What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sr. Manager, Product Development position at JONATHAN LOUIS INTERNATIONAL?
Description
The Senior Manager of Product Development is responsible for creatively curating merchandise presentations through trend driven cover-to-frame and product styling that align with the company's brand vision, trend direction, and market demands. This role requires a strong eye for interior home design and the ability to translate the latest home trends into products that resonate with a wide customer base. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of emerging home trends, textiles, and consumer preferences, allowing them to craft product presentations that are both innovative and commercially successful. They will work closely with the Product Development team to ensure seamless integration of design, prototypes, and product presentations, ensuring each product enhances the brand and inspires retailers in a competitive marketplace.
Job Responsibilities:
- Curates and manages trend-driven cover-to-frame and product styling for merchandise presentations, ensuring alignment with the company’s brand vision and home trends.
- Develops and executes product presentations that elevate the brand and inspire retailers, driving engagement and excitement in a competitive marketplace.
- Maintains a well-rounded fabric assortment that aligns with product development goals and market demands to optimize sales.
- Works closely with in-house and freelance designers to develop cohesive product collections, ensuring alignment with the overall product development vision.
- Works cross-functionally with other teams, including design and marketing, to ensure cohesive and impactful product presentations.
- Assists in the execution of product presentation efforts for manufacturing industry sales events (i.e. High Point Furniture Market), including set-up and product education for Jonathan Louis’ sales team.
- Supports Jonathan Louis’ sales team in creating product mood boards and ensuring master fabric swatch availability.
- Supports in the development of educational workshops and materials for Jonathan Louis’ sales team and customers.
- Partners with Quality Control team to improve product quality, approve master fabric swatches, and provide valuable product insights.
- Attends product and home design inspiration trips to stay informed on industry trends and competitor activity, ensuring the brand remains ahead of market shifts and consistently drives innovation.
- Travels to High Point Furniture Market and Interwoven Textile Trade Shows to assist with managing vendor relationships, discover new opportunities, and gather product assortment inspiration.
- Assists in developing and implementing product development calendars and improving departmental processes.
- Creates and communicates quarterly fabric trend reports, highlighting best sellers, emerging goods, special order insights.
- Leads cover-to-frame and product merchandising meetings, providing status updates and approval discussions.
- Leads workshops and provides product assortment training for junior Product Development team members and cross-functional teams.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Product Development, Product Assortment, Product Presentation or related field preferred
- 6 years in product design/development work or interior design work, including some prior management experience.
- Experience in product category management, preferably within the relevant industry
- Ability to organize product ideas and develop into collections
- Great taste, knowledge of furniture styles, knowledge of the home furnishings marketplace and landscape
- Experience specifically in furniture desired. Up-to-date with the latest product trends and best practices
- Highly creative with experience in identifying target audiences and devising campaigns that engage, inform and motivate
- Flexibility to adapt to the changing market dynamics, consumer preferences and organizational priorities
- Strong project management skills and excellent attention to detail
- Motivated and positive team player
- May lead and direct the work of other employees. Ability to develop and mentor others.
- Ability to build collaborative relationships.
- Strong presentation skills both visually and verbally
- Articulate and persuasive communication skills, both written and verbal
- Some travel required (manufacturing industry sales events, international and trade shows, market research)
- Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
Salary : $104,400 - $140,000