Product Development Manager

About Lola Blankets

Lola Blankets is a fast-growing, design-driven brand creating the world’s most loved faux-fur blankets. With a devoted community, strong influencer presence, and rapid scale, we are redefining what comfort and style mean for the home. 

About the Role:

We are seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Product Development Manager to lead the seasonal product development lifecycle from concept through pre-production. This role serves as the operational backbone of the product creation process, ensuring cross-functional alignment, vendor execution, and on-time delivery of seasonal mainline and collaboration drops.

The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth DTC environment and brings strong project management rigor, vendor communication expertise, and a deep understanding of apparel or soft goods development processes.

Core Responsibilities:

Seasonal Development Ownership

• Manage the end-to-end product development process for seasonal mainline and collaboration drops from initial concept through pre-production.
• Build and maintain seasonal product development calendars, ensuring milestone adherence across all categories.
• Track deliverables across proto, color sampling, photo shoot sampling, PR sampling, and pre-production stages to mitigate timeline risk.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner closely with Design, Sourcing, and Merchandising to align on product strategy, costing targets, and launch timing.
• Ensure design intent is executed within margin parameters and sourcing capabilities.
• Facilitate cross-functional meetings and provide clear status updates on development progress.

Vendor Management & Communication

• Serve as the primary point of contact with vendors during proto development, color sampling, and pre-production phases.
• Partner with Tech Design to consolidate and communicate fit comments, construction updates, and material approvals.
• Proactively identify and resolve development challenges related to timing, quality, or costing.

Technical Documentation & Process Management

• Partner with Design to initiate and maintain Bills of Materials (BOMs), tech packs, and product specification documents.
• Ensure documentation accuracy and version control throughout the development lifecycle.
• Support the establishment and maintenance of quality control (QC) processes and standards.
• Track and approve lab dips, strike-offs, and material submissions in partnership with Design and Sourcing.

Operational Excellence

• Monitor margin targets, sampling costs, and development expenses, as appropriate.
• Identify process improvements to streamline development workflows in a scaling organization.
• Maintain meticulous records and documentation to support scalable growth.

This role is hybrid with an expectation to be in our office in Brooklyn 3 days per week. 

Qualifications:

• 4+ years of experience in product development at a fast-growing DTC apparel or home goods brand, at the Associate Manager or Manager level.
• Strong understanding of garment construction, sampling workflows, and vendor product development and production processes.
• Experience managing development calendars and seasonal timelines.
• Demonstrated ability to manage BOMs, tech packs, and QC documentation with precision.
• Exceptional organizational skills and acute attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to manage overseas vendor relationships.
• Proficiency in Excel proficiency required. Experience in PLM systems a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising, Product Development, or related field preferred.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive benefits package (health, dental, vision, PTO)
• 401K with company match
• Paid time off and holidays
• An opportunity to make a direct impact on a high-growth, design-forward brand
• A collaborative, passionate, and purpose-driven team