Senior Category Manager - Lifestyle

Thru Dark’s Product Department stands at the forefront of design, performance, and innovation. Each product is a reflection of our relentless pursuit of excellence crafted with precision, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to quality. From concept to completion, this team ensures every piece embodies the Thru Dark ethos: resilient, refined, and ready for the elements.

We’re seeking a senior creative product leader to own the vision, direction and end-to-end creation of Thru Dark’s Lifestyle category. This role is accountable for taking the collection from early concept through design, development and launch turning brand ambition, customer insight and cultural relevance into distinctive premium apparel. Acting as the creative and product authority for Lifestyle, you’ll set the standard for the range, make clear product decisions and ensure every piece strengthens the Thru Dark brand.

The Senior Category Manager is the creative and product owner for Lifestyle. You’ll originate concepts, define the product vision, direct the range and lead each product through the full concept-to-launch journey. Product Design and Product Development are key delivery partners:
Design supports creative execution, while Product Development owns technical feasibility, specifications, construction, supplier delivery, quality and production readiness.

• Set the multi-season creative and product vision for the Lifestyle category, aligned with Thru Dark’s brand direction and product strategy.
• Build the seasonal collection concept, narrative and range direction, establishing a clear and distinctive point of view for Lifestyle.
• Shape the overall collection architecture, ensuring the range is balanced, coherent and purposeful across product types and customer needs.
• Use customer insight, cultural shifts, market awareness and trend research to identify relevant opportunities and inspire original product ideas.
• Originate product concepts and write detailed creative and product briefs that define the purpose, customer, design intent, aesthetic, functionality and launch objective.
• Lead the full concept-to-launch process, guiding products through concept development, design, prototyping, sampling, approval and launch.
• Work closely with Product Design to direct silhouette, colour, materials, detailing and product expression, providing clear and constructive creative feedback.
• Partner with Product Development to translate approved concepts into technically resolved products, challenging and resolving issues involving feasibility, construction, quality, cost and timing.
• Lead range and product reviews, making clear decisions and recommendations at concept, design, sample and launch-approval stages.
• Maintain creative and product coherence across the collection, balancing innovation, wearability, performance, quality and brand relevance.
• Lead the cross-functional Lifestyle agenda across Product Design, Product Development, Merchandising, Marketing and Digital, ensuring the product vision is carried through consistently to launch.
• Present the Lifestyle vision, roadmap, product direction, key decisions and material risks to the Product Director and senior leadership.
  How success will be measured:
• A distinctive, coherent and premium Lifestyle collection that clearly strengthens the Thru Dark brand.
• Strong original concepts and briefs that translate successfully into finished products.
• High-quality creative and product decisions, with clear direction and timely approvals.
• On‑time progression through concept, design, development, sampling and launch stages.
• Products that deliver against their intended purpose and generate useful customer and performance learning.
  
  About you:
• A strong track record leading premium apparel collections from concept…