The Product Development and Production Manager at Loeffler Randall plays a critical role in transforming design concepts into final products by overseeing the development and production processes by coordinating with design, merchandising, and vendors to ensure timely delivery and adherence to quality standards. This role is responsible for reviewing product specifications, sketches, and prototypes before they proceed to production. Key responsibilities include organizing and documenting pre-market fittings, communicating production timelines and details to vendors, and managing packaging and care card requirements. The PD and Production Manager works closely with factories to coordinate the production process, sample creation, and ensure product quality. They also manage sample costing, ensuring all projects are delivered within budget while maintaining high standards. The role involves analyzing production costs and handling customer feedback to address quality issues. Additionally, this position collaborates cross-functionally with design and merchandising teams to meet product timelines and goals.

Essential Development Functions:

• Review product specifications, sketches, and technical packages for accuracy and feasibility before production
• Collaborate with designers to ensure the translation of concepts into manufacturable products
• Manage communication between design teams and factories to ensure clear understanding of product requirements
• Coordinate sample development and manage timelines for prototype approvals
• Oversee costing, negotiating with factories to ensure cost-efficient yet high-quality outcomes
• Track and manage product development timelines, ensuring deadlines are met for production, sampling, and costing
• Maintain detailed records of all product development stages and sample iterations
• Ensure factory compliance with company standards for quality and ethical production
• Partner with the production and design teams to resolve issues related to materials, construction, and production processes
• Monitor and report on product testing and quality control throughout the development cycle
• Work with suppliers and factories to ensure material and production readiness
• Oversee the finalization of technical details, including material selections, color, and construction techniques
• Manage relationships with external vendors and manufacturing partners
• Lead cross-functional meetings to update teams on production status, potential issues, and solutions
• Collaborate with logistics and operations to ensure smooth transition of products from development to mass production
• Manage and mentor the team, providing guidance on day-to-day tasks and long-term career development
• Monitor industry trends and competitor products to inform design and development strategies
• Ensure the alignment of product costing with financial targets, driving cost-saving initiatives without sacrificing quality
• Communicate regularly with senior management regarding the status of product development and production costs
• Ensure the sustainability of products by working with teams on environmentally friendly materials and processes
• All other duties as assigned.

Essential Production Functions:

• Have a firm understanding of the production calendar deadlines and be able to communicate them clearly to vendors to make sure time and action is adhered to, especially regarding fit samples and final approvals
• Partner with tech manager and merch to determine new styles that need to be fit and wear tested before market and arrange new wear test samples as needed to relay feedback to the vendors within two weeks
• Schedule and organize fit forms in preparation for first initial pre-market fitting with fit model and technician
• Take extensive notes and photos from the fit session to record on fit forms
• Communicate fit approved styles to agents and any final corrections that need to be applied to confirmation samples
• Add packaging and care card details to production BOM’s
• Partner with merch on deciding which new styles need care cards and determining the wording before launching new care card artwork with graphic designer
• Update material composite file with HTS numbers, duty %’s, and RLM material content codes
• Work with manager and merch on determining TOP, grading sample, and production wear test production requests
• Decide country of origin placement for each production style
• Send TOP sample, grading sample, and production wear test requests to vendors. Send production care card details to vendors
• Partner with manager on analyzing production costing. Update margin roll with final units and production costing
• Send material composite file to vendors to confirm all information is correct before upload into RLM
• Setup files to upload cost, HTS, and material codes before PO allocation. PO downloads/uploads before PO allocation
• Send bulk PO, reorder PO, and PO allocation to vendors
• Partner with materials/PD team to ensure production materials are shipped on time to maintain delivery, and proper paperwork is arranged to ensure smooth clearance through customs
• Review production calendars from vendors each week and ensure production is running smoothly, ex-fty dates are being met, and problem solve any issues
• Follow up with vendors regularly to make sure production schedule is on track
• Enforce packaging standards across vendors
• Update weekly shipping report, print for shipping meeting, and review with sales team at meeting
• Communicate production ready dates to logistics team to start booking shipments, and inform logistics, sales, and marketing teams of any production delays
• Check all bulk production invoices before shipments. Process all production related invoices (bulk production, service fee, materials, samples etc.) and send wire confirmations. Monitor payment schedules
• QC bulk production at the warehouse or at office
• Fit production pairs with Ecom and merch and determine any necessary fit comments to include on LR.com
• Receive customer quality feedback from sales and Ecom team and communicate to vendors. Chargeback vendors for any defective units or for shipment discrepancies (create and send chargeback note with details and images)
• All other duties as assigned.

Essential Materials Functions:

• Strategize sourcing for both nominated and full package programs across wovens, cut & sew and knits
• Work closely with Design team on fabric selection process, ensuring mills are flexible with minimums both in sampling and bulk
• Attend fabric shows and independent agent fairs seasonally
• Spearhead sustainability opportunities at the onset of the season while working within price matrix
• Organize and maintain generic fabric library as well as seasonal fabric research
• Place sample POs and coordinate sample shipments to both domestic and overseas factories
• Manage all overseas full package programs and push vendors for newness in raw materials
• Partner with print designer each season to identify base cloth and repeat limitations of each print base in development stage and maintain calendar deadlines
• Maintain WIP charts with all fabric info for Design, PD, and Production team
• Ensure all FDS sheet are complete each season
• Maintain sample yardage inventory