Product Development - Submit Resume

• Team player with "winning spirit" and passion; exemplary professional
• Strong background in retail merchandising and/or product development
• Demonstrated ability to have contributed to and executed a Point of View
• Understanding of Company’s brand identity and market position
• Sense of ownership, strong follow-through, ability to execute within deadline
• Flexible: willing and able to cross over department boundaries to execute common goals
• Creative contributor
• Concept Develop and execute merchandise concepts in accordance with Company’s merchandising vision and brand strategy.
• Research: Both assigned PD categories and general market. Internet, publications, trade shows, manufacturers’ catalogs, shop visits, etc.
• Interpret results for Company’s brand. Formulate and propose competitive strategy.

Key Research Aeas: Trends, Competition, Resources

Develop Initial Concepts:

• Work with Director, PD/Design team, and merchants to develop initial seasonal concepts for future presentation to large Company’s group.

Key initial concept steps:

• PD Preseason Brainstorm Meeting: present tear sheets, preliminary ideas
• PD/Design Concept Focus Meeting: Establish key ideas
• Meet with individual merchants, DM to obtain input on concepts
• Prepare and present product ideas to larger Company’s group at Seasonal Strategy Meetings
• Finalize Season Concepts: Edit initial concepts based upon feedback from larger Company’s group.
• Work with Director and merchants to create PD Needs List for season based upon agreed-upon key concepts.
• Present resulting products at Seasonal Concept Meeting, demonstrate their relation to merchandising concept.

Product Development:

• Manage product development process in assigned categories from concept through final sample approval.
• Create and maintain PD Status Spreadsheet and Project Binder for each season.
Ensure each project’s adherence to Company’s Master Calendar deadlines.
• With Director, determine need for design services and assign to Company’s Design Department or outside contractor.
• Work with Director, merchant, Company’s Sourcing, and agent to identify manufacturer for each project. Multiple-source as appropriate.
• Submit outgoing PD projects to Director, merchant, and DMM for approval.
• Insure Company’s standards are communicated and met in developing products.
• Communicate in a consistent and timely manner all progress and issues that arise in
• development to the PD team and appropriate merchants.
• Monitor approval process to insure quick turnaround.
Required Skills:
Administration
• Meet weekly with Director with regard to issues in assigned area. Submit written report in weeks when meeting is not possible.
• Contract freelance design services with approval of Director. Manage freelance relationships in accordance with Company’s policy. Confirm billed hours and submit invoices to Director.
• Maintain clear and complete development archives.
• Schedule and conduct weekly meeting with merchants in assigned PD areas to communicate progress on projects.
• Plan, track, and reconcile budget categories as assigned by Director. Maintain accurate records of expenditures and submit in a timely manner.
• Enforce in-house copyright protection and report legal concerns to Director.