging trends, fashions, and consumer desires. We also understand the essence of a brand and translate each brand's DNA while creating apparel and accessories with the most advanced fabrics and yarns and designing items for sports/performance needs and lifestyles. It is the company's goal to deliver the best quality goods and the most innovative products within a category.

ABOUT US
The company as a whole works at a very fast pace. We thrive in an environment filled with tight deadlines, collaboration, and camaraderie. The entire company is very tight-knit. While we value sharp minds and professionalism, we like to surround ourselves with people who have a quirky sense of humor, and who understand what it means to be confident yet humble. We know how to get things done and have fun at the same time, and are looking for someone who can do the same.

The product development assistant is an entry-level job position, with the potential to grow within the department. They will work closely with the Product Development (PD) team to develop and improve existing products. They will help us with order placement follow-up processes, collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure that all products meet design and quality standards, coordinate with the production teams and product suppliers to ensure that product development schedules are adhered to, and all products are delivered on time.

The product development assistant should also be able to work independently and perform all other tasks delegated by their manager, including but not limited to providing general administrative and clerical support to PD team including filing, mailing, scanning, faxing, copying, maintaining seasonal WIP reports, and assisting with ad-hoc projects. Work with the PD & Production team to facilitate and follow up with the status of orders in the factories, and track and maintain department samples/submissions. Prepares samples and other requests for shipment.

The product development assistant is an entry-level job position, with the potential to grow within the department. They will work closely with the Product Development (PD) team to develop and improve existing products. They will help us with order placement follow-up processes, collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure that all products meet design and quality standards, coordinate with the production teams and product suppliers to ensure that product development schedules are adhered to, and all products are delivered on time. The product development assistant should also be able to work independently and perform all other tasks delegated by their manager, including but not limited to providing general administrative and clerical support to PD team including filing, mailing, scanning, faxing, copying, maintaining seasonal WIP reports, and assisting with ad-hoc projects. Work with PD & Production team to facilitate and follow up with the status of orders in the factories, and track and maintain department samples/submissions. Prepares samples and other requests for shipment.

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Communicates daily with overseas vendors on delegated product development matters.
• Strict attention to detail and ability to prioritize tasks.
• Proven ability to organize large amounts of information using MS Office (SharePoint, Excel, etc.) and task management platform (will be taught if needed).
• Proactive attitude, team player.
• Responsible for learning how to assist with approvals on fabric, print, color, trim, and pre-production samples.
• Develops best practices to optimize product development procedures.
• Aids design, merchandising, and development teams (show room set up, sample preparations, shipping label requests/sending packages out to suppliers, etc).
• Maintains consistency and accuracy of information flow between development, production, and overseas vendors.
• Provides project status updates to management on request.
• Organize and maintain materials for development teams (standard binders, color & fabric libraries, file cabinets, shipping forms, etc).
• Perform any other duties as assigned in support of the company's needs and operations.

• Bachelor's degree in fashion or related area and 2 years of experience in apparel product development.
• Knowledge of color and color correction and ability to score 16 or above on the Farnsworth Munsell 100 Hue test.
• Proficient computer skills including Microsoft Office and Adobe, database systems, email, and the internet.
• Excellent written and verbal skills as required for effective interpersonal communication with clients and other employees.
• Strong organizational skills that reflect the ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks and workloads seamlessly with keen attention to detail and follow-up.
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment and ability to apply good work habits to effectively complete assigned tasks and contribute to the smooth operation of the company.
• Experience working with external 3rd party manufacturing partners is a plus.