Simms Fishing Products is a leader in the fishing industry – driven to create growth and vitality in the community. We build trustworthy and angler-driven products. Our employees communicate openly, keep their commitments and inspire trust. We build for the long haul with products that last and a brand that endures. Our employees are our most important catch.
To be a great fit at Simms, you must embrace the fishing culture and follow our practice to work like we fish – with purpose, passion & curiosity. Be prepared to share your latest fishing adventures.
Learn more about Simms Fishing Products from its owner and Executive Chairman, K.C. Walsh.
From "The Tailgate Podcast":
In this episode, we sit down with K.C. Walsh, Simms owner and Executive Chairman, to hear more about his company’s culture, values, conservation efforts, talented team, and how those important company elements are the starting points for their brand marketing.
Chief Product Officer (CPO)
Simms Fishing Products, Bozeman, MT, makes premium fishing apparel and footwear including GORE-TEX ® waterproof, breathable waders. The brand was founded by John Simms in 1980 to develop innovative products which help anglers push the limits of their fishing pursuits. Simms took a giant leap in 1993 when current owner K.C. Walsh, a passionate angler and entrepreneur, acquired the company. He relocated the company to Bozeman. Walsh grew up in a fly-fishing family and his life-long dream was to live, work and play in Montana. www.simmsfishing.com.
Under Walsh’s leadership, Simms introduced the signature breathable waders in partnership with W.L. Gore & Associates (makers of GORE-TEX® fabric). This enhanced waders to new levels of comfort and performance. Simms’ GORE-TEX® waders are manufactured in their Bozeman headquarters.
Simms is the sole fishing wader manufacturer in the United States and one of two GORE-TEX-certified wader manufacturers in the world. It employs about 140 people with approximately half of those in the production plant. Simms is a recognized Montana economic ambassador and community contributor.
Simms relocated in 2012 to a new 80,000-square-foot Bozeman facility housing corporate headquarters, including wader production. The enlarged footprint provides room to drive product evolution. Simms continues to innovate in a wide assortment of technical offerings – from state-of-the art sun protection and technical outerwear to pioneering footwear technologies.
Simms grows and evolves with one unifying mission: To build trusted, innovative products so anglers can focus on fishing. Simms’ purpose is to inspire the world to fish.
Reports
To Casey Sheahan, CEO
Role
The CPO brings extensive experience in merchandising leadership, assortment planning, customer insights & market trend assessments, financial analysis, and omni-channel go-to-market strategy to lead SIMMS’ merchandising and design team. The CPO is responsible to continuously push function, performance, design innovation, fabrics leadership, and appealing aesthetics to help Simms capitalize on our emerging opportunity in fishing-inspiring sportswear.
Duties
- Provide strong leadership, coaching, and mentorship to consistently produce company-leading growth and profitability
- Lead and inspire internal product line managers, and internal/external product designers to their full potential through creative direction, and constructive criticism with a strong eye for Simms
- Manage the product design process with internal and freelance designers to build distinctive collections from product brief to field testing to commercialization. Reduce lead times to assure quality samples and bulk production
- Oversee and manage a consistent design language across all Simms categories
- Ensure that consistent fit is maintained across all apparel categories
Partnerships
- Marketing: Deliver product consistent with the brand positioning and Simms’ standards of quality, innovation, and craftsmanship. Collaborate on strategic initiatives to drive brand aesthetics
- Operations: Leverage expertise with the internal Manufacturing team and the Sourcing department to deliver supply chain efficiency, productivity and exceed margin targets
- Sales: Design a commercially effective product line which maintains Simms’ Brand Collaborate on initiatives to drive sales growth. Provide training; lead the design point of view and present to the global sales force. Assist in key account sell-in activities. Help generate selling tools.
- Finance: Lead team to create seasonal product introductions that are differentiated and win in the marketplace and meet/exceed financial targets.
Requirements
- Personal and professional knowledge of the fishing and outdoor industry and the end use consumer
- Attention to detail at the most granular level
- Clear point of view developed through experience and market research
- Ability to present and defend a concept along with a willingness to accept other’s input and directional change
- Strong analytical, presentation and interpersonal communication skills
- Personal style which emphasizes and fosters open communication and teamwork
- A passion for the sport of fishing
- Significant domestic and international travel will be required
- This is a full-time, in-house position located in Bozeman, Montana
Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree plus a minimum of 10 years’ experience in merchandising function in an outdoor-related industry
- Experience in technical outerwear and sportswear is necessary
- Demonstrated record of success launch of innovative products which exceed performance expectations for target customer adoption, retail sell-through, profit margin and company metrics
- Proven project and people management skills
- Technical knowledge of fabrics and construction techniques
Opportunity
For the right person, this can be a highly impactful role, providing timely insights on product costing and other finance-related analyses that will help drive better business decisions.
Simms offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including: Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, Life, Short-term & Long-term Disability Insurance, 401K Retirement Plan, Paid Holidays & Paid Time Off.
For consideration, please submit your resume to: cheri.hollenbaugh@simmsfishing.com
Accounting Manager
To maintain accurate and complete accounting records. To ensure that product costing is accurate, and controls/reviews are in place to identify issues in a timely manner. To serve as a consultant for managers within the organization, advising them of current budget information and helping them evaluate the financial impact of business decisions. To identify opportunities for improvements and efficiencies within the ERP/Acct. environment and to maintain compliance with all financial reporting standards, taxing authorities, and borrowing covenants.
Key Responsibilities and Priorities:
- Maintain accurate and complete financial records, including ensuring balance sheet accounts and reserves are recorded and reconciled in an efficient and timely manner.
- Ensure recurring reports (booked-to-shipped, sales workbooks, shop-in-shop analyses, etc.) are completed and provided to stakeholders in a timely manner to drive effective decision making.
- Ensure business leaders understand where they are vs. budget and have the information they need to manage to their budget.
- Ensure all monthly, quarterly, and annual compliance filings are completed within deadlines. Utilize third-party software provider to ensure Simms is compliant with sales tax regulations.
- Ensure product costing is accurate and provide Sourcing, Operations and Development teams with timely insight into costing variances.
- Identify and assist in modifying current processes and procedures to ensure the efficiency and accuracy of transacting, recording, and processing transactions.
- NAV “Power User”. Can be relied upon to be the definitive resource for the efficient use of specific ERP functions and related business processes. Become the expert in information access tools utilized by Simms (NAV, the Sales Cube, etc.) and perform the above efficiently and effectively.
Key Competencies:
- Attention to Detail – Aware of all tasks & responsibilities. Does not let things slip through the cracks.
- Analytical Skills – Ability to efficiently work with numbers, determine meaning from quantitative figures. Ensure data is accurate.
- Organization & Planning – Ability to prioritize tasks and organize responsibilities to meet deadlines.
- Flexibility/Adaptability – Ability to adjust quickly to new priority assignments or issues that come to light.
- Communication – Able to communicate findings/issues/resolutions with all effected parties.
- Honesty/Integrity – Upholds the creditability of the Finance Department and provides a positive image of the department to the rest of the company. Properly handles the responsibilities of one working in the accounting field.
- Professional Skepticism – Uses a questioning mind to critically assess the appropriateness and sufficiency of information.
Key Performance Indicators:
- Closed within 8 business days: R-10+ days, Y-day 9, G-day 8, SG-day 7 or earlier.
- Product costing analysis performed timely: R-does not get done, Y-completed 1X per Quarter, G-completed 1X per Month, SG-completed 2X per Month and annual savings of $50k+ identified.
- Recurring reports (Booked to Shipped, Sales workbook, Shop in Shop Analysis) distributed within schedule identified: R-does not get done, Y-Post-deadline, G-On time, SG-Early.
- Financial Statement Accuracy: R-material findings identified in year-end financial statements, Y-material findings identified in intra-year financial statements, G-appropriate adjustments identified during the Close process, SG-no material adjustments identified during the Close process.
Key Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or similar
- 5+ years of experience in Accounting field
- CPA with supervisory experience strongly preferred
Simms offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including: Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, Life, Short-term & Long-term Disability Insurance, 401K Retirement Plan, Paid Holidays & Paid Time Off.
For consideration, please submit your resume to: cheri.hollenbaugh@simmsfishing.com
Product Developer
The Product Developer (PD) will be a leader of the product creation process to ensure on-time development, engineering, testing, commercialization and accurate specification for all assigned products. The PD will execute in translating 2D design into 3D samples that meet or exceed brief, design intent, costing targets, and adhere to established standards for branding, design, craftsmanship, fit, lab/field testing, quality, and durability.
The Product Developer works autonomously and collaboratively with their immediate manager, and other stakeholders across the product team. The ideal candidate for this role can work across a broad range of product types, and is comfortable diving into new, unknown challenges. The PD is adept in seeking out resources to enhance product creation expertise, including internal coworkers as well as our manufacturers and other external partners. The PD must facilitate positive collaboration across the various functional team(s), and provides critical support in efforts to meet established workflow requirements, budget constraints, sampling standards, fit standards, and milestone dates.
The Product Developer will successfully manage, as assigned, assorted projects to enhance and support the Development process (e.g. process improvement, documentation standards, data integrity). The PD will support the team’s success by mentoring and coaching other product developers on the team.
Outcomes of the role:
- Key player in seasonal prototype and commercialization phases.
- Creates and maintains all specs, BOMS, tech packs, relevant records and a sample archive for all assigned categories.
- Partners closely with the quality team in helping to identify and implement solutions to potential quality risks.
- Cultivation of positive teamwork and inspiration within the category team(s), across the organization, and with external partners through an open, professional and collaborative work style.
- Embraces a ‘fail fast to succeed sooner’ approach to developing protos and new concepts.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Line final samples hit target costs.
- Prototype and commercialization phases hit calendar dates and Simms construction, fit and finish standards.
- Prototype and commercialization phases hit workflow requirements & sampling standards.
- Responsiveness, measured by the # of instances of time sensitive communication, not being addressed withing 24 hours of receipt.
Successful candidates should possess:
- BA in Apparel development or Merchandising preferred
- Minimum of 3 years of Outerwear and Sportswear Apparel Development role for an outdoor, fishing, or lifestyle brand.
- Prior experience in raw materials development, pattern-making, fit, finishes, and trims.
- On the-ground experience working with Asian-based factories and suppliers.
- Excellent communication skills – internal and with global partners.
- Team player and a problem-solver.
Simms offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including: Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, Life, Short-term & Long-term Disability Insurance, 401K Retirement Plan, Paid Holidays & Paid Time Off.
For consideration, please submit your resume to: cheri.hollenbaugh@simmsfishing.com
Become a Wader Maker at Simms Fishing Products
Production Specialist
At Simms, we make the finest waders in the fishing market, right here in Bozeman!
We are looking to fill several Production Specialists roles. We have several roles and will train the right candidates to be members of our Wader Maker Team. An eye for detail, focus on excellence and a positive team member are the characteristics we’re looking for.
The mission of the Wader Production Team is to produce high quality waders. Roles may learn the production processes in the Pressing, Sewing/Taping, Attachment/Boot Building and/or Testing and Packaging area.
Outcomes of this role include:
- Embraces the concepts of cross training and lean manufacturing;
- Communicates effectively with team members and supervisors regarding issues that affect the production of waders;
- Consistently maintains the highest level of quality; and maintains a safe, clean, organized work area.
- Follows all Safety policies and procedures
Successful candidates should possess:
- 2+ years experience in a fast-paced environment
- Effective & professional communication skills
- Works effectively with team member
We offer a few shifts to choose from:
- Monday – Thursday, 6:00 am – 3:30 pm; Friday, 6:00 am – 10:00 am OR
- Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
- Monday – Friday Evenings: Noon – 8:30 pm
Simms offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including: Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, Life, Short-term & Long-term Disability Insurance, 401K Retirement Plan, Paid Holidays, Paid Time Off, discounts on our amazing products as well as outdoor industry-wide discounts. Production Team Bonus after training.
To apply for this position, please email your resume to cheri.hollenbaugh@simmsfishing.com or if you would prefer to complete an application you may download a Simms Application.
Don't See Your Dream Job?
If you would like to submit a resume for future consideration for Simms Fishing Products' positions should they become available, please submit a cover letter and resume by email to cheri.hollenbaugh@simmsfishing.com.