Join the thousands of innovators, advocates and forces who are making an impact every day at one of the biggest footwear brands in the world. Whether you love to connect with consumers on the retail floor or want to drive our award-winning powerhouse in new directions, the SKECHERS team is the place to be. Learn more about our brand at about.skechers.com 

  The Sr. Product Developer works autonomously and consistently analyzes, cultivates and drives their business forward. This role is a blended strategic and tactical function, proactively managing the TNA calendar with their counterparts to achieve deadlines without prompting by leadership. This role will analyze their business to identify cost trends with suppliers to drive sharper cost negotiations each season. The Sr. Developer owns product development from fabric concept through product X-Factory and attends all design brief meetings to kick off seasonal fabric development. The Sr. Developer is responsible for developing into target price points with suppliers and drives the negotiation process to achieve costs that meets or exceeds targets. They will understand the trends in the business to effectively manage the product development cycle and report to leadership any negative trends (i.e. cost increases, capacity issues, etc.) with suggested solutions to course correct. This role is a team leader who identifies best practices and solidifies SOPs for consistency with their colleagues. The Sr. Developer foresees possible delays in the pipeline and course corrects before an issue arises. From time to time, this role may be asked to travel.

Essential Job Results

Costing:

• Creates target pricing and works with internal and external team members to engineer product into target price points.
• Presents cost options to address cost challenges with Design and Merchandising to achieve target margins.
• Proactively updates, maintains & reviews costing for accuracy, including all system updates (FlexPLM, Compass, and Cost Roll Up tools.)

Sample Development:

• Sample Tracking: Manages style component & garment sample submits proactively to manage approvals on timely basis at all stages.
• Salesman Sample Process: Manage SMS process and roll up status to management.
• Fit/PP Samples: Reviews samples for accuracy with Design prior to handing garments to TD for the fitting. Pulls reference samples for the fitting. Attends fitting, takes notes, and relays next steps to suppliers.
• Reviews all tech packs for accuracy before sending to suppliers for development and before confirming for bulk ordering.
• Sends comments & communicates clearly and purposefully with overseas teams to drive the business forward.

Calendars:

• Manage development and pre-production process to ensure all calendar deliverables and bulk X-Factory dates are met.
• Create product specific TNA to develop and deliver off-cycle/fast track items.
• Identifies issues during WIP, clearly communicates the problem internally/externally and offers solutions to course correct in a timely manner.   

Systems/Process:

• Enters information and maintains data in FlexPLM and Compass to ensure consistent and accurate reporting.
• Work with Design & TD to prep for seasonal line reviews prior to meeting with management (incl. cost reviews, sample & submit review).
• Identifies opportunities to improve the Development process and makes suggestions to Director to continuously improve season after season.

People:

• Mentor & supervise direct report.

Additional Responsibilities

• Travel as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Yes

Job Requirements

• 5+ years in Apparel Product Development, managing product categories from concept through completion
• Fabric knowledge and garment construction/terminology is required.
• Excel, Word, Outlook required; Illustrator & PLM systems are a plus
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Exceptional time management skills
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment and prioritize workloads to remain on calendar.
• Detail oriented & accountable to deliverables; must check their own work before handing off to next team member.
• Basic Math skills required
• Strong Team Player, Positive Disposition & Flexible Attitude.
• Self-Starter, Proactive, Inquisitive, Creative Problem Solver
• Highly organized individual; maintains a clean workspace; filing samples/submits/folders by EOD.

Education and Experience

• BA Degree or equivalent training/experience

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The skills, abilities and physical demands described are representative of those duties that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities, who are otherwise qualified for the job position, to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel, and talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, stoop, and kneel. The employee is occasionally required to sit for long period of times.  

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.