Senior Manager of Product Development

About the role

Everlane is seeking a detail-oriented leader to manage the development of our knits and sweaters line. You will oversee the entire product lifecycle from initial concept to production-ready handoff, ensuring our standards for quality and sustainability are met. In this capacity, you will act as the central hub for cross-functional alignment, translating creative vision into actionable technical plans. You will own the timeline integrity of complex product programs while balancing cost, quality, and delivery expectations. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment where priorities shift and data-driven decisions are paramount. You will be responsible for maintaining the highest level of product integrity from the sketch stage through to the final ship date. This position requires a proactive thinker who can anticipate roadblocks and implement solutions before they impact the business.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Partner with Design, Technical Design, Raw Materials, Merchandising, Planning, and Quality teams to define and execute on product goals for knits and sweaters.
• Architect and manage development calendars spanning 2-3 quarters concurrently, identifying dependencies and adjusting timelines in response to material or capacity constraints.
• Lead cost negotiation discussions with suppliers, providing creative alternatives for construction methods, seam treatments, and finishing processes to meet price targets.
• Maintain robust internal tracking systems and author precise Bills of Materials within our Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software to ensure source of truth accuracy.
• Oversee the intake and management of sample requests, coordinating lab dip approvals, trim validations, and yardage tracking to keep sampling on schedule.
• Interface directly with external suppliers and mills to secure proper factory allocation, verify capacity, and ensure strict cost compliance throughout the development cycle.
• Mentor junior product development team members and spearhead process improvements that enhance efficiency, clarity, and accountability across workflows.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for resolving production blockers such as late deliveries or shipment changes, working closely with planning and logistics to mitigate risk.
• Analyze historical development data to forecast timelines, identify bottlenecks, and improve future planning accuracy for knit and sweater collections.
• Champion sustainability initiatives by verifying material specifications and ensuring vendor practices align with Everlane's environmental standards.
• Facilitate cross-departmental reviews to validate colorways, fabric hand, and construction details before final production approval.
• Drive standardization in technical documentation to reduce ambiguity and rework across global manufacturing partners.
• Monitor order of magnitude (OM) spend against budget, providing transparent updates and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Contribute to the development of long-term category strategy by analyzing market trends, competitor positioning, and internal performance metrics.

Requirements

• Hold a minimum of 7 years of cumulative professional experience in product development focused specifically on knitwear and sweater categories.
• Demonstrated ability to construct, monitor, and adjust complex time and action calendars with multiple interdependent milestones.
• Exhibit advanced negotiation capabilities concerning unit costs, lead times, and payment terms with external partners.
• Possess substantial experience communicating and managing relationships with external suppliers via phone, email, and video calls.
• Have a proven track record of international travel to engage with manufacturing partners across diverse geographic regions.
• Maintain a high level of accuracy in data entry, tracking, and reporting with a strong bias for organizational discipline and follow-through.
• Show consistent adherence to compliance standards, including but not limited to labor practices, material specifications, and delivery contractual terms.
• Bring strong written and verbal communication skills to coordinate effectively with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

Nice to have

• Direct experience in sweater yarn development, including fiber content evaluation and gauge testing.
• Hands-on knowledge of wet and dry processing techniques used in knitwear manufacturing and finishing.

Skills & tools

• Proficient in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems for end-to-end tracking of styles and materials.
• Advanced user of Google Sheets for building and maintaining dynamic tracking dashboards.
• Experienced with Airtable to manage workflows, approvals, and relational data sets.

Practical notes

• This role is based in our Los Angeles office and follows a hybrid schedule that requires in-person attendance on Tuesday through Thursday.
• The annual compensation package for this position ranges from $105,000 to $143,000, with final salary determined by qualifications and experience.
• The successful candidate will report directly to the Vice President of Product Development and Sourcing.
• Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship for this position.
• Travel may be required up to 10% of the time to visit suppliers, mills, and manufacturing facilities.
• This position operates on a standard Monday through Friday schedule during core business hours, with flexibility to attend meetings outside these times as project needs arise.
• Relocation assistance is not provided for this role.