Senior Director of Product Development

Overview

The Senior Director of Product Development will oversee the entire Product Development function for apparel and lifestyle sectors, leading a team comprising Directors, Product Managers, Developers, and Coordinators. This position involves scaling processes, enhancing team capabilities, ensuring product excellence, and managing smooth execution from design concept to production readiness. The role is pivotal in shaping the brand's future product strategy by understanding premium casual, athletic, and sportswear markets.

Key Accountabilities

• Provide leadership, mentorship, and development opportunities to a high-performing Product Development team, ensuring clear responsibilities, accountability, and efficient workflows across various categories and channels.
• Formulate and execute strategies for end-to-end product development, identifying market trends, customer behaviors, and white space opportunities within casual sportswear, activewear, and lifestyle sectors.
• Collaborate with Creative, Merchandising, Design, Sourcing, Technical Design, Production, and Quality teams to ensure alignment and flawless execution of product vision.
• Uphold best-in-class product development standards, including SOPs and commercialization procedures; proactively address risks related to quality, fit, and production challenges.
• Engage with executive leadership in guiding product strategy, category expansion, and organizational growth while supporting business alignment during planning cycles.
• Drive improvements in operational systems, communication, and project tracking to optimize speed-to-market, quality, and profitability.

Experience and Expertise

• Over 15 years in Product Development or related fields within apparel, retail, or consumer goods.
• Demonstrated leadership of fast-paced, lean product development teams in growth-driven settings.
• Comprehensive knowledge of apparel product development from concept through commercialization, including fit, materials, costing, sourcing, and quality control.
• Experience with direct-to-consumer (DTC), retail, wholesale, and global markets is advantageous.
• Keen understanding of trends in fabric, silhouettes, colors, and lifestyle activewear markets, preferably within premium or fashion brands.

Leadership and Operational Strength

• Proven talent for coaching and growing teams and organizational capabilities.
• Servant leadership style, fostering collaboration and trusted influence.
• Effective communicator with strong decision-making and prioritization abilities.
• Capable of balancing strategic vision and hands-on tactical execution in fast-evolving environments.
• Expertise in margin management, inventory and calendar control, and scaling operations.
• Analytical proficiency using data and customer insight to inform product and process decisions.

Compensation

The annual salary for this position starts at $200,000, with performance-based discretionary bonuses available.