Product Development Associate

Product Development Associate

Contract type:
Full-Time

Location:

Burbank, CA

Specialty:
Other

Salary: $65,000-$75,000

Remote:
No

Reference: 506842

Contact name:
Valerie Haldeman

Product Developer

We are looking for a fast-moving, detail-oriented Product Developer to drive quick-turn initiatives that sit outside a traditional seasonal calendar. This role owns rapid “straight-to-market” concepts, late-add trend items, and special assignments such as leather handbags, belts, and branded swag. You should be comfortable shifting from premium small leather goods to large-volume promotional programs, while consistently delivering against tight deadlines.

• Lead rapid end-to-end development for quick-turn programs, from initial concept through final handoff, using condensed timelines without compromising fit, quality, or brand standards.
• Manage special, non-core product categories with a focus on leather accessories and gift-with-purchase or promotional items that support brand visibility and marketing.
• Source, onboard, and maintain relationships with vendors that can handle both quick response production and smaller, more specialized leather runs.
• Build and maintain Bills of Materials; collaborate with partners to secure competitive pricing that supports margin goals, even when dealing with small order quantities or rush deliveries.
• Coordinate closely with design, merchandising, production, and operations to keep all teams aligned on deliverables, feasibility, and accelerated milestone dates.
• Oversee quality and compliance requirements, ensuring all products—especially leather goods—meet testing protocols, regulatory expectations, and internal sustainability standards.

• Strong analytical capability, including comfort with merchandising math, costing, and margin implications.
• Effective communicator who can collaborate with cross-functional teams and interface confidently with stakeholders at multiple levels.
• Solid understanding of textiles and materials (fabric construction, yarns, garment fit), along with awareness of CSR, QA, and trade-related factors that affect pricing and production.
• Highly organized, with proven success managing multiple projects and changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated track record of taking late-breaking ideas and getting them from brief to market-ready product within very short time frames.
• Advanced knowledge of leather construction, hardware and trim options, and the production nuances of both cost-sensitive, high-volume programs and elevated, limited runs.
• Confident and solutions-oriented communicator who can challenge unrealistic expectations while presenting alternative paths forward.
• Comfortable working within PLM or similar systems, with strong attention to accuracy in specs, data, and documentation.

• 3–5+ years of experience in product development, ideally within apparel, accessories, or closely related categories.