Associate Product Development Manager (Apparel Industry)

Job Summary

The Associate Product Development Manager is responsible for coordinating and managing the full product lifecycle - from concept development and sampling through production and delivery. This role serves as the key liaison between Sales, Design, Technical, and Manufacturing teams (domestic and overseas) to ensure on-time, cost-effective, and high-quality execution across all brands and customer programs.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Product Development / Pre-Production

• Create, manage, and own seasonal Time & Action Calendars in partnership with cross-functional teams.
• Collaborate with Design, Raw materials, Pattern Making, and technical teams to meet all key milestones and ensure product accuracy.
• Partner with Sales, Design, and vendors to ensure timely delivery of samples and swatch materials.
• Coordinate and lead Cross-Functional Team meetings , driving clarity and accountability across departments.
• Oversee sample and prototype management , including yardage ordering, tracking, and approvals.
• Maintain testing, certification, and compliance documentation for all nominated fabrics, trims, and customer requirements.
• Manage finishing requirements in PLM systems (YPLM / Blue Cherry) and customer facing systems, including packaging, labeling, tickets.
• Partner with suppliers and factories to monitor development timelines, costs, and MOQ / lead-time compliance.
• Identify and communicate risks in development - cost, timing, and compliance - and collaborate on solutions.
• Maintain and update line sheets , style setup, UPCs / MSRPs, and system data integrity across product categories.
• Participate and lead calls with mill's , factories , overseas offices to facilitate sample making and problem solve.
• Manage PP and TOP sample approvals , ensuring quality and consistency between prototypes and bulk production.

Qualifications and Requirements

Experience : Minimum 5 years in Product development or Pre production, with experience in sourcing, vendor management, and product lifecycle coordination. Experience in swimwear or intimate apparel a plus. Walmart experience is a plus.

Skills :

This should describe you –