Senior Product Developer, Home Accessories

As a leader in the Design Department, you will be instrumental in creating and developing product programs for growing retail channels. You will be responsible for applying critical thinking, leading the development of soft and hard goods, and providing mentorship to other Designers. A thorough understanding of product sourcing, costing, and factory relations is essential, as this role involves designing to source and managing the entire process from raw materials to the finished product.

This permanent opportunity requires the talent to work 3-5 days per week in the office depending on business needs, in Oakville, Ontario. The role may require travel to the US and internationally for market research and factory communications, a passport is a must!


Advantages
• You will join the Design Department as a leader and will be responsible for creating programs for growing retail channels. This provides a high degree of creative control and the opportunity to set the vision for collections. The role specifically requires the individual to lead and mentor other Designers, offering substantial growth in managerial and mentorship skills. The senior nature of the role means they will be the go-to person for advice and critical decision-making.
• The role covers a diverse range of merchandise, encompassing hard goods (e.g., home goods, coin banks, sunglasses, luggage tags).
• A core function of the job is being highly focused on trending – fashion and social and having a deep understanding of fashion trends, consumer behavior, and the commercial aspects of the fashion industry. The role requires regular travel to domestic and international locations for market research and competitive analysis, ensuring you and the organization stay at the cutting edge of global fashion and retail trends, enhancing strategic forecasting abilities.

Responsibilities
• Lead the design, creation, and execution of product programs, focusing on soft goods (e.g., aprons, oven mitts, cut and sew accessories) and hard goods (e.g., home goods, coin banks, sunglasses, luggage tags, umbrellas).
• Maintain a deep focus on trending fashion (including social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest) and accurately interpret these trends into viable product designs.
• Develop fluid collections for various national and private label brands, ensuring a strong mix of accessories.
• Manage design timelines and budgets, ensuring efficient project completion and adherence to deadlines.
• Lead the product sourcing process, including selecting raw materials and working with new and existing overseas factories.
• Create, manage, and maintain costing files, demonstrating a thorough understanding of pricing to design within cost constraints and negotiate effectively with factories.
• Produce complex, high-quality, print-ready artwork using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, including All-Over Prints (AOP) and custom graphics.
• Create and execute detailed spec packages for overseas factories, including material information, technical sketches, and print artwork.
• Communicate regularly with overseas factories to ensure development sample standards and timelines are met.
• Collaborate with marketing teams to align designs with brand identity, market demands, and price targets.
• Manage, mentor and guide junior designers on design techniques, project management, and current trends.
• Travel domestically (e.g., Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal) and internationally for market research, trend analysis, competitive shopping, and factory visits.


Qualifications
• 6+ years of professional experience in design and accessory construction, with a portfolio demonstrating expertise in soft and hard goods.
• Post-secondary education in Fashion Design or Graphic Design.
• Expert-level proficiency in Adobe Illustrator (10/10) and advanced proficiency in Adobe Photoshop (8/10).
• Intermediate to Expert proficiency in Microsoft.
• Demonstrated knowledge of fashion trends, consumer behavior, and the commercial aspects of the fashion industry.
• Extensive experience in product sourcing and product development from raw materials to finished product, including managing factory communications and costing.
• Proven ability to recognize, interpret, and apply social media and cultural fashion trends into commercial designs.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, able to provide senior-level advice and challenge the status quo.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and international partners.
• Experience in Travel Accessories or Home Goods is considered an asset.
• Familiarity with modern collaborative tools, including ChatGPT, and an aptitude for a tech-savvy, paper-light work environment.
• Must possess a valid passport and be legally entitled to work in Canada (no work visa sponsorship is provided).

Summary
If you are a passionate and highly experienced Product Developer ready to take a leadership role in creating exciting accessory programs for national and private label brands, we encourage you to apply now. Submit your resume and portfolio detailing your relevant experience and how your vision can contribute to the success of our client's design department.

Randstad Canada is committed to fostering a workforce reflective of all peoples of Canada. As a result, we are committed to developing and implementing strategies to increase the equity, diversity and inclusion within the workplace by examining our internal policies, practices, and systems throughout the entire lifecycle of our workforce, including its recruitment, retention and advancement for all employees. In addition to our deep commitment to respecting human rights, we are dedicated to positive actions to affect change to ensure everyone has full participation in the workforce free from any barriers, systemic or otherwise, especially equity-seeking groups who are usually underrepresented in Canada's workforce, including those who identify as women or non-binary/gender non-conforming; Indigenous or Aboriginal Peoples; persons with disabilities (visible or invisible) and; members of visible minorities, racialized groups and the LGBTQ2+ community.

Randstad Canada is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible workplace for all its candidates and employees by supporting their accessibility and accommodation needs throughout the employment lifecycle. We ask that all job applications please identify any accommodation requirements by sending an email to accessibility@randstad.ca to ensure their ability to fully participate in the interview process.