Product Development Manager, Footwear

Job Description

Job Description

About Us

American Exchange Group is an industry leader in fashion accessory products and brand management. By facilitating distribution to major retailers internationally for their globally recognized brands, custom private label brands, and exclusive licensed brands—including footwear, tech wearables, watches, jewelry, handbags, fashion accessories, home, and beauty—American Exchange Group raises the bar by disrupting the status quo with value and quality, while staying at the forefront of trends.

Joining American Exchange Group means being part of a dynamic and diverse team where your contributions drive real impact—and where there’s always room to grow. If you're looking to be part of a company that blends heritage with hustle, we’re excited to meet you.

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This role is onsite Monday - Friday 

Job Title:  Product Development Manager, Footwear (Men's, Women's & Kids)

 

Location:  Onsite 5 days a week at our NYC HQ

 

Footwear Product Development Manager

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Position Summary

The Footwear Product Development Manager leads the development and commercialization of high-volume, cost-driven footwear programs for department store, mass market and off-price channels. This role is responsible for executing product that meets aggressive price points, rapid timelines, and retailer-specific requirements, while maintaining quality and brand integrity.

 

Key Responsibilities

High-Volume Product Development

• Manage end-to-end development of footwear collections across department store, mass and off-price channels
• Execute against fast-paced seasonal and chase calendars with a strong sense of urgency
• Drive speed-to-market while maintaining accuracy and quality

Retailer-Focused Execution

• Develop product aligned to specific retailer needs (e.g., Walmart, Kohl’s, JCPenney, off-price accounts)
• Ensure compliance with retailer systems, packaging, labeling, and routing requirements
• Adapt product assortments based on retailer price architecture and target customer

Cost Engineering & Margin Management

• Own costing process with a strong focus on hitting aggressive IMU targets
• Engineer product to cost—materials, construction, and design simplification
• Negotiate with factories to achieve best cost without sacrificing required quality standards

Vendor & Factory Management

• Partner closely with overseas factories (primarily Asia) on development and execution
• Manage multiple vendors to support capacity, speed, and cost competitiveness
• Troubleshoot development and production issues quickly to avoid delays

Calendar & Production Readiness

• Maintain and enforce development calendars with clear milestone tracking
• Ensure all tech packs, specs, and approvals are production-ready and on time
• Partner with Production/Operations to ensure smooth handoff to bulk

Sample & Workflow Management

• Oversee high-volume sample tracking for line reviews, buyer meetings, and approvals
• Manage revisions efficiently to minimize development cycles
• Ensure accurate and timely data entry in PLM/ERP systems

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Design to interpret trends into commercial, cost-effective product
• Partner with Sales and Merchandising on line plans, pricing strategy, and retailer presentations
• Collaborate with QA and Compliance teams to meet testing and regulatory standards

 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion, Product Development, or related field
• 5–8+ years of footwear product development experience, preferably in mass market or off-price
• Strong understanding of cost-driven product development and high-volume production
• Experience working with major retailers (e.g., Walmart Retail Link, Kohl’s DSCO, JCP CommerceHub)
• Proven ability to manage multiple seasons and high SKU counts simultaneously
• Deep experience with overseas factory communication and negotiation
• Advanced Excel skills and proficiency in PLM/ERP systems

 

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in private label or licensed brands
• Background supporting off-price retailers (e.g., TJX, Ross, Burlington)
• Familiarity with packaging optimization and freight cost considerations
• Experience with chase/reorder business models

 

What We Offer

• Comprehensive Health & Wellness Benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and supplemental insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with company match
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays
• Tax-free commuter benefits
• Exclusive employee merchandise discounts

 

Salary: The anticipated base salary is $95k-$110k annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, internal equity, and location.

This position description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills or working conditions associated with this position. While this description is intended to accurately reflect the position's activities and requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties as necessary. The compensation package is dependent on a number of factors, including, for example, experience, education, market data, and business needs.