Carters, Inc

Senior Director, PDC

Carters, Inc$130K — $180K *
Retail & Consumer Goods
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 15+ years of industry experience in Textile/Apparel Manufacturing, Sourcing, Merchandising, or Product Development
  • Bachelor’s degree required
  • Expertise in apparel design/construction, fabric, and product costing
  • Advanced communication skills for international business contexts
  • Strong analytical skills with Microsoft Office
  • Solid understanding of business profitability and product margins
  • Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple projects

Responsibilities

  • Proactively lead product development vision and partnerships across teams
  • Ensure technical feasibility and design intent are met during style development
  • Oversee the development lifecycle by managing sample delivery and BOM accuracy
  • Conduct benchmarking for consumer insights to enhance product innovation
  • Lead initial sample costing to meet financial targets
  • Identify trends for continuous improvement in processes and systems
  • Recruit and develop a world-class Product Development team

Benefits

  • Career development opportunities through various internal programs
  • Access to mentorship and skill enhancement resources like Carter’s University and Toastmasters
Full Job Description

HOW YOU’LL MAKE AN IMPACT:
An experienced leader responsible for collaborating with a diverse cross-functional team, overseeing multiple brands or areas of the business.  He / she plays a pivotal role in bridging the Creative Design and Sourcing teams while delivering on a strategic vision through the development process. 


50% - Strategic Development Process:

  • Proactively lead the vision of the product development process by driving effective partnerships with Sourcing, Merchandising, Design / Art, TD & PI teams, balancing the needs of design intent with optimal cost and margin.  
  • Design Intent – Lead PDC & CF teams to assess construction, design details, fabric, trim, wash & functionality of style development ensuring technical feasibility and execution are within margin targets, offering solutions as needed.
  • Partner with the Sourcing team to ensure allocation of development meets Sourcing strategy and matches factory & mill capabilities & lead times.
  • Lead mock-up & prototype development to fully realize and validate production readiness prior to sample making.
  • Lead the PDC team through the development lifecycle by managing on-time sample delivery & BOM accuracy ensuring seasonal deadlines are met.
  • Lead development KPI efforts within department of oversight, creating solutions that ensure aligned strategies are met.
  • Conduct benchmarking and review consumer insights to lead a Product Innovation roadmap.
  • Assist in executing the corporate ESG initiatives for materials & wash, in partnership with the Sourcing, PI & the Sustainability teams.

25%: Product Management & Governance:

  • Lead the PDC team through the initial sample costing during development to ensure financial targets are met. 
  • Calculate initial garment costs & margins during Sketch Review utilizing cost calculator.
  • Work with CF leaders on margin targets and communicate with Sourcing in order to deliver a sample line that meets brand expectations.
  • Identify trends that influence opportunities for continuous improvement for process & systems improvements, with on-going training, that are optimized and standardized among the team.
  • Partner with leadership to manage and influence budget for the team.

25% - Leadership:

  • Recruit, hire & train a dynamic, world-class Product Development team capable of driving all aspects of product development.
  • Set and achieve department goals.
  • Lead all aspects of the team’s professional development including succession planning.
  • Foster commitment to teamwork and accountability.
  • Oversee team’s workload and accuracy of records.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU IF:

  • 15+ years of industry experience in either Textile and / or Apparel Manufacturing, Sourcing, Merchandising or Product Development.
  • Bachelor’s degree required
  • Expert understanding of apparel design / construction, fabric, product costing / cost engineering, import duty rates, printing techniques.  Knowledgeable in Merchandising capabilities.
  • Advanced grammar and communication skills; capable of interpreting and conveying international business concepts.
  • Advanced analytical skills using Microsoft Office applications.
  • Advanced understanding of business, profitability and product margin (IMU vs MMU); ability to influence decision makers in leadership role.
  • Excellent organizational skills: ability to manage multiple projects at the same time and set priorities for self and team.
  • Ability to travel as needed.

MAKE A CAREER AT CARTER’S: 

  • Career Development: Success starts from within, and we have several paths from which you can choose to enhance your career evolution. From Carter’s University to Toastmasters to mentorship programs and more, we encourage you to utilize these tools to elevate your professional prowess. 

About Carters, Inc

Carter's, Inc. operates as a children's apparel and accessories company in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: U.S. Retail, U.S. Wholesale, and International. Its Carter's brand products include baby products, such as bodysuits, pants, dresses, knit sets, blankets, layette essentials, bibs, booties, sleep and play products, rompers, and jumpers; play clothes comprising knit and woven cotton apparel; sleepwear products consisting of pajamas in cotton, fleece, and ploy-jersey; and other products, including bedding, outerwear, swimwear, footwear, socks, diaper bags, gift sets, toys, and hair accessories. The company also provides products under the OshKosh brand name, which comprise play clothes in denim, fleece, and other fabrics for sizes newborn to 14. It sells its products through company-operated stores, department stores, and online, as well as through other retail outlets, such as specialty stores, national chains, and mass merchants. As of January 2, 2021, the company operated approximately 800 Carter's retail stores, 100 OshKosh retail stores, and its products were available in approximately 18,000 department stores and other retail outlets in the United States, Canada, and internationally. Carter's, Inc. was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Learn more about Carters, Inc
Size
15,900 employees
Market Cap
$2.8 billion
Industry
Net Income
$109.7 million
Founded
1865
5 Year Trend
+1.7%
Revenue
$3 billion
NASDAQ

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