Product Development Manager, Footwear
2 days ago
New York
About Us American Exchange Group is an industry leader in fashion accessory products and brand management. By facilitating distribution to major retailers internationally for their globally recognized brands, custom private label brands, and exclusive licensed brands—including footwear, tech wearables, watches, jewelry, handbags, fashion accessories, home, and beauty—American Exchange Group raises the bar by disrupting the status quo with value and quality, while staying at the forefront of trends. Joining American Exchange Group means being part of a dynamic and diverse team where your contributions drive real impact—and where there’s always room to grow. If you're looking to be part of a company that blends heritage with hustle, we’re excited to meet you. Visit our website at ___ Job Title: Product Development Manager, Footwear Location: Onsite 5 days a week at our NYC HQ Footwear Product Development Manager (Mass Market / Off-Price) Position Summary The Footwear Product Development Manager leads the development and commercialization of high-volume, cost-driven footwear programs for mass market and off-price channels. This role is responsible for executing product that meets aggressive price points, rapid timelines, and retailer-specific requirements, while maintaining quality and brand integrity. Key Responsibilities High-Volume Product Development • Manage end-to-end development of footwear collections across mass and off-price channels, • Execute against fast-paced seasonal and chase calendars with a strong sense of urgency, • Develop product aligned to specific retailer needs (e.g., Walmart, Kohl’s, JCPenney, off-price accounts), • Ensure compliance with retailer systems, packaging, labeling, and routing requirements, • Own costing process with a strong focus on hitting aggressive IMU targets, • Engineer product to cost—materials, construction, and design simplification, • Partner closely with overseas factories (primarily Asia) on development and execution, • Manage multiple vendors to support capacity, speed, and cost competitiveness, • Maintain and enforce development calendars with clear milestone tracking, • Ensure all tech packs, specs, and approvals are production-ready and on time, • Oversee high-volume sample tracking for line reviews, buyer meetings, and approvals, • Manage revisions efficiently to minimize development cycles, • Work closely with Design to interpret trends into commercial, cost-effective product, • Partner with Sales and Merchandising on line plans, pricing strategy, and retailer presentations, • Collaborate with QA and Compliance teams to meet testing and regulatory standards Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in Fashion, Product Development, or related field, • 5–8+ years of footwear product development experience, preferably in mass market or off-price, • Strong understanding of cost-driven product development and high-volume production, • Experience working with major retailers (e.g., Walmart Retail Link, Kohl’s DSCO, JCP CommerceHub), • Proven ability to manage multiple seasons and high SKU counts simultaneously, • Deep experience with overseas factory communication and negotiation, • Advanced Excel skills and proficiency in PLM/ERP systems Preferred Qualifications • Experience in private label or licensed brands, • Background supporting off-price retailers (e.g., TJX, Ross, Burlington), • Familiarity with packaging optimization and freight cost considerations, • Experience with chase/reorder business models What We Offer • Comprehensive Health & Wellness Benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and supplemental insurance, • 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with company match, • Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays, • Half Day Fridays with shortened hours during both Summer and Winter seasons, • Health Savings Account (HSA), • Flexible Spending Account (FSA), • Tax-free commuter benefits, • Exclusive employee merchandise discounts Salary: The anticipated base salary is $100k-$110k annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, internal equity, and location. This position description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills or working conditions associated with this position. While this description is intended to accurately reflect the position's activities and requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties as necessary. The compensation package is dependent on a number of factors, including, for example, experience, education, market data, and business needs.