Career Opportunity
Product Management Associate, Polo OW
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Company Description
At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those in which we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion, and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups and Celebration.
Position Overview
As part of the Product Management team, you will support the Product Development and Production (full product life cycle) for the Outerwear category within the Performance brand for Men’s. You will partner with the Design, Merchandising, Technical Design, and Raw Materials Teams, as well as Sourcing Offices, & Factories to ensure the integrity of product from salesman sample to bulk production.
The Associate, Product Management will support the development and execution of the product strategy for the brand to create best overall value in terms of product, price, lead-time and quality.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Participate in Board Review with Design and Merchandising to establish product pipeline and TD track (high/medium/low touch)
· Handoff seasonal line information to Brand Merchandising for style number set up/ creation (currently set up in GFE)
· Own the BOM for low, medium and high touch designs. Create initial BOM with a Tech Pack. Update BOM for showroom samples (post-proto approval) through stock approval/OK to buy/production ready.
· Partner with materials teams to initiate counter sourcing for raw materials and components as needed: fabric/components/trim, embellishments, patches, labels & hangtags
· Ensure the execution of the development of Art, Graphics, Prints, and Washes
· Establish pricing options, to optimize the buy and help to achieve margins when needed
· Communicate strategies and align execution plans with Brand, Sourcing offices, Raw Material Team and Product Integrity
· Partner with Design and PMT Manager on all design approvals and comments
· Partner with Tech team to ensure design execution meets Product Standards/RL requirements
· Drive the optimized lead-times and activities from development to store
· Partner with sourcing offices to monitor approvals to ensure production delivery deadlines are met
· Lead and monitor the approval process (proto, s/sample and all components) to ensure on time arrival of all s/samples to the showroom.
· Communicate with vendors and suppliers as needed to address development and resolve production issues
· Maintain development and production costing for products
Experience, Skills & Knowledge
- Bachelor’s degree preferred
- Product development or related experience; full product life cycle, from design vision to production ready utilizing technical product knowledge and in-depth understanding of all product components (fabric, trim, print, etc.)
- Experience in Performance woven fabric development a plus
- Proven ability to optimize production outcomes through understanding the garment manufacturing process; factory capabilities & capacity, machinery capability, and liability management.
- Strong communication, influencing and cross-functional team collaboration skills; ability to work closely with Design, Technical Design, Raw Materials, and Merchandising Teams, as well as Sourcing Offices
- Proven ability to quickly pivot and problem solve utilizing innovative solutions
- Strong organizational skills with detailed attention to product information
- Strong computer skills; Excel, Outlook, PLM
- Embodies the CFAs of the RL Brand
