Product Development Manager

The Product Development Manager is the key liaison between the Brand and Supply chain to guarantee best-in-class quality and on-time execution of the product line in alignment with the overall business strategy and ensuring the brand meets or exceeds financial target goals. This manager owns and is responsible for an efficient product development process overseeing sampling and calendar timeline management through to final pre-production approvals to deliver product execution true to Design aesthetic intent.

This position directly reports to the VP of design

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assess the best sources/partners appropriate to the Brand to drive product strategies and capability/capacity needs to enable category growth, new product opportunities, and market innovation
• Manage an efficient, streamlined workflow process to attain optimal results in execution accuracy, shortening lead times, and lower minimums and costs. Support the implementation and management of proper systems, working tools, and standardized best practices
• Partner closely with Design to ensure alignment throughout the development process. Work closely with Fabric, Pattern, and Tech Design to provide on-time, accurate, and complete product development packages. Organize all sample order requests to suppliers to track on-time sampling accuracy execution.
• Ensure all development and product sampling activities are tracked and delivered on time for briefs, protos, salesman, pre-production size sets approvals to final manufacturing-ready product
• Responsible for delivering on-time, accurate development product costing in adherence to critical calendar milestone dates
• Negotiating product costs with factories while working on alternative materials
• Oversee and manage the briefing and development of all new trims and label packaging for all product categories in line with GTM calendar
• Build and drive a motivated service-oriented, results-driven team. Manage personal growth and development of direct reports through mentorship coaching and guidance.

Experience

• Managerial product development/sourcing job experience
• In-depth apparel industry knowledge in Every category and fabrication
• Experience working in medium-sized companies interacting with cross-functional teams
• Proven ability and responsibility in managing teams of a minimum 2-3 direct reports

Education and/or certification requirements:

• University degree or equivalent
• Technical college textile-related field preferred

Skills

• High proficiency with MS Office applications (Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Word)
• Efficient time management in multi-tasking priorities and meeting calendar deadlines
• Excellent verbal/written/interpersonal communication skills
• Extremely organized
• Result-driven and service-oriented team player
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail
• PLM experienced