Interim Project Manager, Product Development

Position Summary

 The Project Manager, Product Development will be responsible for driving prioritization, planning and partnerships for key Product, Packaging (and other) projects. He/she will improve processes to streamline workflows, improve clarity and communication and reduce complexity through the full product creation and packaging process in addition to support the full 360 product launch timelines and needs. He/she will also manage the intake and prioritization of the product and packaging work, collaborating with the lead stakeholders to drive and project-manage key launches and initiatives. He/she will work cross-collaboratively between R&D, Product Marketing, Packaging and Supply as well as the 360 teams. This position will work across teams located in Oakland, NY and China.

Responsibilities

Timeline & project management

- Lead, drive and manage the end-to-end operational planning and project management of the full product calendar across multiple brands

- For each season/project/request, establish clear timelines and deliverables (in partnership with business partners)

- Track overall project portfolio and lead weekly work schedule with key stakeholders (e.g., product stakeholders, creative & VP leaders)

- Hold the team accountable to established timelines and deliver dates

- Escalate & troubleshoot any issues that put timelines at risk

- Facilitate key meetings within the Product and Packaging teams; cross-functionally drive agendas, recaps, etc.

- Facilitate and lead key review meetings with senior management

- Manage and oversee project management systems, milestones and communications

- Manage integrations with store and digital needs

Process improvement

- Establish, communicate and enforce processes for new product creation, product updates, creative requests and execution

- Work with business partners to identify process challenges and identify opportunities for improvement

- Establish long-term planning, resourcing and efficiencies

- Support / improve visibility to product and sample status

Intake, prioritization & resource management

- Act as a hub within the team with a clear understanding of priorities, requests, and available resourcing

- Ensure work is adequately scoped to allow prioritization. Follow-up, as needed, if information is missing

- With business owner and creative lead, interpret requirements, create schedules and resolve conflicting priorities to ensure quality on-time delivery of assets and efficient utilization of resources

- Ensure business owner and creative lead actively prioritize new requests

Other

- Establish and maintain key relationships (both creative and business)

- Work with the other areas’ Project Managers to ensure coordination and seamless execution for projects that touch more than area (examples: Digital, Stores/Merchandising)

Requirements

- BA or BS required

- 5+ years of project management experience working within creative operations

- Experience deploying a full set of PMO tools, focused on initiative, risk, and communication management

- Collaborative across a full range of internal stakeholders/levels; demonstrated ability to manage and lead

-Organized, with attention to detail; big picture thinking with a willingness to be hands on

- Highly entrepreneurial, self-directed