Senior Product Development Coordinator

Senior Product Development Coordinator, Children's Licensed Apparel

Position Overview

The Senior Product Development Coordinator serves as the critical link between Design, Merchandising, Sourcing, and Production teams to bring licensed children's apparel collections from concept through bulk production. This role manages all aspects of the product development process, with a strong focus on licensed character products, and offshore vendor partnerships.

4 days in office 1 day remote

Pay: $92,500.00

Key Responsibilities

Product Development Management

• Partner with Design, Merchandising, and Sales teams to develop licensed children's apparel programs that align with requirements and timelines.
• Manage product development from concept through production approval, ensuring all milestones are met.
• Review artwork, trims, fabrications, and garment construction details to ensure execution aligns with customer expectations and licensing requirements.

Sample Management

• Track proto, fit, TOP (Top of Production), salesmen, and pre-production samples through all development stages.
• Coordinate fittings, collect comments, and communicate revisions to overseas factories.
• Ensure samples meet quality, aesthetic, and fit standards prior to customer submission and production.

Calendar & Project Tracking

• Maintain detailed Time & Action (T&A) calendars and WIP reports across multiple licensed programs.
• Monitor development milestones, identifying potential risks and proactively resolving issues to prevent delays.
• Ensure all deadlines for sample submissions, line reviews, and production approvals are achieved.

Vendor & Cross-Functional Communication

• Communicate daily with overseas factories regarding product specifications, costing, sample status, and production timelines.
• Coordinate with sourcing, technical design, compliance, and production teams to ensure seamless handoffs throughout the product lifecycle.
• Assist in negotiating costs to meet target margins while maintaining product integrity.

Licensing & Compliance

• Coordinate approval submissions with licensors (Disney, Nickelodeon, Warner Bros., Mattel, Hasbro, etc.).
• Track artwork, packaging, and product approvals to ensure compliance with licensing guidelines.
• Partner with Compliance and Production teams to ensure testing, safety, labeling, and regulatory requirements are met.

PLM & Data Management

• Maintain accurate product information within PLM systems, including specifications, costing, bill of materials (BOMs), and approvals.
• Update technical packages and development documentation throughout the product lifecycle.
• Generate reports to support product development, sourcing, and production teams.

Qualifications

Experience

• 5+ years of product development experience within children's apparel, licensed apparel, or mass-market retail programs.
• Direct experience managing development calendars is strongly preferred.
• Experience working with character license programs and approval processes is highly preferred.

Technical Skills

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and data tracking.
• Experience utilizing PLM systems
• Familiarity with product costing, BOM management, and development reporting.

Product Knowledge

• Strong understanding of children's apparel construction, fabrics, fit, trims, graphic applications, and embellishments.
• Knowledge of compliance standards, testing requirements, and retail packaging specifications.
• Understanding of licensed product development and approval processes.