Product Design Assistant – Dog Category – Sunderland, VT

We are seeking a Product Design Assistant - Dog Category to join the Orvis Team!  This is a hybrid role with an expectation of being in the Orvis corporate office in Sunderland 2-3 days per week.

As a Product Design Assistant at Orvis, you will play an important role in supporting our creation of product in our Dog assortment. You will be vital in helping to drive the flawless execution, celebrating our authenticity and heritage, and inspiring our team and our customers with unique, high quality, elevated products for their dogs.

For more than 165 years the Orvis name has stood for outdoor traditions, quality, and customer satisfaction. At Orvis, we do not sell what we, ourselves, would not be proud to own or give as a gift. Our associates deserve to be proud of our service and our products, and we rely on every associate to apply our “pride of ownership” credo to drive our quality. “Good enough” is not our standard. We need to strive for perfection in our products and customer service, to propel our growth and the pride that will fuel our team.

Position Interfaces:

This position reports to our Senior Product Designer, Dog.  This role partners very closely with our Merchandising, Marketing and Sourcing teams.

Responsibilities:

• Management of the design and development process of Orvis branded Dog products for a planned increase in sales and gross margin.
• Support the Dog Product Design and Development Team as needed in order to develop products that will delight and inspire our customers. 
• Responsible for driving the design, prototyping and final specifications for innovative and sustainable dog products.
• Research and identify trend direction, create seasonal color palettes, mood and concept boards.
• Adherence to seasonal calendar and deadlines.
• Interface with Merchants, Sourcing and Manufacturing Partners to meet product introduction goals.
• Ensure quality at all phases in the development process through the product lifecycle.
• Collaborate with sourcing to complete vendor negotiations for costing and implementation of best sources to assure product delivery and quality.
• Travel to factories, vendors, regional training events, industry trade shows and sourcing shows.
• Support a culture of partnership, communication, and collaboration with our cross functional teams including Merchandising, Design, Marketing, Planning and Sourcing.
• Create relationships across our categories in Fish, Hunt and Dog to ensure we deliver a One Orvis experience for our customers.
• Responsible for managing end- to- end sample development process and calendar timeline related to material selection, R&D, prototype creation, and readying styles for commercialization and bulk production.
• Own daily communication with factories on all proto sample development, submit development, and pre-production samples.
• Partner closely with cross functional teams to coordinate samples for photography, sales, and marketing.

Competencies and Requirements:  

• Degree in product design or related experience in Product Development/Production.
• 1+ years of product design experience and an eagerness to help to create a positive, supportive and inspiring work environment amongst our cross functional partners.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Adobe Illustrator for product design and visual line planning supported with strong sketching ability.
• Working knowledge of patterns and material constructions techniques within the competitive marketplace.
• Flexible travel required in this position for shows and events (3-5 weeks/year).
• Passion for dogs and an understanding of the pet industry, its trends and customer preferences.
• Learning the skills necessary to understand a Merchandising-led assortment strategy and develop products that deliver against the specific strategy that has been articulated.  Strong and supportive communication skills to debate and commit with Merchant partners.
• Developing cost estimating skills inclusive of baseline inputs: converting fabric cuttable width, understand relationship between like for like style, COO, duties and freight.
• Learning the skills necessary to design product to hit costing goals without compromising quality or design aesthetic.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate across department and partner in problem solving.
• Strong organizational, prioritization and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail.

Orvis Company associates take pride in our world-class service and products, treating customers, vendor partners, and each other with integrity and mutual respect. We work in a supportive, team-oriented environment, focusing on performance, continuous improvement, and exceeding our customers’ expectations – both internal and external. The Orvis Company and our associates are committed to giving back to our communities and protecting nature.

About Orvis:

In 1856, Charles Orvis founded the Orvis Company in Manchester, Vermont, offering the finest fly fishing equipment, and priding himself on customer satisfaction and service. Today, along with our world famous fly-fishing gear, Orvis offers distinctive clothing, home furnishings, gifts, and dog products. Each item is rooted in our heritage of authenticity and the outdoors, and is backed with a no-questions-asked guarantee. As the longest-running mail order business in the United States, and with our flagship retail store located in the same Vermont village as the original store since 1856, we offer experience and knowledge that no other retail company can. Each day we strive to apply what we know and learn to bring our customers even better service and products tomorrow.

Orvis is headquartered in beautiful Southwestern Vermont with major operations in Roanoke, Virginia and the U.K. We firmly believe that the only way for Orvis to achieve its vision to be the most respected lifestyle brand in America, is to have a company culture that is supportive and inspiring to the individuals that will get us there.

Orvis offers competitive compensation commensurate with scope of responsibilities and experience required; plus a comprehensive benefits package including medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, 401K, generous associate discounts, and other excellent benefits.

To access our California Applicant Privacy Notice, follow this link: https://www.orvis.com/california-applicant-notice.html

To learn more and connect with Orvis, please visit us online www.orvis.com.