Manager, Product Development

Warby Parker•New York, NY

About The Position

Warby Parker is looking for a seasoned Product Development Manager to lead the development and sourcing of beautiful frames in partnership with our designers as well as our suite of packaging and accessories. In this collaborative role, you’ll use your development and strategic sourcing experience to translate our designs into final products, all while optimizing cost, quality, and lead time. We’ll count on you to help Warby Parker set and execute a strategy for frame and raw materials vendors that aligns with our growth targets. You’ll be primarily accountable for vendor development, negotiations, sourcing, production management, and reporting on vendor performance metrics. Our ideal candidate is a strong communicator with experience in development and strategic sourcing. The Product Development Manager will report to the Director of Product Development under the Product Strategy team umbrella, which includes the Merchandising and Planning departments.

Requirements

Backed by 5+ years of relevant experience
An excellent communicator (online and in person) who demonstrates strong cross-functional collaborative skills
Always on top of things and unflappably professional—you’ll be working with external partners, so this is especially important!
Detail-oriented with super strong organizational and analytical skills
Confident relying on your judgment and past experience to set and accomplish goals
A seasoned, successful project manager who can manage overlapping timelines and complex dependencies
Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Google Drive, and Adobe applications (for viewing tech drawings, combining files, and making edits)
Experienced in working with international vendors and knowledgeable about the cultural, regulatory, commercial, operational, and logistical implications of managing day-to-day operations within that setting
Understanding of what drives vendors’ cost structures and capable of negotiating with overseas providers

Nice To Haves

Eyewear or jewelry product development and sourcing experience
Previous exposure to Oracle Fusion ERP

Responsibilities

Manage multiple key factory relationships for both new developments and core businesses through the end-to-end product lifecycle
Partner closely with our designers to create successful seasonal, chase, and long-term innovation development that leads to a high adoption rate for our prototypes
Work with internal teams to understand their product needs from a quality, price, and design perspective
Create development calendars and own their implementation ensuring that internal and external partners know and adhere to timelines
Continually assess Warby Parker’s current vendor base and spending, including forecasting, capacity planning, and sampling and manufacturing lead-times
Oversee the purchasing of frames, accessories, and packaging, then measure the delivery and quality performance associated with each product type
Negotiate costs while considering cost trade-offs within the product, vendors’ cost structures, and overall business volume
Manage internal and external processes associated with onboarding new frame vendors, including the introduction and facilitation of our Vendor Compliance Manual
Determine and report out KPIs to include in vendor scorecards, internal team performance measures, and future department goals