Product Development Manager- Apparel and Headwear

Job Description

Job Description

Overview

The Product Development Manager is a creative, tenacious and customer-centric team player who is passionate about building the Hard Rock brand from a global perspective. They work in collaboration with the Director of Product Development & Merchandising, as well as other cross functional team members, to: Identify Global Trends, communicate Creative Direction, Source & Manage Vendors, Negotiate Cost, Develop Seasonal & Core Assortments, Manage Line Plans and Influence Marketing and Sales teams to achieve sales, profit and inventory goals in an Omni-channel environment. The PD Manager is highly organized and manages to deadlines while always seeking efficiencies in improved process or new technology.

Responsibilities

• Product Development: Strong Understanding of the product development process with the ability to manage vendors and owns PD process from concept to delivery for assigned categories.
  1. Provide initial direction to vendors based on established Delivery Calendar and or special requests.
  2. Manages all Timelines, including: art approval, spec approval, proto due dates and final sample review.
  3. Leads vendor communication on all sample requests and costings.
  4. Present concepts to internal teams at weekly meetings and seasonal line presentations.
  5. Provide clear feedback to suppliers regarding CADS, Lab dips, Strike offs, Proto samples, Fit, Pre Pros, and TOPs.
  6. Establish and maintain quality standards with existing and proposed vendors.
  7. Manage Line Planning Process in partnership with Planning through final buy.
  8. Monitor Weekly and Annual Sales to maintain awareness of customer reaction and apply to seasonal development and sourcing strategy.
  9. Protect the brand standards via design, quality, fit, packaging, and trims.

• Organization and Process: Possess strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize, work on multiple projects at once, execute tasks and deliver results on deadlines.
  1. Be a champion of process improvement and contribute to best practices to drive for continuous improvement.
  2. Manage Samples, Archives and Fabric/ Trim libraries, and product development files & records retention.
  3. Oversee Sample Request and fulfillment with Ecom, Visual and Marketing, Franchise.

• Communication: Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills with both internal and external partners.
  1. Work with Internal Cross Functional Partners to support all company initiatives
  2. Communicates accurate details related to sampling, costing and product details.
  3. Follow-up with all external and internal partners to hit delivery deadlines.

• Trend and Creative Direction: Research global trends appropriate to Hard Rock customer and brand strategy and filter to translatable concepts for development.
  1. Create visual documents and story boards and present to internal team & vendors.
  2. Competitive shopping to identify opportunities for design or quality.
  3. Travel to trade shows, vendors, factories, and retail locations as needed.

• Sourcing & Cost Negotiation: Identifies opportunities to cost engineer products and implement best practices to get the best product at the best cost.
  1. Strong Negotiation Skills across multiple vendor models.
  2. Strategically leverage economies of scale where able, within programs and vendors.
  3. Prepare for Production: Complete Item Set-up sheets & create in Mi9 as needed to support business demands.
  4. Monitor Delivery Dates and facilitate a smooth process with vendors, monitoring weekly WIP Reports and communicating updates to Director and CFT members

• Vendor Management: Develops and maintains relationships with all vendors and understands capabilities to ensure best product is produced.
  1. Source new suppliers as needed to develop global product aligned with business strategy while maintaining brand quality standards.
  2. Maintain strategic perspective of Vendor Matrix for assigned categories and continued evaluation to leverage partnerships.
  3. Onboarding new suppliers.
  4. Participate in vendor assessment and score card.
  5. Provide input to update Vendor Compliance manual as needed.

• Marketing: Collaborate with team providing input at Creative Turnover to Marketing message and Visual Merchandising strategy to ensure alignment with Product Design Strategy
  1. Provide key product selling points and quality descriptions to educate and train sales team.
  2. Manage product related packaging and trims in alignment with brand initiatives and standard.
  3. Provide Product support for Company Marketing Initiatives.
  4. Partner with Ecommerce team to ensure accurate representation of seasonal programs product details and features.
  5. Manage Franchise conversion process from send out to sample comments to maintain global brand identity.

Qualifications

• Present a professional image to employees, guests, clients, owners and investors.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships within the business and social community.
• Contribute to annual philanthropic initiatives as connected to product.
• Operate ethically to protect the image of Hard Rock.
• Utilize programs designed to help Save the Planet.