Charlotte, North Carolina, United States of America
Category: Corporate
JR-48321

The Director of Product Development oversees brand(s) and product curation positioning to achieve total private brand strategic goals for the home business. This role will lead the hard home and soft home development teams for goods manufactured exclusively for Belk. The Director of Product Development will oversee the development of a product line through all stages of the development process, from conception to mass production. In addition, this role will oversee high performing team that will consistently engage with cross functional teams (i.e.: buying, sourcing, marketing, etc.)

• Sales / Margin: Provide guidance on utilizing business trends to maximize in season opportunities and drive future development
• Partner with Planning and Merchant team to drive a collaborative strategic plan
• Support Senior Product Manager’s relationship with planning and domestic vendors to achieve vendor margin plans. Negotiate markdown assistance as needed
• Utilize and leverage sourcing arrangements to drive best value, cost strategy
• Development / Assortment: Establish clearly defined strategic sourcing and assortment direction to achieve total private brand goals
• Establish and maintain consistent brand identity and integrity by monitoring and directing line development from concept to in-store to achieve strategic goals of each brand
• Analyze brand mix, competition and identify gaps and opportunities for private brands programs
• Shop retail market to identify assortment, incoming trends and pricing opportunities based on competitive landscape
• Support product team in partnership with agents and domestic vendors on product development leveraging total area of business to ensure each brand achieves strategic goals within the time constraints of each season
• Partner with Senior Product Manager on top line target initial mark-up goals to ensure departmental plan is achieved.
• Partner with Sourcing, Buying offices to ensure brand strategy, quality strategy, product consistency
• Support Senior Product Manager during line review with merchant organization. Monitor placements to projection and assortment strategy
• Ensure development metrics of adoption and hit rate are on plan. Engage in process improvement as required
• Production / T&A: Collaborate with cross-functional team, to establish time and action calendar
• Monitors time and action calendar milestones to ensure product specifications, quality standards, deadlines and deliveries are met as contracted
• Reacts to business trends in a timely and efficient manner, while ensuring continuity with strategic goals.
• Is willing to take calculated risks to achieve results
• Develop a complete understanding of the Belk customer’s current and future product needs in a diverse market while continuing to assess customer perception and satisfaction levels.
• Provide guidance to cross functional teams on any development or approval issues
• People Management: Provide differing level of support for each branded area based on business needs. Support Senior Product Manager in developing Associate Product Manager, Assistant Product Manager and Merchandising Assistant as determined by responsibility. Accountable for supporting a learning culture that will empower and leverage a collaborative team environment
• Responsible for linking team’s work to support company mission, vision, values, goals, and strategies
• Celebrates workplace success, achievement and failure where innovation is valued

Minimum Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent business experience

• Minimum of 10 yrs experience in merchandising, product development, product curation or its equivalent

• Knowledge of the product manufacturing techniques, fabrication, and costing components that impact product line development

• Extensive line building, merchandising, and buying experience

• Ability to be detail oriented, flexible, self-motivated, and be able to lead others

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