Product Development Manager at Elite Sportswear LP

Reading, Pennsylvania, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

21 Jan, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

23 Oct, 25

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Product Development, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Cost Management, Sourcing, Innovation, Quality Assurance, Trend Analysis, Communication, Project Management, Problem Solving, Research, Negotiation, Fabric Testing, Consumer Behavior Analysis, Teamwork

Industry

Retail Apparel and Fashion

Description

Description Responsibilities: The Product Development Manager has the overall responsibility for the planning and execution of offshore product development. As part of the overall duties, there are 4 major areas of responsibility: Develop product with design that meets the needs of the consumer, performance features, aesthetic requirements, corporate margin, delivery goals, and quality goods. Source fabric and trims with a focus on innovation. Manage initial and final costing. Place and track all development samples. Develop product with design that meets the needs of the consumer, performance features, aesthetic requirements, corporate margin, delivery goals, and quality goods: Work closely with the Design and PLM teams to develop products that execute the design vision and meet the functional and quality needs of the consumer. Attending the design concept meeting to understand seasonal inspiration and tone, then creating a seasonal sourcing strategy to execute the design vision. Research new suppliers to develop strategic sourcing plan based on initiatives of cost reduction, speed to market, regional risk mitigation, and new product concepts. Required to inspire change of existing solutions and build new processes through critical thinking. Accountable for program timeline, resource requirements, risk management, and budget. Responsible for any development needs for third party/big box retailers. Responsible for the updates and accuracy of the Elite Vendor Manual. Source fabric and trims with a focus on innovation: Source and/or develop all fabric and trim needs for design team. Validate and test all fabric before adopting into the seasonal assortment. Request and track all third-party fabric performance testing – this includes ensuring all US legal requirements are followed Work across divisions to bring increased utilization and consistency in trim and fabric sourcing. Network utilizing internal and external resources for development of fabric and trim innovation. Determine and communicate any potential fabric, trim, or production issues. Analyze selling as well as consumer behavior and competitor offerings to stay ahead of trends. Manage initial and final costing: Request initial costing of each garment developed. Review initial costs for inconsistencies and against targets to meet margin goals. Work with management to identify potential issues that will risk meeting margin objectives. Costing exercises may be necessary to make allocation decision based on best cost and lead time. Negotiate final cost approval based on cost breakdown, yardage quantities, and total unit volume. Responsible to achieve costing that meets all corporate margin goals. Place and track all development samples: Responsible for requesting and tracking all fabric vetting samples. Manage needs for wear tests due to new fabric performance and/or new fabric. Manage and track redevelopment of fabric or trim due to new supplier and/or quality issue. Request and track all seasonal line review samples as needed. Request and track all seasonal salesman sample and photo samples as needed. Request and track all line review samples to maintain corporate calendar milestones. Collaborate with tech design on any new fit samples needed due to new fabric sourcing. Communicate sample status to PLM and design teams. Skills Required to Perform Successfully: The Product Development Manager must be able to collaborate well with others. The Product Development Manager requires the ability to develop new products with conceptual thinking to avoid potential issues. The Product Development Manager should be thorough, complete, and accurate in all communicated information. The Product Development Manager must have a willingness to take on a variety of tasks. The Product Development Manager must have the ability to learn and grow professionally. Education: A four-year college degree is required. This must be in apparel production, textiles, business, or a closely related subject. Proficiency with personal computers in a Microsoft Windows? environment for Excel? and Word? is required.

Responsibilities

The Product Development Manager is responsible for planning and executing offshore product development, focusing on consumer needs, performance features, and quality goods. This role includes sourcing innovative fabrics and trims, managing costing, and tracking development samples.