Product Development Manager
pvh Product Development Manager
Be part of an iconic story.
TOMMY HILFIGER is one of the world’s most recognized global lifestyle brands, confidently welcoming and inspiring consumers since 1985. Originally established in New York City and infused with the vibrant spirit of Americana, to create the modern uniform of accessible luxury. The TOMMY HILFIGER brands consist of TOMMY HILFIGER and TOMMY JEANS, complemented by a range of licensed product categories that extend the brand lifestyle across generations, geographies, activities and occasions. Tommy Hilfiger’s global marketing approach and communications strategy taps into culture through the world of F.A.M.E.S.: the people, organizations and ideas boldly driving the future of Fashion, Art, Music, Entertainment and Sport. Major global campaigns, sponsorship platforms, and disruptive activations with world-class athletes, musicians and entertainers bring a constant source of energy and inspiration to the brand. Immerse yourself in TOMMY HILFIGER here! (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok)
Job Title: Product Development Manager, Women’s Footwear – Casual
Reporting into
Senior Director, Women’s Footwear
Department & Team
Footwear Business Unit – Product Development
About the team
The Footwear Product Development team translates product concepts into physical and digital footwear products, delivering high-quality, innovative and more sustainable products in line with company and divisional objectives.
From initial concept through production approval, the team partners closely with Design, Merchandising, Materials, Sourcing, Costing, Product Testing, Commercialization, Production, Quality, Buying and Planning. The team also collaborates across the global product development network to align processes, improve efficiency and ensure each product reflects the Tommy Hilfiger brand DNA.
About the job
As Product Development Manager, Women’s Footwear – Casual, you will independently lead the end-to-end development of assigned footwear categories and seasonal workstreams, from initial concept through production approval.
You will translate Design and Merchandising intent into technically feasible and commercially viable products, balancing product aesthetics, consumer benefit, fit, comfort, performance, quality, sustainability, cost, margin and timing.
Acting as the functional development lead, you will resolve complex technical and commercial challenges, contribute to product development standards and ways of working, and influence internal and external partners to deliver agreed product and business outcomes. The role leads through expertise and influence and does not carry formal people-management accountability.
Key responsibilities
Including but not limited to:
- Independently own the end-to-end development of assigned Women’s Footwear categories and styles from design handover through production approval, ensuring delivery against the seasonal calendar, agreed product standards and commercial targets.
- Translate Design and Merchandising direction into clear development requirements and recommend materials, constructions, components and manufacturing approaches that preserve design intent and consumer benefit while supporting fit, comfort, performance, quality and sustainability.
- Establish and manage the seasonal development plan and critical path with regional and global sourcing partners, including prototype, colour and material approval, sales-sample and production-approval milestones; anticipate dependencies and drive timely decisions when delivery is at risk.
- Shape priorities across the development workstream based on consumer and business value, urgency, risk, dependencies and available capacity; align evidence-based decisions on what should be accelerated, sequenced, descoped or escalated as priorities change.
- Lead costing and value-engineering discussions, validate cost assumptions and identify commercially viable options that meet or improve target first cost or FOB and margin while protecting essential product standards.
- Resolve complex technical, construction, fit, comfort, performance and manufacturing issues where established precedent may not exist, applying sound judgment and bringing together the appropriate internal and external expertise.
- Lead and influence cross-functional development decisions in partnership with Design, Merchandising, Materials Development, Costing, Product Testing, Commercialization, Production, Quality and Sourcing to achieve product readiness and commercial viability.
- Contribute to the definition and continuous improvement of footwear-development processes, standards, tools and cross-functional handoffs, identifying opportunities to improve consistency, quality, speed and decision-making.
- Ensure product information, specifications, approvals and cost data are accurate, complete and aligned across the product lifecycle management system and related information sources; resolve material discrepancies and strengthen controls where needed.
- Act as a functional resource for less-experienced colleagues and project contributors, providing day-to-day guidance on product development standards, sequencing and complex problem-solving without formal line-management responsibility.
- Represent Footwear Product Development in relevant business projects and internal or external partner discussions, communicating risks, options and recommendations clearly and building effective relationships across the global footwear network.
The ideal candidate
- 7–10 years of related experience in footwear product development and/or sourcing, including independent ownership of complex product categories, seasonal workstreams or portfolios; supported by a bachelor’s degree, equivalent industry training or equivalent relevant experience.
- Brings deep technical and commercial knowledge of women’s footwear, with strong experience in categories relevant to the assigned portfolio, such as heels, sandals, pumps, wedges or boots.
- Has a full understanding of the footwear product lifecycle from initial concept through production and consumer, together with in-depth knowledge of raw materials, technical construction, fit, manufacturing, product testing, quality, costing and sourcing; experience using product lifecycle management systems is expected.
- Demonstrates the judgment to solve complex, non-routine product development issues and make well-reasoned decisions where information may be incomplete, conflicting or without established precedent.
- Has proven experience leading cross-functional product development through expertise and influence, gaining cooperation from stakeholders across multiple levels and from external suppliers or sourcing partners.
- Has contributed to new or improved processes, standards, tools or ways of working and is able to provide credible functional guidance to colleagues and project contributors.
- Brings strong commercial judgment and negotiation capability, with the ability to balance design intent, consumer needs, manufacturability, cost, margin, quality, sustainability and timing.
- Adapts plans as business priorities change, communicates implications early and maintains realistic commitments, quality and sound judgment across competing demands.
- Is fluent in written and spoken English and able to communicate complex development topics clearly, present recommendations and influence decisions across multiple levels; Italian, Portuguese or Mandarin language skills are an advantage.
Your Wellbeing is Our Priority
In the heart of Amsterdam, PVH is home to the global headquarters of Tommy Hilfiger and the European offices of Calvin Klein.
Wellbeing: exclusive onsite gym and fitness classes, personal training, meditation studio, sports clubs, in-house physio, and receive access to our nutritional and wellbeing programs
Campus: extensive food and beverage offerings, top-notch restaurant, barista coffee bars, sky bar, monthly social events, weekly Thursday drinks, game nights, and campus-themed activities that will keep your social life busy
Develop your career: whether you lead a team or contribute your own expertise, everyone is a leader at PVH. PVH University curates and delivers training programs for you to continuously develop your professional and personal goals
Be at the forefront: stay closely connected to our brands, CALVIN KLEIN and TOMMY HILFIGER, and be a part of seasonal market launches, sample sales and receive employee discounts!
Check out our Amsterdam Campus here.
About PVH:
We are brand builders who focus our passion and creativity to build Calvin Klein and TOMMY HILFIGER into the most desirable lifestyle brands in the world and at the same time position PVH as one of the best-performing brand groups in our sector. Guided by our values and enabled by our scale and global reach, we are driving fashion forward for good, as one team with one vision and one plan. That’s the Power of Us, that’s the Power of PVH+.
One of PVH’s greatest strengths is our people. Our collective desire is to create a workplace environment where every individual is valued, and every voice is heard, and we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse community of associates with a strong sense of belonging. Learn more about Inclusion & Diversity at PVH here.
PVH Corp. or its subsidiary ("PVH") is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applicants for employment on the basis of their individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability, military status or any other characteristic protected under federal, state or local law. In addition to complying with all applicable laws, PVH is also committed to ensuring that all current and future PVH associates are compensated solely on job-related factors such as skill, ability, educational background, work quality, experience and potential.