Senior Product Developer (Knitwear) - Country Road

As Australia’s favourite lifestyle brand, beloved around the world, Country Road deliver timeless Australian style that is designed for life and made to last.

As the Senior Product Developer for Knitwear, you will lead the end-to-end development of knitwear across womenswear, menswear and kidswear. Acting as the key conduit between Buying, Design, Technical Design, Sourcing, Raw Materials and suppliers, you will bring commercially successful products to life. You will use your technical knitwear expertise and commercial mindset to manage the critical path, drive costing and supplier negotiations, and deliver quality product at speed.

How You Will Contribute

• Lead the end-to-end development of knitwear, from initial brief and sampling through to bulk production
• Manage the critical path and go-to-market calendar, proactively identifying risks and keeping development and production on track
• Play a key role in driving agility and speed-to-market programs, partnering across the business to deliver faster, more efficient outcomes
• Partner across Buying, Design, Technical Design, Sourcing and Raw Materials to translate creative and commercial briefs into achievable supplier outcomes
• Apply strong technical knowledge of fully fashioned knitwear, yarns, fibres, gauges, construction and manufacturing throughout the development process
• Drive costing and supplier negotiations across price, challenging suppliers and identifying commercially viable solutions
• Build strong relationships with knitwear suppliers and factories, leveraging their expertise while setting clear expectations around cost, quality and delivery
• Balance design, quality, margin, production capability and lead times to deliver the best commercial outcome
• Bring teams together across functions, driving strong communication, process and accountability throughout the product development lifecycle
• Lead and develop team members while bringing positive energy, collaboration and fresh thinking to the broader Product Development team.

Capabilities We Value

• Ideally 8+ years' Product Development experience within fashion or apparel
• Significant hands-on knitwear development experience is essential
• Strong technical understanding of fully fashioned knitwear construction, yarns, fibres, gauges and manufacturing processes
• Experience developing knitwear from concept and sampling through to bulk production
• Strong commercial acumen with proven experience in supplier costing, negotiation and margin management
• Experience working directly with offshore suppliers, factories and mills
• Strong critical path management with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across Design, Buying, Technical and Supply Chain teams
• Highly organised, proactive and solutions-focused, with the ability to challenge existing processes and contribute fresh thinking
• A positive, energetic and collaborative leader who enjoys bringing teams together and developing others.

What We Offer

• Bi-annual product allowance, access to sample sales and 40% discount for you and your immediate family across all CRG brands
• Flex your leave your way, including birthday leave, volunteer leave, personal leave and more
• Access to health and wellbeing support, including Health Insurance, 24/7 EAP counselling, discounted gym memberships and financial advice services
• 18 weeks paid parental leave program for eligible employees with return-to-work clothing allowance
• Internal career opportunities across our House of Brands
• Annual learning calendar to support your ongoing development
• Support impactful community and charity partnerships across our House of Brands, including OCRF, Our Watch, First Nations Reconciliation, Movember, Red Cross and Landcare.

Who We Are

Country Road Group is one of Australia’s leading lifestyle brand houses, home to an iconic portfolio including Country Road, Trenery, Witchery, Mimco and Politix. United as One Team, we work collaboratively across our House of Brands to create exceptional product and meaningful experiences for our customers. We are Courageously Curious, exploring new ideas, perspectives and ways of working, and Driven by Purpose to make a positive impact - on our customers, our communities and each other. We’re proud to foster an inclusive culture where everyone feels they belong, can be themselves, and has the opportunity to grow.

Recognised as a sustainability leader in Australian fashion, Country Road Group drives positive change through ambitious climate action, ethical sourcing, and responsible product innovation.

We encourage you to explore our Current Opportunities and we look forward to connecting with you!

Country Road Group acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present.

We’re committed to inclusion and accessibility. If we can support you with any adjustments at any stage, please let us know.