Product Line Manager, Apparel

$84,210 - $126,367/Yr

Brooks Sports - Seattle, WA

Full-time - Mid Level

Seattle, WA

Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers

About the position

The position involves working closely with the Run-Sights Lab to mine consumer insights, uncover latent needs, and sharpen understanding of consumer groups. This includes curating time in the market with key apparel team members, analyzing and interpreting data, and interacting directly with consumers through leading focus groups, consumer one-on-ones, and rapid prototyping. The role requires frequent interaction with internal and external sales and marketing teams to identify insights and opportunities, while keeping up-to-date on consumer trends, competitors, and product innovations to make recommendations to the team. In terms of product line planning and briefing, the candidate will utilize consumer expertise along with regional market opportunities to build comprehensive product briefs alongside the Director that kick off the product creation process. The role challenges the status quo at the product and category level, providing new solutions to better serve the consumer. The candidate will provide Design and Development with visual and factual consumer and marketplace cues to motivate and inspire the cross-functional triad team, ensuring a highly collaborative triad process and interaction with shared ownership of an entire project, from brief to design to prototypes to production. The position also involves process leadership and product confirmation, collaborating with and challenging all service and interlinked departments (Design, Operations, Development, Merchandising) to create an industry-leading product range. The candidate will communicate product vision and strategy confidently and persuasively, work with the Design and Development team to make day-to-day product decisions aligned with the apparel roadmap, and execute the approval process for materials, fit, and prototype sign-off. Ensuring key calendar milestones are met for on-time delivery and adoption of styles is crucial, as is working with the PLM & Merchandising Team and cross-functional teams to build collateral that supports the Go-To-Market process with input on key concept development. In terms of product presentation and communication, the candidate will present the apparel line to both internal and external audiences, adapting as required to the needs of each audience. They will ensure an intuitive presentation of technologies and aesthetics with a keen eye for trends, business metrics, and storytelling. Developing partnerships for Brooks apparel through account meetings, pre-lines, and sales meeting presentations is also part of the role. The candidate will ensure products meet forecast, revenue, and margin targets while optimizing global opportunities, working with the PLM Team & Director on the creation of the seasonal pricing structure of their product segment while assessing consumer price elasticity to maximize product adoption and sell-through. Monitoring and reporting sell-in, sell-through, market acceptance, and postmortem on SKU productivity to influence the effectiveness of future line plans with the PLM & Merchandising Team is essential. Leadership is a key aspect of the role, requiring the candidate to see beyond the apparel team, understand the impact across functions within the company, and connect the dots to create alignment and ensure efficiencies. Empowering teammates and triads to perform their jobs at a high level, demonstrating empathy for each function, and sharing experience and knowledge with other PLMs and Associate PLMs are also important responsibilities. Finally, delivering presentation excellence in apparel to elevate the quality and consistency of presentations to both internal and external audiences is expected.

Responsibilities

• Mine consumer insights and uncover latent needs with the Run-Sights Lab.
• Curate time in the market with key apparel team members and analyze data.
• Interact directly with consumers through focus groups and rapid prototyping.
• Identify insights and opportunities with internal and external sales and marketing teams.
• Keep up-to-date on consumer trends, competitors, and product innovations.
• Build comprehensive product briefs alongside the Director.
• Challenge the status quo at the product and category level.
• Provide Design and Development with consumer and marketplace cues.
• Ensure a collaborative triad process from brief to production.
• Collaborate with interlinked departments to create an industry-leading product range.
• Communicate product vision and strategy confidently.
• Make day-to-day product decisions aligned with the apparel roadmap.
• Execute the approval process for materials, fit, and prototypes.
• Ensure key calendar milestones are met for on-time delivery.
• Build collateral that supports the Go-To-Market process with cross-functional teams.
• Present apparel line to internal and external audiences.
• Develop partnerships through account meetings and sales presentations.
• Ensure products meet forecast, revenue, and margin targets.
• Create seasonal pricing structure while assessing consumer price elasticity.
• Monitor and report on SKU productivity to influence future line plans.
• Empower teammates and triads to perform at a high level.
• Deliver presentation excellence to elevate quality and consistency.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in a relevant product-related role.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Effective presentation and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong business orientation and analytical aptitude.
• Creativity and passion for product.
• Keen attention to detail in planning and execution.
• Ability to anticipate the impact of decisions on customers and partners.
• Demonstration of innovation and initiative.
• Passionate participation in Brooks' sports activities is a plus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience with Illustrator and Photoshop is preferred.
• Willingness to travel 25% of the time, including internationally.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in the apparel industry.
• Familiarity with consumer research methodologies.
• Knowledge of retail math and pricing strategies.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance.
• Disability insurance, HSA and employer contribution, FSA.
• Family and fertility assistance.
• 401K Savings Plan and match.
• Employee assistance program.
• Transportation assistance.
• Generous time off including three to five weeks of paid time off.
• Eleven paid holidays, paid sick and parental leave.
• Annual bonus based on company performance.
• Product discounts, employee recognition, fitness discounts, volunteer and donation benefits.