Women's Product Developer

Role Summary The Prominent Surf Brand Women's Product Developer is responsible for managing the lifecycle of a product from the initial design hand-off through to production hand-off. This role acts as the primary bridge between the design, merchandising, and production teams, ensuring that seasonal collections are delivered on time, meet quality standards, and achieve targeted profit margins. Key Responsibilities and Job Duties 1. Product Development & Lifecycle Management Design Execution: Manage the development process for assigned Mens categories, transforming creative concepts into market-ready products.Calendar Management: Drive and manage the "Time and Action" calendar for all assigned categories to ensure every milestone; from prototype to salesman samples is met on time.PLM Management: Responsible for maintaining and updating the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system, including all style data, sample comments, andSample Tracking: Manage the intake, organization, and tracking of all strike-offs, lab dips, and prototypes through Photo, SMS, Marketing and TOP samples.Trim Development: Development, sourcing and negotiations of all Womens Trims 2. Vendor Communication & Global Sourcing Daily Communication: Serve as the primary point of contact for daily communication with overseas and domestic vendors to track development progress.Sourcing Collaboration: Partner with the design and management to make decisions based on volume, fabrication, and factory technique.Factory Travel: Occasionally travel to overseas factories to audit development processes and strengthen vendor relationships. 3. Financial & Cost Negotiation Margin Achievement: Work closely with the Director of Merchandising and Design to ensure products meet company margin and targeted GP goals.Costing Negotiations: Negotiate with factories to achieve target gross margin costs, suggesting alternative fabrications or construction methods when necessary to hit price points. 4. Quality Control & Aesthetics Tech Pack Auditing: Review and audit designer-generated tech packs to ensure all information is accurate and complete before being sent to vendors.Lab Dip & Strike-off Approval: Partner with the design team to review and provide comments on all material submits, including color (lab dips) and artwork (strike-offs).Aesthetic Integrity: Ensure that the final production-ready samples maintain the original design intent and brand aesthetic while being functional for the consumer. 5. Cross-Functional Collaboration Internal Liaison: Act as the central link between Design, Merchandising, Planning, and Technical Design to ensure all communication is professional and timely.Fitting Participation: Attend all fittings to stay informed on fit standards and ensure that any changes are accurately reflected in the development documents.Sales Meetings: Partner with design during review meetings to ensure the product is presented accurately to management and sales teams. Skills and Qualifications Education and ExperienceBachelors degree in Apparel Design, Textile Science, or a related field preferred.Minimum 5 years of experience in product, preferably in mens performance or lifestyle apparel. Analytical and Problem-Solving SkillsExceptional attention to detail with a proactive approach to solving complex production challenges.Ability to balance creative vision with technical feasibility and cost objectives. Communication and CollaborationStrong interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively across diverse teams and vendors.Demonstrated ability to articulate technical concepts to non-technical team members. Organizational SkillsHighly organized, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.Skilled in tracking and documenting all aspects of the development process for future reference. Industry KnowledgePassion for womens apparel, with a deep understanding of current market trends in performance and lifestyle categories.Familiarity with sustainable and innovative production practices is a plus.