Product Development Manager

Dreamwear • New York, NY

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Dreamwear is a leading wholesale intimate apparel and sleepwear company working with brands such as Danskin, Juicy Couture, Roxy, Laura Ashley, and Nicole Miller. The PD team receives details from the Design team and coordinates with an appropriate factory for production. They serve as the key contact between the factory and Dreamwear in the creation of the finished product (handles pricing, lead time, quality, etc.). We recently launched a new partnership with Hanky Panky, an iconic brand known for its blend of comfort and unmistakably feminine design. Best recognized for its signature lace collections and elevated essentials, Hanky Panky has built a loyal following around product that feels luxurious, modern, and effortless. Its reputation for quality, fit, and timeless styling makes this an exciting addition to our growing portfolio. Our history of success and their brand reputation makes this a really exciting opportunity for someone to be a part from the beginning. To help with this launch, we are seeking a Product Development Manager to join the team. This person will work with one of our team Directors across this and other licensed brands. The role is ideal for a product development professional who enjoys owning the development process, building strong vendor partnerships, driving cost efficiencies, and bringing high-quality products to market on time. The ideal candidate will have sleepwear (or other apparel) experience, ideally having also worked in the off-price and/or club markets. A strong understanding of the full product-development lifecycle (including costing experience) is required, along with the ability to execute on these essential responsibilities.

Requirements

• 7-10 years relevant experience in sleepwear or other apparel categories.
• Strong knowledge of apparel construction, fabrics, trims, and garment manufacturing.
• Experienced in working with international vendors and maintaining positive and professional relationships with all partners—vendors, customers, and internal partners.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed (approximately 1-2x/year)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and demonstrated strong cross-functional collaborative skills.
• A team-player with an affinity and ability to lead others.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and analytical skills to support problem solving in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Seeking a person with the desire to learn and grow with the company.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Clubs and/or off-price market experience is a huge plus.

Responsibilities

• Independently oversee entire PD and production process for assigned brands, categories, and customers from initial sourcing through bulk production.
• Develop and negotiate product costing with overseas vendors to achieve margin targets while maintaining quality standards.
• Analyze cost breakdowns and identify opportunities for cost savings through sourcing, material, and construction alternatives.
• Regularly collaborate with Director of Product Development on sourcing plans and vendor performance.
• Create time-and-action calendars and oversee follow through.
• Ensure timely delivery of merchandise based on time and action calendars and company inventory needs.
• Manage daily communication with overseas manufacturers and production offices.
• Attend fittings with Design and Tech teams to ensure costing and delivery requirements are maintained.
• Determine sourcing strategy and allocate production across factories based on costing, capacity, quality performance, and delivery capabilities.
• Spearhead launch of new customer accounts and/or licensed brands.
• Ability to ensure compliance with customer requirements.
• Manage one or more direct reports, delegate work appropriately, and oversee team growth.
• Initiate and lead cross functional internal meetings.
• Willingness to participate in projects and large company initiatives.
• Ability to creatively and independently problem solve with respect to internal and external factors.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager