Product Development & Production Sourcing Manager

Job Description

Job Description

We’re looking for an experienced Product Development & Production Sourcing Manager to help lead products from initial concept through bulk production and delivery.

This is a highly cross-functional, hands-on role for someone who loves making the product development process work: keeping samples moving, factories accountable, costing and product data accurate, approvals on schedule, and potential issues from turning into last-minute emergencies.

You’ll work closely with Design, Technical Design, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Operations, and our international vendor partners to ensure every style is ready for production and ultimately reaches the customer on time, on cost, and true to the original design intent.

The right person is equal parts product person, problem solver, project manager, and vendor partner. You’re comfortable getting into the details of a tech pack or sample one minute and stepping back to assess production risk across the entire assortment the next.

This role is performed in-house in our Philadelphia office, M-F.

Responsibilities Will Include

Product Development

• Lead assigned categories through the full development lifecycle, including proto, SMS, fit, costing, pre-production, TOP approval, and bulk readiness.
• Review tech packs, samples, materials, trims, and construction for accuracy, quality, manufacturability, and alignment with design intent.
• Partner closely with Design, Technical Design, and Merchandising to resolve open questions and ensure product decisions are complete before bulk commitment.
• Manage costing throughout development, working with vendors and internal partners to identify opportunities while protecting product quality and design.
• Maintain accurate linesheets, product specifications, fabric and trim standards, sample archives, and PLM/PIM information.
• Ensure product data and approvals are complete, organized, and accessible across teams.

Production + Quality

• Manage production from bulk placement through completion, maintaining clear visibility into POs, quantities, costs, approvals, WIP, and ex-factory dates.
• Confirm production readiness and PO accuracy, including approved costs, size scales, colorways, materials, packaging, labeling, testing, compliance requirements, and ship dates.
• Track pre-production, size-set, packaging, testing, inspection, and TOP milestones.
• Identify quality, cost, capacity, or timing risks early and work with vendors and internal teams to develop solutions and corrective action plans.
• Maintain product quality and design integrity from development through final production.
• Ensure a clean and accurate handoff of confirmed production information to Supply Chain and Operations.

Calendar + Cross-Functional Execution

• Own the day-to-day execution of the Time & Action calendar, including development handoffs, approval deadlines, “pencils down,” bulk placement, and other launch-critical milestones.
• Lead regular development and production status meetings with clear, concise communication around progress, decisions, risks, owners, and next steps.
• Coordinate sample needs across Design, Technical Design, Merchandising, Marketing, E-commerce, Photography, Wholesale, and other partners.
• Proactively flag missing information or delayed decisions before they impact downstream teams.
• Help continually improve workflows, documentation, and systems so teams spend less time searching for information and more time executing.

Vendor Partnerships + Sourcing

• Serve as a primary day-to-day partner to international factories, vendors, and agents throughout development and production.
• Set clear expectations around sampling, costing, lead times, WIP reporting, quality, packaging, compliance, and communication.
• Partner with vendors to troubleshoot development and production challenges and identify practical solutions.
• Support new vendor and factory onboarding as needed.
• Monitor vendor performance across timing, sample accuracy, product quality, cost competitiveness, responsiveness, and follow-through.
• Help identify sourcing opportunities that improve quality, capability, lead time, cost, or capacity.

What Success Looks Like

• Development and production milestones are clearly visible, accurate, and consistently met.
• Styles enter bulk production with complete approvals, validated costs, and production-ready information.
• Vendors understand expectations and provide accurate, timely information.
• Potential production, quality, cost, and calendar risks are surfaced early rather than becoming emergencies.
• Product quality and design intent remain consistent from initial concept through TOP approval and bulk production.
• PLM/PIM, linesheets, costing information, and WIP reporting are reliable sources of truth.
• Cross-functional partners know what is happening, what decisions are needed, and who owns the next step.
• The overall development and production process becomes increasingly organized, predictable, and efficient.

Requirements

• 5-7+ years of experience in product development, production, sourcing, or a closely related role within apparel, accessories, home, or another consumer product business.
• Strong understanding of the end-to-end product lifecycle from initial development through bulk production.
• Experience working directly with international factories, vendors, and/or sourcing agents.
• Working knowledge of costing, garment or product construction, materials, trims, testing, packaging, quality control, and production approvals.
• Strong experience managing Time & Action calendars and multiple development and production timelines simultaneously.
• Experience working within PLM, ERP, or similar product-management systems.
• Extremely strong organizational skills and attention to detail, paired with the ability to understand broader business priorities.
• Clear, concise communicator who knows how to surface an issue along with the information needed to make a decision.
• Comfortable holding vendors and internal partners accountable while maintaining collaborative relationships.
• Calm and solutions-oriented when timelines shift or production challenges arise.
• Able to distinguish between an issue that needs immediate escalation and one that can be solved independently.
• A genuine appreciation for well-made products and the details that make it special.

Benefits

What We Offer

• Health and dental insurance
• PTO and paid holidays
• 401(k) with company match
• Employee discount on all Printfresh products

About Our Culture

At Printfresh, we celebrate creativity, sustainability, and a customer-first mindset. Our core values guide everything we do:

• Do the Right Thing
• Just Say It
• Do What It Takes
• Just Off-Center
• Customer-Centric
• Learning Oriented