Product Development Manager

$70,000 - $90,000/Yr

Punch Studio - Culver City, CA

Full-time - Mid Level

Culver City, CA

Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods

About the position

The Product Development Manager at Punch Studio is responsible for managing product development for key accounts and leading the launch of new product categories in giftware, stationery, and decorative storage. This role involves researching market trends, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring product specifications and quality standards are met. The manager will act as a liaison between various departments to communicate product parameters and support the sales team in meeting customer needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and create new product development based on current market trends and customer requests, determining product specifications and target costs.
• Research trends and translate them into new product concepts and formats for accounts.
• Develop expert knowledge of pricing, materials, trends, and developments in new product categories.
• Collaborate with the Sales team to prepare product presentations for account meetings.
• Negotiate with factories using a strong understanding of development costs and manufacturing procedures.
• Manage quality control of items throughout the approval process, ensuring all product specifications and quality standards are met.
• Work with Sales to establish timelines for each program, defining product development deliverables and securing key due dates with factories.
• Anticipate and identify potential challenges and support the Sales team on all product development-related issues that could cause program delays.
• Work closely with Sales and Customer Service teams to understand customer vendor requirements and manage customer compliance.
• Determine testing and compliance requirements for new categories and manage test reports and factory audits according to customer-specific requirements.
• Re-source with multiple vendors when necessary to hit target margins.

Requirements

• BFA in Product Design, BBA or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in product development/management including trend research and presentation, costing, product packaging, production, manufacturing, and merchandising.
• Proven track record of managing all aspects of a successful product throughout its lifecycle.
• Interest in wall decor is necessary, though experience is not a must.
• Experience working with Off Price accounts is a plus.
• Working knowledge of MS Office, including Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Working knowledge of duty rates, testing, and compliance.
• Knowledge of product development process and manufacturing with overseas vendors.
• Ability to think critically and solve problems quickly and efficiently.
• Ability to understand current and future trends and present them to cross-functional teams.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively communicate to different levels of management both orally and in writing.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Paid vacation, holidays and sick time
• Benefits plan including medical, dental and vision
• Retirement and profit sharing options