Associate Manager, Product Development

We are a fashion-lifestyle brand of big dreams, colorful confidence, and inspired design. Founded on Family, Fashion and Philanthropy, we believe that our employees and customers are the heart and soul of our brand, and that giving back is the truest form of success. Fashion meets innovation in the design of our two state‑of-the-art facilities based in the heart of Austin, Texas, and overflows into the design of our growing retail environment across the country.

We have an exciting and unique career opportunity to be a part of the product team as an Associate Manager of Product Development. The Associate Manager of Product Development is a member of the product team who reports directly to the Manager of Product Development. This is a salaried, exempt position whose primary responsibility is to develop quality products with our factories that meet calendar, cost and design requirements while ensuring technique, functionality and quality are sound for commercialization of the product.

Scope includes driving seamless execution of development milestones, oversight on the progression of all sample orders, and effective communication to all teams regarding changes, roadblocks, and wins. The Associate Manager will ensure accurate and organized flow of communication between Design, Development, Production, and external partners by building and maintaining strong relationships. The Associate Manager will be responsible for ensuring the collaborative efforts between Merchandising, Design & Wholesale teams occur to achieve successful seasonal Market preparation.

This role includes leading or partnering on special initiatives, projects, and collaborations. The Associate Manager of Product Development must exhibit high levels of organization, efficiency, collaboration, flexibility, and a can‑do attitude. The ability to think full enterprise 360 impact is critical. High quality, accurate deliverables are a must.

• Owns maintaining product development dates within the Product Lifecycle Calendar;
  Ensure accuracy, update daily with any changes, communicate any risks associated with the shift and issue remediation when off calendar. Supports Product Development Manager or Director in rebuilding any dates from Design Concept to Launch.
• Champion for adherence to all applicable product development dates, and team needs to execute product on time, and per our quality standards.
• Coordinate with Materials & Product Integrity team to ensure material sourcing timelines, product specifications, sample orders, approvals and all steps of development align in total according to established calendar.

• Build and maintain all sample development information in PLM across all categories.
• Coordinate with Product Development Manager, Sourcing Team and Materials & Product Integrity Team on vendor placement based on development capabilities, sample lead times, and development capacity.
• Oversee tracking of all sample phases and proactively inform internal departments of delays by outlining reasons for the delays and solutions.
• Partner with Product Development Specialist to enforce sample ship dates according to the Product Development calendar and communicate priorities to our vendors. Is solution oriented when requested ship dates cannot be met.
• Reviews, approves, and tracks all sample invoices from the vendors, and works closely with accounting to issue payment in partnership with the Product Development Specialist. Is mindful of total sample budget.
• Coordinate with Product Development Manager or Director on cost presentations to internal cross‑functional teams pre‑market, and work through any design edits needed to achieve target margins.

• Proactively collect and document design or merchandising direction and aesthetic goals to provide clear communication to vendors, track progress, provide feedback, options, and trigger decisions driving development through production.
• Create, maintain, and finalize Style BOMs in PLM with design supplied mockups, and product details to provide comprehensive instructions and specifications to aid…