Vice President, Product and Design

Company Overview

PAKA started in 2016 in Cusco, Peru, when our founder, Kris, came across an alpaca sweater in a small artisan market. He’d never felt anything like it; soft, light, and made with care. That moment led to living on a rooftop alongside Quechua weavers in the Andes Mountains. A bigger dream was born: to share natural fibers with the world in a way that honors where it comes from and the people who make it.

Since then, we’ve grown into a Certified B Corp, creating sustainable alpaca apparel for adventure. Every PAKA garment is fully traceable to its source, ethically made, with 1% of our revenue directly giving back to the communities in Peru; the livelihoods of 60,000 alpacas, alpaquero families, 300+ Quechua weavers, and co-creating a new supply chain all together. 

Our apparel is created for you to explore our natural world while wearing it - the one thing you throw in your pack for a one-way flight - to keep you comfortable in any climate, for days on end, and be your go-to companion.

We’re not here to build just another apparel company. We’re here to set a new blueprint that proves natural fibers can make the best outdoor clothing. We are pioneering new innovations (i.e. PAKAFILL®) and other natural materials.

Now, we’re stepping into a new chapter; elevating PAKA into the leader of natural fibers as we turn 10 this year. 

The Role

We’re looking for a design-first product leader - someone who started as a creator, developed exceptional taste and craft, and has grown into a strategic VP-level leader. This role is for someone who believes product is the brand, and who can hold creative vision and commercial rigor at the same time.

As Vice President, Product and Design, you’ll guide our design, merchandising, and product development teams across the full lifecycle - from first idea to final delivery. You’ll own our roadmap to grow our brand with intention, making sure every piece we put into the world reflects our values.

You’ll bring a clear product vision, a sharp eye for design and detail, and the ability to hold both big-picture strategy and day-to-day execution. You’ll be the steward of PAKA’s taste level. You know how to build strong teams, lead with empathy, and keep things moving without losing the soul of what we’re here to do.

You’ll work directly with all of us to shape the next chapter of the PAKA story.

What You’ll Lead

Product Vision & Strategy

• Define and articulate a long-range product vision rooted in PAKA’s mission and growth goals
• Set and own the Paka design philosophy/language and positioning in conjunction with the brand values
• Build and shape a global product strategy across categories, channels, and customer segments
• Translate market trends, customer insights, and brand positioning into product roadmaps
• Define seasonal calendars, pricing strategy, category/line planning and SKU architecture to drive innovation and efficiency
• Collaborate with our CEO/Founder to align product, creative, and commercial goals

Design & Merchandising

• Set the creative direction for product - silhouette, material expression, fit philosophy, and seasonal design language - that's elevated, innovative, and distinctly PAKA.
• Lead silhouette, fabric, fit, and color direction across categories
• Curate and evolve the line planning across DTC and wholesale with a focus on productivity and margin
• Oversee category/sku expansion using customer insights and decision frameworks
• Collaborate with brand and marketing to infuse storytelling into the product experience
• Ultimately, uphold our product standard, taste level, and commitment to creating top-tier product that answers: if you lost this, would you repurchase it?

Product Development & Commercialization

• Manage the end-to-end development lifecycle from concept to commercialization  
• Champion innovation in natural materials, trims, and construction
• Ensure all products meet performance, sustainability, quality, and margin goals
• Build systems and clarity to ensure fit consistency
• Lead vendor collaboration to ensure on-time, high-quality production

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with brand, marketing and creative to bring product storytelling to life
• Align closely with supply chain and sourcing to manage costs, timelines, and ethical practices
• Work in advance with wholesale team to align strategy, develop product segmentation/pricing strategies and serve wholesale customer needs
• Work in harmony with our Peru-based team and artisan partners to ensure regenerative supply chain integrity

Team Leadership & Culture

• Key member of the Paka Executive team and support setting vision, strategy and culture
• Build, mentor, and scale a high-performing product team rooted in creativity, clarity, and care
• Define roles, responsibilities, and success metrics to support growth
• Foster a culture of accountability, conscious leadership, and curiosity
• Support team development through coaching, structure, and stretch opportunities
• Champion a working environment that reflects PAKA’s core values and reverence for La Pachamama

Who You Are

Personal Characteristics

• A visionary grounded in operational excellence and brand integrity
• You are a designer at heart - with a strong point of view on silhouette, material, and product language - who has evolved into a senior product leader.
• Highly experienced with and passionate about natural fibers, sustainability, and impact.
• A genuine love for creating product that has purpose, soul, and an obsession to detail.
• A collaborative leader who builds trust and alignment across teams.
• Curious, confident, and able to step into ambiguity and lead.
• A product thinker and people nurturer who believes great culture creates great output.

Experience

• 12+ years of progressive experience in apparel product leadership
• Background in apparel design (or equivalent creative product leadership) required.
• Strong track record across both creative and commercial performance
• Deep expertise in design, fit, construction, and assortment planning
• Expertise in natural fibers, outdoor/performance apparel, and sustainable materials
• Strong experience in R&D and innovating new materials to market 
• Global, artisan supply chain exposure is highly valued

Location: Denver, CO.

Relocation support available for exceptional candidates.

Reports To: CEO / Founder

Compensation:

$220K – $280K depending on experience, plus equity participation and performance-based incentives.

Benefits:

Comprehensive health benefits, 401(k), unlimited PTO, and opportunities to travel to Peru and work closely with our artisan partners.

Application Details:

Recruitment for this position is being handled by Noto Group (John Copeland). Applications must be emailed to eu@notogroup.com with a cover letter, resume, and any additional materials.