What are the responsibilities and job description for the Apparel Product Developer position at Birch Outfitters LLC?
Product Development Manager – Apparel
Birch Outfitters / LIV Outdoor
Full-time | On-site | Greater Boston / Salem, MA
About Birch Outfitters / LIV Outdoor
Birch Outfitters / LIV Outdoor creates functional, comfortable, and stylish outdoor apparel for a wide range of activities and lifestyles. We focus on quality materials, thoughtful design, and durable construction that perform in everyday wear and real outdoor adventures. Our team works closely across design, product development, sales, and operations to bring collections from concept to market. We value creativity, practical problem-solving, and a shared commitment to building reliable performance apparel that customers actually love to wear.
The Opportunity
As Product Manager, you will own the full lifecycle of apparel products—from initial concept through final production—ensuring every style hits design intent, quality standards, and cost targets. You’ll partner with design to turn ideas into technical packages, coordinate fabric and trim sourcing, lead fit sessions and sample approvals, and keep development on schedule. You’ll also collaborate directly with the sales team to gather customer insights and continuously fine-tune products so they better meet real-world needs and market demand. This is a hands-on, cross-functional role for someone who thrives on turning great concepts into high-performing, customer-loved apparel.
What You’ll Do
- Own apparel products from concept through final production
- Translate design concepts into precise technical packages and specs
- Source and manage fabrics, trims, and materials
- Lead fit sessions, sample reviews, and approvals
- Coordinate with factories and vendors on timelines, construction, and quality
- Partner with the sales team to analyze customer feedback and fine-tune products based on real needs and market insights
- Analyze cost, quality, and performance trade-offs and drive practical recommendations
- Support seasonal line planning and track key milestones
- Maintain accurate product data, documentation, and costing
- Collaborate daily with design, merchandising, sales, and operations
What We’re Looking For
- Experience in apparel product development or product management, including technical design, spec creation, and sample management
- Strong knowledge of fabrics, trims, garment construction, and outdoor/performance apparel features
- Proven ability to manage timelines, coordinate cross-functional teams, and work directly with factories
- Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Excel, product lifecycle (PLM) tools, and other design/development software used in apparel
- Ability to analyze cost, quality, and performance trade-offs and make clear, practical recommendations
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with high attention to detail and accuracy in documentation
- Comfortable working on-site in Salem, collaborating effectively with a team, and managing multiple styles at once
- Background in merchandising or a related field (or equivalent relevant experience)
- Prior experience in outdoor, active, or performance apparel is strongly preferred
Why You’ll Love This Role
- You’ll help create products that people wear on trails, in cities, and everywhere in between—while working closely with sales to make sure those products keep getting better based on what customers actually want. We move with purpose, value practical creativity, and take pride in building apparel that performs.Ready to shape the next generation of outdoor style and utility? We’d love to hear from you.