The North Face: Senior Designer, Product Design, Apparel

Now that you’ve found the job description, what’s next?

At The North Face we dare to lead the world forward through Exploration. We were born to Explore, Disrupt and to Lead. We were born to Love Wild Places and to Spark Curiosity. We believe that exploration is a mindset - both on the mountain and off the mountain - and it infuses everything we do. As a community of explorers, we stay curious about new ideas, places, and people.

So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side-by-side with a team of adventure-loving people, The North Face just may be the place for you.

To learn more about our values and our culture, visit The North Face Careers or www.thenorthface.com.

What will you do?

A day in the life of a Global Senior Designer – Performance Apparel at The North Face looks a little like this.

You will push the performance and aesthetic of The North Face Global Apparel through performance-first design solutions, and elevated style. You will work with the broader Performance Apparel design team to build new innovation into global apparel design. You will work on a mixture of in-line seasonal product, as well as running point on pre-season Advanced Concepts for all Performance Apparel categories. The role reports to the Global Design Director – Performance Apparel.

Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more.

• Have a solid understanding of the Global Outdoor customer and be aware of market/cultural/recreational trends that they may be engaged in.
• Drive seasonal trend and technical research. 
• Present your design work to cross functional teams and management in a professional confident manor.
• Work on in-season styles and either create new product franchise design DNA in-line with Performance Apparel Design guidelines, or add to existing product franchises while honoring existing DNA.
• Work with Athletes and consumer feedback to distil feedback to improve product through a problem solving lens.
• Partner with Materials team to develop and source fabrics and trims relevant for product category.
• Use Illustrator to create design tech packs.
• Hand over tech-packs of new styles to TD team on time and in full

What do you need to succeed?

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 5+ years of experience and professional achievements. 

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

• Experience with athletic / outdoor / sportswear apparel design across genders.
• Working knowledge and understanding of apparel construction with flat sketching and illustrating expertise.
• Active participant in the product you are designing for – wearing the product to know it inside out.
• Hands-on experience with Adobe creative suite CAD software. 
• Comprehensive knowledge and experience in creating tech packs.
• Experience with developing performance materials, trims and color palettes.

• Proficient communication skills with cross-functional teams and vendors.
• Working knowledge of product cycles and understanding of core deadlines.

There are also a few skills that are not required but preferred.

• Experience using 3D software (Browzwear) a plus.

What do we offer you?

At The North Face, we know you expect as much from us as we do from you. That is why we make a commitment to support and grow our people. We offer extensive development and growth opportunities for your current and future positions, a competitive compensation package, and a strong benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and 401(k).

Our commitment extends beyond this and into your daily work life. We strive to foster a diverse and inclusive culture based on respect, connection, and authenticity. Our focus on DEI is at the foundation of who we are and what we do.

To learn more about The North Face’s benefits package, follow this MyVFBenefits.com and click “Looking to Join VF”.

To learn more about The North Face’s Diversity and Inclusion efforts, go to www.thenorthface.com.