Apparel Product Development Associate Manager

Who We Are:

Founded in 2009, Reformation is a revolutionary lifestyle brand that proves fashion and sustainability can coexist. We combine stylish, vintage-inspired designs with sustainable practices, releasing limited-edition collections for individuals who want to look beautiful and live sustainably. Setting an example for the industry, Reformation remains at the forefront of innovation in sustainable fashion—running the first sustainable factory in Los Angeles, using deadstock and eco fabrics, tracking and sharing the environmental impact of every product, and investing in the people who make this revolution possible. The brand has also established itself as a pioneer in retail innovation, developing an in-store tech concept that brings the best of its online experience to its physical doors.

We are a future focused organization committed to the belief that the problems facing our planet and society can be solved through innovation, common sense and education. Being naked is the #1 most sustainable option. We're #2.

Here at Ref, we put people first. We know that you can't innovate and do cool stuff without having everyone on board. So we work to create a culture where everyone feels like they belong and where their voices are truly valued. We build an inclusive culture together and make a real impact along the way.

Associate Manager, Product Development:

Reformation is seeking an Associate Manager to coordinate various aspects of product development. We are looking for a full-time, responsible, super-efficient, hard-working team member who is detail oriented and proactive, takes accountability, can multitask in a fast-paced, high growth environment, and has an interest in sustainability. This role will suit a product development professional within the apparel industry, who has knowledge of product development, product sourcing, product innovation, negotiation, and garment manufacturing processes. You must have an effective way of communicating with overseas suppliers under ethical and socially compliant standards. You will be the key to ensuring product optimization to hit crucial deadlines while upholding the company’s focus on Sustainability and Product Excellence.

What you’ll do: (Responsibilities)

• Own the end to end product development lifecycle of assigned vendors and/or categories, including the hand-off between Product Development, Technical Design & Production
• Manage day to day operations pertaining to effective product management, strategic costing, brand and factory compliance, sample management, and quality assurance
• Communicate daily with overseas vendors to monitor and track development statuses, ensure timely sample delivery, cost sheets are completed accurately and on time; attend weekly calls with overseas vendors for exception management
• Collaborate with vendor(s) to oversee and maintain accurate WIPs for each vendor; review, track, and troubleshoot issues to uphold key milestone dates
• Partner and prioritize with cross functional departments that are related to product development to make sure calendar deadlines are met, keeping processes and teams constantly moving towards its goals
• Communicate effectively with cross functional teams (Design, Merchandising, Technical Design, Materials R&D, Purchasing, Production); update the teams regularly on deliverables and alert the teams of any unexpected issues and negotiate resolutions with vendors
• Have a strong understanding of product knowledge and cost construction to negotiate costs and deliveries with vendor partners to ensure best profit margin and lead times are achieved
• Manage, maintain & provide vendors with accurate BOMs in accordance to delivery deadlines.
• Keep PO statuses, materials, and calendar dates in our ERP system up to date with real time accuracy from Design pass off stage through the production hand off stage
• Attend daily fittings to ensure design intent, cost margins and quality standards are met. Take notes, follow up with internal & external partners as needed
• Track sample ETAs; coordinate with QC & Technical Design to ensure samples are ready for design fittings
• Partner with Production team counterparts regularly for exception management
• Provide regular reports to managers/team to include but not limited to calendar delays, margin challenges, at risk styles, etc
• Assist in new vendor sourcing projects
• Plan and prioritize workload to meet deadlines based on business priorities
• Support the manager & director in executing and reinforcing both team and Supply Chain/Product Development objectives as discussed in regular one-on-one and group meetings.
• Aim to understand and achieve department level financial top line and inventory goals (weekly deliverables, quality, receipt $s)
• Manage a clear stream of work and execute flawlessly against key responsibilities
• Support special projects as needed

What you’ll need: (Requirements)

• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, or a related field
• 3-5 years of apparel product development experience
• Overseas apparel manufacturing operations experience
• Basic understanding of apparel product lifecycle and factory WIP follow up
• Intermediate understanding of garment construction, components, as well as technical knowledge of apparel production
• Must be proactive and possess the ability to meet multiple tight deadlines
• Must have exceptional organizational skills
• Must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Must have strong knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel (Google Doc and Sheets); ability to compile and synthesize complex data and utilize it to solve problems
• Highly collaborative with a ‘no task is too small’ attitude, willing to jump in as needed to support the team

Benefits & Perks:

• Health, vision, and dental insurance for eligible employees
• Paid vacation, sick, holidays & volunteer time-off for eligible employees
• Mission based company + casual and entrepreneurial work environment
• Clothing discount, dog-friendly office, company events + parties and much more
• 401K with company match

The Reformation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status

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