Product Development Manager
3 days ago
New York
Job Description Why J.McLaughlin? Founded on the Upper East Side of New York City by brothers Jay and Kevin McLaughlin, J.McLaughlin was built on a simple idea: great style feels personal. From a single neighborhood shop to nearly 200 stores nationwide, we have always believed in being local and loyal—to our customers, our communities, and one another. Today, nearly 1,000 employees bring the brand to life across the country, from Maine to Maui. For over 20 years, our corporate home has been in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, where creativity, craftsmanship, and collaboration continue to shape our next chapter. Giving back is part of who we are. We support the communities we serve through local partnerships, charitable initiatives, and a belief that businesses should leave places better than they found them. Overview We are seeking a Manager of Product Development to join our Product Development team, reporting to our SVP, Product Development & Technical Design. This role leads the development and execution of seasonal collections for our Women’s apparel categories from concept through production readiness while supporting business objectives and maintaining the brand’s standards for quality, fit, and consistency. This position partners closely with Design, Merchandising, Technical Design, and Production to translate creative vision into commercially viable product while contributing to a collaborative, high-performing, and values-driven workplace. This position is primarily based in our Greenpoint, Brooklyn office and follows a hybrid schedule, dependent on role and business needs. About the role Essential Functions: • Lead product development lifecycle from concept handoff through production approval, • Own seasonal development calendars and milestone adherence, • Own development process for multiple categories as well as lead team to complete in others, • Ensure on-time sample delivery and decision-making across all development stages (proto, fit, PP)., • Identify risks early and implement corrective action to protect delivery timelines., • Partner with Raw Materials and Sourcing to ensure cost targets are established early and tracked throughout development., • Lead counter-costing discussions with vendors to protect IMU and margin targets., • Evaluate cost trade-offs in fabric, construction, and design details without compromising brand integrity., • Ensure cost transparency and consistency across vendors., • Serve as the central coordination point between Design, Technical Design, Raw Materials, Sourcing, and Production., • Translate creative vision into executable development plans., • Drive alignment across teams on feasibility, cost, and timing., • Support leadership in resolving escalated development challenges., • Manage overseas vendor communication throughout development lifecycle., • Ensure vendors meet sampling timelines, quality expectations, and costing commitments., • Assess vendor capability and escalate performance concerns., • Partner with Production on capacity planning and lead-time optimization., • Collaborate with Technical Design to ensure product intent is preserved through development., • Evaluate construction feasibility and recommend improvements for scalability., • Drive PLM discipline across development teams., • Lead, mentor, and develop direct reports., • Create and maintain a culture of ownership, speed, and commercial awareness, • Contribute to vendor strategy and evaluation from a product development capability and execution standpoint., • Participate in line reviews, fittings, milestone meetings, and cross-functional leadership forums., • Support continuous improvement initiatives across the product lifecycle., • Perform other related duties as assigned. Other duties Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. What we are looking for Skills & Requirements: • 5-7 years of product development experience, • Strong knowledge of garment construction, fit, grading, and fabrication, • Experience working across multiple apparel categories preferred. Experience with outerwear, tailoring and bottoms required., • Experience with raw material development preferred, • People and team leadership experience required, • Experience managing process change and scaling-up to support business growth, • Overseas vendor communication and development experience, • Ability to manage multiple seasonal deadlines simultaneously, • Strong cross-functional communication, partnership and problem-solving skills, • Detail-oriented with strong commercial awareness, • Proficiency in PLM systems and Microsoft Office Physical Requirements: • Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk, working on a computer, standing and bending., • Must be able to lift 15 pounds occasionally., • Must be able to access and navigate various departments at the organization's facilities. Benefits at a Glance At J.McLaughlin, we design our benefits with the same care and intention as our product. Our benefits are designed to support well-being, flexibility, and long-term growth. • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, • 401(k) retirement plan with company match (eligibility based on hours worked), • Generous paid time off and paid holidays, • Hybrid or flexible work environment (role-dependent), • Company-paid life insurance and disability coverage, • Optional Critical Illness and Accident insurance, • Employee Assistance Program (EAP), • Clothing allowance and generous discounts on J.McLaughlin merchandise, • Discretionary bonus opportunities (role-dependent), • Employee referral incentives and commuter benefits Equal Opportunity J.McLaughlin is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status