Why J. McLaughlin?

J. McLaughlin was founded in 1977 by brothers Kevin and Jay McLaughlin with a mission to create an American Sportswear brand that offered two key components: classic clothing with current relevance and a retail environment that has a neighborhood feel. The J. McLaughlin brand has always been more about style than fashion: straightforward, unpretentious, and devoid of the superfluous. Our clothing is rooted in the tradition of sport, work, and play. With over 160 retail locations, each store is entirely unique, attentively designed to reflect the town's color, character, and architecture. This attention to detail extends to exemplary customer service and local philanthropic engagement.

Our “Culture of Kindness” creates an environment with respect, politeness, consideration, and empathy that creates a family like atmosphere and focuses on giving back to the community. The company has an entrepreneurial spirit which fosters great experience and career opportunities, complemented with our great incentive benefits programs. We are a growing company with a focus on our culture of kindness, cultivating an exceptional atmosphere in which to work and shop.

Overview

The Product Developer-Accessories Women’s & Men’s (Hard good – handbags, belts, small leather goods and footwear) in partnership with the cross functional teams (Merchandising, Design, Technical Design, Production etc.) manage the product development process for a given product classification. The Product Developer proactively seeks opportunities to elevate the product, achieve the financial goals of the category, and enhance operational efficiency.

About the role

Essential Functions & Job Responsibilities:

• Responsible for product creation and communication from design hand-off to production, including tech pack creation and revisions throughout the product development process, meeting calendar dates, and communicating with manufacturers.
• Provide technical solutions and support throughout the development process. Be the liaison between Design and factories, ensuring the construction and quality meet brand standards.
• Ensure products are engineered to margin expectations. Negotiate prices with factories to hit margin goal of each category.
• Coordinate and review sample with Design. Communicate design and construction changes to factories to achieve final fit and construction, meeting brand requirements.
• Manage the product development calendar. Ensures samples arrive on time and prepares for milestone meetings.
• Responsible for PLM data entry and maintenance
• Establish strong collaborative relationships with cross-function divisional teams.
• Create and Manage work in progress (WIP) tracking and reporting.

What we are looking for

Skills & Requirements:

• 4 years degree in Accessory Design, Product Development Management or equivalent years of experience.
• 4+ years of experience in product development, design, or production in accessory manufacturing
• Must be proactive, innovative, and can manage simultaneously multiple fast-paced calendars and deadlines.
• Knowledge in accessory construction and raw materials.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
• Exceptionally strong problem solving and negotiating skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple categories and seasons.
• Working knowledge of Word, Excel, Outlook, PLM a must. Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop a plus.

Equal Opportunity

J. McLaughlin is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.