Freelance- Associate Product Development Manager

A well-known fashion brand is seeking a Freelance Associate Product Development Manager to support the product lifecycle from concept through production. This is an excellent opportunity for a detail-oriented professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys partnering cross-functionally to bring high-quality products to market.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the development and execution of production and vendor capability strategies across multiple product categories

• Partner with Design, Merchandising, Sourcing, Production, and cross-functional teams to ensure alignment on development timelines, quality standards, and business objectives

• Develop seasonal fabric strategies to minimize risk and reduce exposure to pre-line adoption fabric commitments

• Execute vendor engagement strategies across divisions and product categories for both seasonal and fast-track pipelines

• Ensure product availability and readiness throughout seasonal and fast-track development calendars

• Analyze post-line adoption performance and support process improvements that optimize sourcing, production, and inventory outcomes

• Monitor key milestones throughout the product development lifecycle to ensure timely execution and delivery

• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiencies, vendor performance, and product development processes

• Adapt priorities and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment while responding to evolving business needs

• Provide day-to-day support and guidance to operational, service, or administrative team members as needed

Qualifications:

• Experience in Product Development, Production, Sourcing, Merchandising, Supply Chain, or a related field within the apparel industry

• Strong understanding of the apparel product lifecycle from concept through production

• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills

• Ability to work effectively within a highly matrixed, cross-functional organization

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment

• Detail-oriented with a commitment to executional excellence

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience working with product development and sourcing systems is a plus