Director PD, Sourcing and Manufacturing, Sustainability

Primary Purpose:At Coach, we believe better-made things can help create a better-made future-and this starts with how we design, craft, and develop our products. Though we have always prided ourselves on creating high quality product crafted to last, we know we must go further and build a more circular future for fashion. With this responsibility in mind, we are launching a new initiative focused on circularity with an innovative business model that reimagines product "end of life" and Coach's impact on the environment.

The Director, Product Development Leather Goods, Sustainability will be a key member of this team, leading the product development process from initial design concept through commercialization, to bring to market a compelling circular assortment for Coach while collaborating closely with the merchandising, design, sustainability, and materials partners. This role will report to the Senior Director, Operations and Project Management and functionally to the SVP, Product Development for Tapestry.

The successful individual will leverage their proficiency in Product Development to...

Product development strategy and execution

• Lead product development strategies and execution, coordinating and aligning across Design, Merchandising, Materials, Sustainability, and Supply Chain teams.
• Manage end-to-end development, engaging Design, Merchandising and Sustainability teams to realize design intent, meet sustainability goals and achieve target margins; identify and problem solve potential manufacturing and/or quality issues.
• Collaborate with Sustainability/Circularity R&D teams to prototype and develop new construction methods that realize circularity ambitions, to ensure rigorous circular product standards are met, and to continually reduce carbon footprint of product collections.
• Partner with Materials teams to drive development and approval of new materials, prints, finishes and colors.
• Drive product development processes and timelines, e.g., sample development status and product development timelines; ensure rigorous follow up and action planning.
• Support innovation in new approaches to going to market, with sharp lens on opportunities to be closer to customers and demand.

Supplier management

• Coordinate workload, communication, and direction to factories inclusive of analyzing design cards for accuracy and completion and sending development packages, patterns, original reference samples, prototype materials, trims and all pertinent information to suppliers.
• Manage prototype development and review process, including prioritizing prototype and R&D requirements and managing the timely delivery of samples, mockups and other submits from suppliers to meet Product Development timelines.

• Collect and evaluate costing for accuracy of materials at proto, final sample, and bulk stages.
• Drive supplier management processes, including weekly WIP submissions for production and delivery status and maintaining Bill of Materials and PD updates in ecVision, a supply chain collaboration platform.
• Support the investigation and development of new SP's.

Culture and organization

• Partner closely with Design, Global Merchandising and Operations teams to drive significantly more agile product development timelines and processes, ensuring all deadlines and launch timelines are met.
• Support pilots and robust test and learn agendas.
• "Think outside the box" breaking from traditional product development practices when needed and demonstrating ability to challenge the status quo to drive a cradle-to-cradle mindset.

The accomplished individual will possess...

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Minimum 8-10 years product development experience in related/relevant industry.
• Deep understanding of end-to-end product development processes, including Merchandising, Design, Sourcing, Purchasing, and Production.
• Demonstrated ability driving innovation and change management in product development capabilities and/or processes.
• Ability to work in a matrixed global organization and collaborate cross-functionally with all levels of the organization.
• Adept at project managing multi-stakeholder initiatives, juggling competing priorities, and solving problems/removing obstacles to get work done/drive execution.
• Proactive self-starter with action-oriented drive; excels in fast-paced, start-up type environments.
• Strong communication and presentation skills; ability to engage and influence internally and externally.
• Honed interpersonal skills with proven ability building effective working relationships across both cross-functional teams and external suppliers and partners.
• Advanced computer skills, tech pack and/or BOM building experience, PLM, Microsoft Access, Outlook, Excel, ecVision.
• Passionate about sustainability with understanding of circular business models.