Director, Product Development
Figs - Santa Monica, CA
posted 4 months ago
About the position
FIGS is seeking a dynamic Director, Product Development to lead our team in creating and executing products that align with our strategic vision. This pivotal role requires an innovative thinker who excels in collaboration with C-suite executives, cross-functional teams, external vendors, and all organizational levels. The ideal candidate is passionate about product development, with a keen eye for detail and a drive for excellence. This position reports directly to the Senior Director, Product Development. In this role, you will be responsible for developing and communicating a clear and compelling product vision and strategy that aligns with FIGS' mission to transform healthcare apparel. You will collaborate with Design and Merchandising teams to ensure product development efforts are in sync with overall brand goals. As a leader, you will mentor a team of Product Developers, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence, while also developing and implementing training programs to enhance team skills and capabilities. You will oversee the development of costing plans, duty rates, sourcing strategies, and fit processes to meet design and merchandising objectives. This includes managing the tech pack handover process from design to product development, ensuring accuracy and completeness, and conducting wear testing to validate that materials are appropriate for their intended product categories. Additionally, you will build out and refine the pre-development process, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness, while also ensuring data integrity across the PLM system and seeking continuous improvement opportunities in all development processes. Vendor and production management will also be a key aspect of your role, as you oversee the product development processes for both in-season and late-add products, paying attention to materials, fit, and construction. You will plan and track the development schedule to ensure timely completion of tailoring, proto, and SMS in accordance with the product calendar and corporate timeline. Furthermore, you will ensure fit intent is achieved through detailed analysis, documentation, and adherence to fit and brand identity standards, partnering with factories to develop innovative construction techniques and samples. Cross-functional collaboration is essential, as you will ensure that partners (technical design, design, raw materials) are achieving deadlines to successfully complete styles by final line review. You will facilitate the handoff of buy-ready SKUs to the production team, ensuring all tech packs and product records are complete and accurate. Educating cross-functional teams on the features and benefits of the seasonal product range during key milestone meetings to support product marketing will also be part of your responsibilities. Finally, you will implement and maintain the PLM system as the primary platform for all product creation processes, including spec templates, tech sketches, BOMs, and color BOMs. Talent management will be crucial, as you will retain and develop top talent within the organization, enhancing skills and building knowledge to strengthen future succession capabilities. You will actively manage and measure organizational performance through quantitative and qualitative assessments, tracking and reporting on department performance metrics monthly and quarterly.
Responsibilities
- Develop and communicate a clear and compelling product vision and strategy that aligns with FIGS' mission.
- Collaborate with Design and Merchandising teams to ensure product development efforts are in sync with overall brand goals.
- Lead and mentor a team of Product Developers, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
- Oversee the development of costing plans, duty rates, sourcing strategies, and fit processes to meet design and merchandising objectives.
- Manage the tech pack handover process from design to product development, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
- Conduct wear testing to validate that materials are appropriate for their intended product categories.
- Build out and refine the pre-development process, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness.
- Ensure data integrity across PLM system and seek continuous improvement opportunities in all development processes.
- Oversee the product development processes for both in-season and late-add products, paying attention to materials, fit, and construction.
- Plan and track the development schedule to ensure timely completion of tailoring, proto, and SMS in accordance with the product calendar and corporate timeline.
- Ensure fit intent is achieved through detailed analysis, documentation, and adherence to fit and brand identity standards.
- Partner with factories to develop innovative construction techniques and samples.
- Troubleshoot construction challenges in collaboration with technical design and production teams.
- Ensure cross-functional partners are achieving deadlines to successfully complete styles by final line review.
- Facilitate the handoff of buy-ready SKUs to the production team, ensuring all tech packs and product records are complete and accurate.
- Educate cross-functional teams on the features and benefits of the seasonal product range during key milestone meetings to support product marketing.
- Implement and maintain the PLM system as the primary platform for all product creation processes.
- Retain and develop top talent within the organization, enhancing skills and building knowledge to strengthen future succession capabilities.
- Actively manage and measure organizational performance through quantitative and qualitative assessments.
Requirements
- 12+ years of experience in product development within the apparel industry, with a proven track record of leading the end-to-end product creation process.
- Team leadership experience, including managing and developing high-performing product development teams.
- Expertise in optimizing duty rates to meet aggressive cost and margin targets.
- Extensive experience in product development and production processes, from concept to commercialization, with a deep understanding of apparel manufacturing.
- In-depth knowledge of fabric and garment construction, including technical aspects of textile properties, pattern-making, and sewing techniques.
- Strong expertise in trims and accessories, ensuring quality, functionality, and cost-efficiency.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel and Google Sheets, with strong analytical skills for data-driven decision-making.
- Deadline-oriented and results-driven, with the ability to deliver high-quality products within tight timelines.
- Experience working within a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system (Centric PLM preferred), ensuring seamless coordination and process management.
- Strong communication skills, excellent organizational skills, and attention to detail.
Nice-to-haves
- Proven work ethic and integrity + positive attitude.
- Desire to excel and grow with FIGS.
- Entrepreneurial spirit and egoless nature.
Benefits
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid holidays
- Flexible vacation
- Parental leave
- Discounted Pet Daycare
- Discounted Pet Insurance
- Access to wellness services through Breethe and Classpass
- Personalized discount code for 50% off all FIGS products.
