Product Development Manager - Furniture

Anthropologie Living is looking for a Furniture Product Development Manager responsible for developing Anthropologie’s furniture collections from concept through commercialization. This role combines creative development, global sourcing strategy, and cross-functional project management to deliver innovative, trend-right furniture products that reflect Anthropologie’s unique brand ethos.
You will be responsible for identifying and nurturing supplier partnerships, driving cost and quality efficiencies, and managing timelines for product launches across multiple seasonal assortments

• Manage the full product lifecycle, from spec development through prototyping, costing, testing and production.
• Manage monthly book-to-date forecasts for the factories, and seasonal calendar actualization, by deadlines in the operations calendar, as outlined by the Brand Sourcing Directors. Develop relationships with vendors to ensure alignment of category business needs and successful business partnerships.
• Achieve Design’s & Merchant’s business needs while maintain Sourcing goals through strategic planning, including hindsight, R&D, travel outlines, and additional required resources
• Lead PD team in preparation and attendance of Sketch Review meetings to understand and clarify Design’s intention, tone, and important style, engineering and quality aspects. Collaboration with Brand Director and Production Category Managers to develop category strategy for the season
• Identify opportunities and implement solutions to improve adoption rates and approved style count targets as dictated by seasonal line plan. Support Merchant’s business requirements by aligning product category needs, and update and communicate all style, cost, and delivery changes.

• Manage and develop product category raw material & fabric strategy, including negotiating material/fabric costs, allocating and maintaining pre-style development work-in-process, maintaining raw material library, and maintaining data integrity of approval panels,  and pre-development costing recaps
•  Manage team coordination with Creative Design and Buying on category development process, including research of pre-style development, tracking and review of pre-style packages, ordering R&D sample panels, ensuring compliance of product within category to internal testing standards, and tracking sample evaluation, accuracy, and quality
•  Lead PD team on determining best option for category target costs and minimums, required lead times, and final category IMU, with the goal of driving financial results. Transition final decisions on in-work styles to Production Category Managers, including final IMU target, development, status, and production and testing concerns.
•  Balance allocations pre and post finalization against annual and seasonal initiatives.
•  Strong understanding and can articulate Brand/ URBN's position within competitive landscape.
•  Solve problems for teams and be able to coach others effectively. Acknowledges and celebrates both individual and team wins.
•  Makes strong contributions to the output of a function. Demonstrates ownership even when projects are outside direct role. Highly proficient in subject area. Ability to analyze and determine the cost of goods. Forecast targets and monitor IMU against plan. Develop and enhance these abilities in the team.
•  Works cross-functionally, with team members at all levels, to contribute to strategy and execute projects. Regularly incorporates feedback from stakeholders as appropriate. Builds strong relations with team members, Brand stakeholders, and vendors to effectively influence and efficiently reach goals.
•  Managing distinct areas for products or business. Expected to drive decisions and manage output of team. Recognizes operational weaknesses or roadblocks and proactively identifies opportunities. Seeks support of leadership to put them into action.
•  Exhibits an understanding of other teams' perspectives in discussions. Proactively provides feedback to others. Communicates complex information, tailoring to audiences and structuring information logically and effectively. Ability to run effective meetings with global vendor community.

• 5–7+ years of experience in furniture sourcing and development, preferably with a lifestyle or home brand
• Strong knowledge of materials, construction, finishing techniques and production process for furniture.
•  Proven success in a leadership role managing and developing teams, building cross-functional relationships, and effectively communicating with internal and external customers
•  Ability to anticipate category business needs, and develop creative, long-term solutions
•  Knowledge of process improvement, and proven capability of identifying and implementing operational efficiencies
•  Proficiency in high level data analytics and Microsoft Systems
•  Works with a high sense of urgency and integrity, easily and quickly adapts to change, and is motivated by deadlines and new challenges

 Ability to independently travel based on years of experience in field

URBN offers comprehensive Perks & Benefits to employees. Availability and eligibility to specific benefits may be subject to your location and employment status. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, PTO, generous employee discounts, retirement savings and much more! For additional information visit www.urbn.com/work-with-us/benefits

URBN celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are proud to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression), religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. We believe strongly in fostering a safe, fair and respectful work environment. To ensure compliance with our non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, we offer anti-harassment training to managers and employees.