Director, Product Development, HB & SLG

JOB SUMMARY

As a Tory Burch Director of Product Development, you are a critical cross functional leader, pivotal in building aesthetically and quality authentic product while achieving financial goals. Coordination of the product development process is performed by:
1.\tManaging team and calendar deadlines to insure the line delivers on time for both market and production handoff.
2.\tManaging team and cross functional relationships to ensure our product meets aesthetic, quality, and functional requirements.
3.\tManaging the sourcing partner relationship to achieve divisional margin goals and key performance indicators.

JOB DESCRIPTION

RESPONSIBILITIES:

DEVELOPMENT

• Oversees the issuance of all specs (BOMs/tech packs) for accuracy, completeness, quality, affordability, and compliance prior to release. Leads weekly Line in Process (LIP) meetings and guides team through challenges impeding development.
• Recommends enhancements, construction and material options to elevate our brand, hitting financial requirements. Resolves designs that do not meet design, merchandising, production or financial needs.
• Directs the coordination of the development and cross functional teams to manage spec turnover within calendar to insure timely prototyping, and finalization through to production.
• Promotes the pass off of clean specs to manufacturing partners on behalf of design, communicating daily with overseas offices and direct suppliers on questions and changes to specs, standards, and aiding in interpreting design needs.
• With PD team, reviews all prototypes and market samples to insure faithful execution to spec.
• Insures that all needed sample materials are purchased, scheduled, monitored, and inventoried as requested by Design.
• Through the PD team, manages the prototyping process including scheduling, monitoring, schedules, tracking, and reporting, flexing both factory and internal schedules to insure productive milestone meetings and authentic execution to design.
• Ensures that all standards and approvals are issued, maintained, and properly reviewed for brand consistency and per TB quality processes in both development and bulk.
• Reviews and approves all production materials, addressing variances with suppliers, merchandising, design and production.
• Oversees the review and communication of style/material minimums, material costs, and lead times to cross functional teams in development cycle for proper planning of production flow.
• Negotiates advantageous terms for all components as well as final finished goods costs based on margin plans and target retail structures. Shares costing guidance at first and second proto stages with final costing visibility due by SMS and proposes costing engineering options that are brand appropriate to guide teams into the price points/margins needed.

SOURCING

• Works closely with Design Senior Management as well as factory and internal raw materials and Asia development teams on seasonal offering needs to provide options in materials, suppliers, techniques, and costs that are on brand.
• With internal materials departments and through PD team, and with direct sources, work to execute materials that are viable for our brand, trends, costing, and quality.
• Sources alternate manufacturers and material suppliers to provide options in materials, products, and techniques as needed while building a tight factory partner base.
• With production, HKO, and Design input, awards business by allocating specs to factories that are advantageous to the brand for aesthetic, quality, execution, price, and delivery performance, avoiding overdependence on any resource. With production head, manages factory capacity commitment process as well as season material commitment process.
• Designates finished goods supplier for all materials and finished goods, and plans annual factory allocation to insure adequate capacity.
• With the team, participates in on-going factory base performance reviews, and recommends improvements to factories, vendor base, and geography.
• Manages factory relationships for the benefit of the brand and in line with the strategic sourcing plan.
• Work closely as needed on strategic sourcing plans with Department Head.

PRODUCT INTEGRITY

• Aims to instill quality in the product from onset of development through final production. Uses and builds on within the teams our quality control and performance guidelines.
• Governs the review of all components with an eye for quality, durability, and compliance
• Insures that all components and constructions used are compliant for performance and restricted substances prior to production, and overseeing the testing in development of any questionable materials.
• Ensures that questionable materials and treatments are tested in development cycle for durability and compliance (performance, RS, customs) to prevent a lapse in product flow in production cycle.

CALENDAR

• Builds, manages, and flexes calendar (annual and in-season) to ensure timely turnover of development, return of prototypes, and market samples and placement of final production. Works closely with production team to insure delivery for start ship of all finished goods.
• Monitors calendar daily to promote flow of development; apprises and resolves calendar variances with team and management.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Travels 3-4 times per year or as needed to fulfill the requirements of the role.
• Attention to coaching and building a team for succession planning in their Development roles.
• With design, merchandising, and production, manages liability inventories via special cuts and/or liquidation.
• Stays abreast of both manufacturing and materials markets to have viable options ready at all times.
• Works on other relevant projects as required by Department Head.

EDUCATION & PRIOR EXPERIENCE NEEDED

• BA/BS degree or equivalent life experience
• Strong organizational, interpersonal and negotiation skills
• Strong math and collaborative skills
• Able to work in a fluid, fast-paced, multi-channel environment.

CORE SKILLS

• Adaptable - Change before you have to
  • Changes course easily - Knows when to be patient and when to push - Works well in the gray - Shows grace under pressure - Owns mistakes and learns from them - Balances multiple priorities
• Entrepreneurial Spirit - Own it
  • Takes initiative, doesn't wait for direction - Builds for the future - Takes personal ownership and accountability - Is resourceful in getting things done
• Collaborative - No "I" in Tory
  • Is self-aware and open-minded - Integrates the perspectives of others - Is direct but respectful - Communicates cross functionally - Knows when to get people involved and when to make a decision - Takes an inclusive approach
• Client & Brand Focus - Put yourself in Tory's shoes
  • Passionate about the brand and the work - Creates a transformational client experience - Makes decisions in the best interest of the company and our customers - Focuses on internal and external customers
• Live the Values - Being "Buddy"
  • Keeps the "Buddy Values" alive (Kindness, humility, warmth, honesty, loyalty, compassion, integrity, and passion) - It's not just what you do, but how you do it - Contributes to a positive and productive environment
• Functional Expertise - Know Your Stuff
  • Has the skills necessary to perform the job - Keeps current on trends, skills, and practices - Puts learning into practice
• FOR PEOPLE MANAGERS: Team Builder - It's all about "We"
  • Sets team goals and roles - Develops, motivates and empowers - Delivers constructive and encouraging feedback - Holds people accountable for results - Recognizes high performance
• FOR PEOPLE MANAGERS: Change Leader - Change is the essence of life
  • Challenges the current point of view - Puts changes in context for the team - Executes changes that impact the business - Is proactive and positive - Listens to and keeps the team up to speed

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Tory Burch 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. Likewise, we will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, Ordinance No. 184652. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.

Disability Accommodation

Tory Burch is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. If you require assistance or an accommodation with the hiring process, please contact thetalentteam@toryburch.com .

NYC COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

Tory Burch requires new hires employed in New York City to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 per the order of the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene to Require COVID19 Vaccination in the Workplace. Tory Burch provides reasonable accommodations consistent with legal requirements (e.g., for medical or religious reasons).