Product Development Manager

ABOUT CINQ À SEPT

cinq à sept sank·ah·set sæŋk’e’set n : The time between late afternoon and early evening when streets are awash in the warm glow of the vanishing sun and anything is possible

Sharing its name with the French term for the liminal moment linking late afternoon and early evening, Cinq à Sept brings the intriguing tension between day and night to a new advanced contemporary collection. Inspired by the hours between 5 and 7 p.m., when city streets are awash in the warm glow of the vanishing sun and office desks are abandoned for cocktails and as-yet unknown possibilities, Cinq à Sept embodies a deliberate balance between sophistication and ease, youthful daring and confident allure. The collection’s modern feminine aesthetic embraces unexpected details and striking silhouettes, resulting in clothing that draw their romance and sexiness from the woman wearing them.

ROLE OVERVIEW:

We are seeking an experienced and driven Product Development Manager to lead the development of our Tous Les Jours line. This role will oversee the end-to-end product development process, leveraging deep expertise in denim fabrics, washes, construction, fit, and finishes to deliver innovative, high-quality products. Partnering closely with Design, Technical Design, Production, and global manufacturing, you and your team will ensure products are developed on time, within cost targets, and to company standards.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Monitor Time & Action (T&A) calendars and Work-In-Progress (WIP) charts. Proactively track sample deliveries to ensure milestones for market weeks and pass off’s to production are met
• Aligns cross-functionally on the execution of development and implementation of strategies to drive decision-making
• Partner with designers to translate sketches into actionable tech packs, specifying fabric composition, weights, hardware trims, and complex wet/dry finishing techniques (e.g., enzyme washes, laser distress, tinting)
• Identify and negotiate with denim mills, laundries, and garment factories. Manage daily communications with suppliers regarding lead times, fabric minimum order quantities (MOQs), and cost engineering
• Review cost sheets, manage target margins, and process development invoices. Work with design to offer cost-saving alternatives without compromising product quality
• Create and finalizes BOM’s for accuracy and completeness, to reflect the latest version of the styles and agreed prices and delivery timelines
• Oversees that clear note of all changes made during fittings and design meetings and make sure they are correctly implemented on the development cycle and communicate to all internal and external teams
• Facilitate the process of sample making (being in house, domestic sample rooms or with oversea factories), providing detailed information on trims, fabrics and all materials they need to efficiently execute their work
• Coordinate workload, communication and direction to local sample rooms and patternmakers
• Detailed attention to sketches, fittings, modifications, patterns and garment assembly
• Liaise between design team, sample room, PD, Industrialization teams and factories/suppliers
• Deliver projects and meet deadlines on short notice
• Key product driver, anticipate and present solutions to product issues, leading the creation of finishes and details for to ensure the high-level vision of the brand and the financial goals
• Ensure that BOM’s and all standards passing to production are corrected and reflective of the latest sample made
• Work closely with PD Director on the costing process. Ensuring cost sheets are sent on time, reviewed and analyzed to be negotiated with factories as needed
• Work closely with the TD team to ensure all sampling requests are being sent out in accordance with the seasonal calendar
• Special projects as assigned

YOUR PROFILE:

• 5 years experience in product development, costing, production development and costing with a heavy emphasis on denim, knits, and wovens
• Deep technical knowledge of fabric properties (e.g., rigid vs. stretch, elastane blends), garment construction, and advanced laundry processes.
• Strong understanding of garment construction, fit and execution with exceptional attention to quality and detail
• Experience working across a variety of fabrics, yarns and finishes
• Proficiency working with PLM system, Excel and Word
• A highly motivated, hands-on contributor with a passion for product development and bringing creative concepts to life
• Proven experience developing garments with both domestic and overseas manufacturing partners
• Strong project management, organizational and follow-up skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to anticipate production challenges and identify solutions
• Proactive, detail-oriented, and adaptable in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Strong collaboration and communication skills with the ability to build effective cross-functional relationships in a global, multi-cultural environment
• Demonstrated ability to drive processes, meet deadlines, and maintain a high level of accuracy under pressure.