Senior Product Development Manager - Footwear

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Job Summary:

Hands Free Labs is redefining footwear with innovative, hands-free design. The Product Development Manager will oversee the footwear product creation process from design to commercialization, ensuring products meet specifications, timelines, and margins. This role involves collaboration with designers and product managers to create functional footwear solutions that align with brand initiatives.

Responsibilities:

• Manage product development processes from product brief stage through prototyping and commercialization with a focus on bringing products to market on-spec, on-time, and on-margin.

• Provide fit, wear, and biomechanical testing support, using results to resolve performance and quality issues.

• Manage the on-time approval of production samples and transition products seamlessly into commercialization.

• Create and maintain accurate BOMs while evaluating tech packs for performance, construction, and material risks.

• Create seasonal product development critical process calendars that support the GTM process.

• Manage the seasonal product costing process from the pre-costing stage to production cost confirmation.

• Analyze patterns, technical drawings, prototypes, and lab test results to identify and resolve development issues.

• Coordinate timely creation, evaluation, and approval of technical information including costs, lasts, and lab tests.

• Utilize specialized tools to validate product specs and performance.

• Track project progress and collaborate with the product creation triad to deliver seasonal products on-spec, on-time, and on-margin.

• Schedule and lead teardown meetings to review and action product design, fit, construction, material, manufacturability, performance, and cost concerns.

• Provide actionable alternatives in materials, constructions, and costs to meet design, performance, and financial targets.

• Drive continuous improvement by identifying process inefficiencies and proposing solutions.

• Communicate clearly with internal teams and international partners throughout the development and commercialization lifecycle.

• Leverage management skills to align performance goals and objectives with department and brand goals.

• Foster a culture of teamwork, empowerment, and continuous improvement within the organization.

• Manage departmental operations, budgeting, and performance metrics to support strategic objectives.

Qualifications:

Required:

• A minimum of 6 years’ experience in product creation of which at least 4 are in footwear.

• Experience managing footwear product development operations and processes.

• Experience managing footwear product costing and negotiating costs with factories and suppliers.

• Demonstrated experience creating performance footwear product specifications and BOMs.

• An in-depth knowledge of upper and bottom material applications and processes.

• An in-depth knowledge of footwear constructions, materials, lasts, molding processes, compound development, and foot anatomy.

• Experience successfully managing processes in a fast-paced, global organization.

• Experience successfully satisfying the needs of diverse constituents with competing deadlines and priorities.

• Experience creating formal presentations and transparently responding to questions from senior management and other employees of an organization.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• A proficiency in Microsoft Office program suite and Adobe Applications.

• An ability to travel domestically and internationally to development centers, production factories, supplier facilities, trade shows, and brand events as necessary.

Company:

Hands Free Labs features…