As a key team member of the Product Development group, the Product Manager will manage the core OR category of Hats. The Product Manager Brings a track record in managing a successful business and proven experience in product line merchandising, strategic sales and business planning.
Duties:
The Product Manager will be responsible for:
- Merchandising a profitable, market-ready headwear collection.
- Leading the design and development of technical, innovative and technologically enhanced products that meet the needs of OR’s customers and end users.
- Delivering products that drive company sales and profits.
- Demonstrating dynamic, visible and inspirational leadership to positively impact business initiatives, direction, and vision for team and peers.
- Managing and assessing business results, profit & loss and executing key initiatives.
The Product Manager’s key deliverables are:
- Manage the merchandising and design process for assigned product lines to meet established sales and margin targets.
- Develop, implement, and monitor processes to ensure timely completion in accordance with the product development calendar for each season.
- Effectively manage the product development process by communicating concepts, filtering input, and setting line direction.
- Partner with Sales, Retail Customers, and Athletes to ensure that new product development meets market needs.
- Develop a seasonal range plan that delivers against the category objectives for sales, gross margin, SKU productivity, and brand image.
- Create/communicate a clear and actionable design briefs for all new styles based on sales potential, market trends, and category positioning parameters.
- Approve all product and material costing.
- Create and approve accuracy of all product copy used for marketing and communications purposes.
- Present product lines at preview meetings, key preline appointments and sales meetings.
- Partner with Operations to coordinate sourcing from Asian suppliers.
- Direct the sourcing, selection and testing of all new fabrications.
- Coordinate field and lab testing of all new products to validate functionality / durability and value for intended use
- Manage budgets to meet corporate financial plans.
- Manage the day-to-day activities of Design Engineer.
- Manage SKU efficiency to targeted goals.
Critical Partnerships:
Designer
- Issue design brief.
- Approve new designs against brief.
- Coordinate and agree on fabrication, color direction, trim development.
Design Engineer/ Pattern Makers
- Brief on fit and construction requirements.
- Communicate sizing, fabrication, trim, and sample requirements in accordance with seasonal development calendar.
- Communicate/approve all raw material or feature changes made during the development process.
- Participate in all fit reviews.
Sample Sewers
- Give direction on sewing construction, featuring, and fit of all in-house samples and feature mock-ups.
- Prioritize daily work against seasonal development timeline.
Purchasing
- Approve final product costs.
- Coordinate on planned factory allocation.
- Supply any technical or new vendor information needed to realise samples or bulk production.
- Approve all quality or material specification exceptions occurring in sample or bulk production.
- Develop/agree on a plan for disposal of excess fabrics.
Marketing
- Proof read for accuracy all product copy used in trade / consumer communication tools.
- Brief and approve the development of all on-product hangtags or labelling.
Sales
- Validate the target feature formula, retail pricing, and preliminary forecast estimates throughout the design/development process.
- Coordinate on key account previews, and direct the developments of any key account special make orders.
Qualifications:
Experience
- Minimum 10 years work experience in a related position.
- 6+ years in management in the outdoor industry preferred.
- Strong understanding of apparel merchandising and sales.
- Experience in managing a diverse and creative group of individuals.
- Demonstrated ability to work with and inspire a broad range of individuals to work toward a common goal.