Director of Product- Apparel

STORM CREEK

Director of Product

Department: Product | Reports To: Owners | Level: Senior Leadership

The Role

The Director of Product owns Storm Creek's product engine from vision to reality; from first concept to final delivery. This is a senior leadership position with full accountability across product line strategy, merchandising, concept development, design direction, factory relationships, and sustainability. You set the vision and you execute it. You lead the team and you know every detail. You hold the calendar and you make sure everything ships.

Success in this role means a cohesive, financially sound product assortment delivered on time, every season-built on best-in-class designs, impeccable quality, sound processes, and supply chain partnerships that reflects Storm Creek's values. You're equally comfortable presenting a three-year product strategy to leadership and diving into a tech pack discrepancy with a factory partner at midnight. You lead from the front, hold your team to high standards, and never lose sight of the details that make or break a season.

What You Own

Product Strategy & Line Management

• Lead the development and execution of a multi-year product assortment strategy across Storm Creek's three channels.
• Own the full product life cycle-from concept through go-to-market launch, in-season management, and end-of-life decisions.
• Partner with Sales, Marketing, and Finance to ensure the line drives revenue, gross margin, and market share targets.
• Monitor competitor and market trends across lifestyle, outdoor, and corporate apparel; translate insights into actionable product decisions.
• Champion the product roadmap across the organization-serving as the final voice on product priorities and trade-offs.

Concept Development & Design Direction

• Drive seasonal concept development and creative direction in close partnership with the Trend and Design teams.
• Balance proven bestsellers with trend-forward newness; ensure every product earns its place in the assortment.
• Translate the brand vision into a commercially viable, well-edited product line that stands out in the market.
• Maintain relentless quality, fit, and sustainability standards from concept approval through final production sample sign-off.

Merchandising & Assortment Planning

• Own assortment architecture-SKU count, price ladder, color strategies, and seasonal flow-across all categories.
• Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to ensure assortment supports channel needs and financial objectives.
• Use sales data, trend analysis, and sell-through performance to continuously optimize the line.
• Maintain product data integrity across all systems; ensure accurate, up-to-date information reaches every internal team.
• Build and maintain the Private Label project management system.

Purchasing & Financial Accountability

• Own product costing and pricing from initial cost modeling through final margin sign-off.
• Partner with Finance and Purchasing to set forecasts and buys to hit cost, margin, and inventory targets every season.
• Proactively manage and minimize unplanned carryover; maximize sell-through in partnership with Sales and Operations.

Sourcing, Factory Relations & Supply Chain

• Own all factory and vendor relationships globally-building, deepening, and holding them to the highest standards of quality, compliance, and performance.
• Travel internationally to strengthen partnerships firsthand; assess facilities, capabilities and quality.
• Serve as the primary liaison between Storm Creek and its factory partners; negotiate pricing, lead times, and contract terms to support margin goals.
• Resolve production and quality issues swiftly and proactively-before they become delays.
• Maintain standardized sourcing and development processes with accurate, audit-ready documentation across all vendor communications, specs, and approvals.

Calendar & Timeline Ownership

• Own the product calendar end to end-every milestone, every phase, every deadline.
• Lead the development calendar and hold all internal and external stakeholders accountable to on-time delivery.
• Anticipate bottlenecks and production risks well in advance; resolve them before they surface as problems.
• Ensure timely approvals, accurate documentation, and smooth production flow across all cross-functional teams.

Sustainability & Compliance

• Drive achievement of company Sustainability goals by embedding them into every sourcing decision, factory selection, and product development choice.
• Assist Sustainability Manager in maintaining all necessary factory sustainability and compliance audits, data, documentation, and practices.
• Partner with the Sustainability Manager to continuously advance the bluesign program.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead, develop, and inspire the product team-setting clear goals and holding everyone accountable.
• Serve as the communication hub for all product-related information across Design, Purchasing, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Operations.
• Partner with and equip Marketing with the product information needed to create compelling sales collateral, hangtags, packaging, and digital content.
• Foster a culture of high performance, continuous improvement, and deep cross-departmental trust.

Skills & Qualifications

Experience

• 12+ years of progressive experience in apparel product management, merchandising, and global sourcing-with proven ownership across the full product life cycle.
• Deep hands-on experience in international factory engagement, including direct negotiations, facility assessments, and sustained vendor relationship management.
• Demonstrated success leading senior-level product strategy in a fast-paced, multi-channel apparel business.
• Experience as a working apparel designer is required.
• Proven track record managing cross-functional teams and holding the calendar in high-stakes, deadline-driven environments.
• Experience working across multiple countries with strong understanding of Asian manufacturing ecosystems, regional pricing, and cultural nuances.
• Background in garment manufacturing and textile sourcing, including a clear understanding of labor rates, production capacity, fabric costing, and cost modeling.

Skills & Capabilities

• Exceptional organizational skills-obsessed with details, capable of managing competing priorities without dropping anything.
• Strong financial acumen: proficiency in product costing, margin analysis, and the ability to translate financial metrics into product decisions.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and PLM systems; experience with ERP systems, AI, and data visualization tools a strong plus.
• Skilled communicator-able to present strategy to leadership, align cross-functional teams, and navigate difficult factory conversations with equal confidence.
• Sustainability knowledge, including familiarity with bluesign, compliance certifications, and responsible sourcing frameworks.
• Proactive problem-solver who anticipates issues before they escalation and acts without being asked.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Product Management, Business, or a related field-or equivalent combination of experience and demonstrated expertise.

About Storm Creek

Storm Creek is an apparel brand with a mission: to create high-quality, sustainable products that help people show up-for their teams, their communities, and the world. We're a purpose-driven company that moves fast, holds high standards, and genuinely believes business can be a force for good. If that resonates with you, we'd love to talk.

Let's seek better. Together.