Trim, Embellishment, and Jewelry Developer

JOB SUMMARY As the AREA Trim/Embellishment and Jewelry Developer, you will take ownership of trim/embellishment and jewelry PD process from development through the production process - working across teams to ensure creative designs are translated into practical and innovative market ready products. You are a critical cross-functional leader, pivotal in building aesthetically and quality authentic product while achieving financial goals. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

DEVELOPMENT / PRODUCTION

• In collaboration with Design, work together to fully understand product intent.
• Reviews and oversees issuance of all specs and tech packs for accuracy, completeness, quality, and affordability prior to release.
• Recommends enhancements, construction and material options to elevate the product and our brand, hitting financial requirements. Resolves engineering that does not meet design, merchandising, production or financial needs.
• Coordinates with manufacturing partners and cross-functional teams to manage spec turnover within calendar to ensure timeliness in protos, SMS, and production. 
• Manages the handover of clean specs to manufacturing partners on behalf of design and production; communicates daily with overseas offices and direct suppliers on questions and changes to specs, standards; interpreting design needs.
• Reviews all prototypes and market samples to ensure accuracy in execution to spec.
• Monitors, tracks, and reports on all requested prototypes and samples.
• Oversees the maintenance of all standards issued for brand consistency.
• Supervises, schedules, and tracks all confirmation samples to ensure exact execution of final design; reviews and approves all colors and materials, addressing variances with vendors.
• Participate during production and development fittings, communicating updated tech packs / specs to factories and following up to make sure adjustments are made timely

SOURCING

• Works closely with the design teams on seasonal offering needs to provide options for components and techniques, and costs that are on brand.
• Sources options for components and techniques while building a tight, strategic vendor base.
• With the team, participates in on-going factory base performance reviews, and recommends improvements to factories, vendor base, and geography.

PRODUCT INTEGRITY

• Aims to instill quality in the product from onset of development through final production.
• Reviews all components with an eye for quality, and performance.
• Ensures that all components and constructions used are compliant for performance and restricted substances prior to production. 
• Tests questionable materials and treatments in development cycle for performance and compliance to prevent a lapse in production.

CALENDAR

• Builds, manages, and flexes calendar to insure timely turnover of development, return of prototypes, and market samples and placement of final production.
• Monitors calendar daily to promote flow of development; apprises and resolves calendar variances with team and management.
• As needed works closely with design and production to resolve delivery and material issues affecting production.

PRODUCT COSTING / ORDERING

• Manage pre-costing, and projecting development and production costs and develop strategies to meet/exceed margin requirement while maintaining design aesthetic.
• Work with Design Team and Production Team to purchase all components as well as finished goods, issuing POs, including for reorders

LEADERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT

• Promote an environment that fosters the respect for the ideas of others and supports ongoing collaboration to execute business strategies.
• Leads by example and operates effectively in the face of continuous pressure imposed by the work environment.
• Drive the department forward through process improvement and best practices.

Education & Prior Experience Needed

• BA/BS degree or equivalent life experience
• Minimum 3 years in jewelry / trim / or embellishment product development, sourcing, and/or production
• Proficient PC skills (spreadsheets, word processing) PLM data management systems is a plus.
• Strong communication skills verbal and written - gives concise and focused information.
• Strong organizational skills. Ability to access information accurately and readily when needed.
• Able to work in a fluid, fast-paced, creative environment.
• Ability to travel as needed

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

AREA Studio LLC is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to an individual’s age, race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy) or sexual orientation, gender expression, military status, marital status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, disability or membership in any other protected class under applicable law.