Sr Director Product Development (Mitchell & Ness)

At Fanatics Commerce, we’re more than just a leader in licensed sports merchandise – we’re a team united by a relentless passion for our fans and a commitment to innovation. We live by our BOLD Leadership principles: We Build Championship Teams, we’re Obsessed with Fans, we embrace a Limitless Entrepreneurial Spirit, and we approach every challenge with a Determined and Relentless Mindset. If you’re ready to contribute to a dynamic, fast-paced environment that thrives on collaboration and growth, we want you to be part of our team.

Role Overview

The Sr Director Product Development is responsible for ensuring adherence to Mitchell and Ness development targets, calendar, and process compliance to preempt potential risks by ensuring mitigation actions are in place along with ongoing improvement of development processes and key performance indicators. Also leads end to end timeline management working cross functionally with product creation, product development, quality, and production operations teams to drive calendar discipline, product quality. The result is delivering buy ready, on-time product for Mitchell and Ness to meet product direction and business objectives. This role collaborates with key stakeholders to establish milestone dates and timelines for annual/seasonal launches and reports performance against agreed upon deadlines.

how you will make an impact:

• Business owner representing Product Development and execution of product in manufacturing for Authentic Apparel
• Oversee end-to-end product development process and efforts inclusive of complete product tech pack/BOM creation & maintenance, sample requirements, approvals & distribution, and systems management
• Lead to on-time approvals of key calendar deliverables leading to buy-ready product and cross-functional decision making on fabric, color, costing & protos; from line planning to on-time delivery.
• Drive the timeliness of the Tech Pack handoff, prototype receipt status and on-time salesmen samples
• Collaborate with Materials and Art team - oversee the timely development and approval of fabric, color, trims, and art
• Cost Engineering Efforts – Partner w/Internal Manufacturing and Product Integrity to provide options/solutions for Merchandising on costing challenges to deliver enhanced margins
• Partner with Product Integrity & Production Engineers- ensure product meets all quality standards in proto execution & production
• Liaise with Production Operations team on timely system updates and work through roadblocks as needed
• Responsible for integrity and consistency of product construction, execution, workmanship & fit through development prototyping and approvals internally & externally. Ensure application of block patterns are implemented and adhered to in development and production.
• Manage designated product team executing product development process & standards, inclusive of maintaining all SOP documents related to internal manufacturing. Ensure all product development PLM and manufacturing data system requirements are met to support calendar deadlines.
• Facilitate company scorecard outlining performance targets and actual metric reporting. Compile targets vs actuals and report through weekly dashboard publications. Highlight potential risks to achieving set targets and work with each team to establish mitigation plan. Schedule and host recurring cross-functional, cross-brand product/calendar meeting progress review of designated category.
• Travel, as necessary, to finalize the development of product

what you bring to the team:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Product Development, Project Management, or related field
• 10+ years of experience in the fashion industry with a strong knowledge of product lifecycle management, manufacturing, development, and production timelines
• 5+ years leading and developing people
• Must be a strategic thinker, persuasive, and collaborative, leveraging issue resolution skills
• Must be deadline driven and have a proactive and creative approach to problem solving
• Excellent organizational, communication, follow-up, and presentation skills with attention to detail
• Blends strategic skills with operational and tactical execution.
• Ability to juggle multiple deadlines and tasks in a fast-paced environment. Strong sense of urgency and intuitive sense of priorities & accuracy.
• Strong leadership, interpersonal and relationship building skills, including ability to partner cross functionally and effectively across the organization at all levels
• Proficient in PLM, databases and MS Office applications

At Fanatics, we value transparency and honesty. If you don’t meet every single requirement, that’s okay – we still want to hear from you! We believe in the power of diverse experiences and talents. If you’re excited about the role and confident that you can contribute, don’t hesitate to apply. We’re genuinely interested in how your unique skills and perspective can help us build something amazing together.

Where You’ll Work and What’s required:

• Role is based in our Philadelphia office.
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time for partner meetings, events, and other related activities.

What’s in it for you:

• Culture: Join a team where you're surrounded by top-tier talent, driven by a shared passion to relentlessly enhance the fan experience. With a focus on collaboration, support, and continuous development, you’ll be empowered to help shape our culture that celebrates both individual and team successes.

• Benefits: We provide a wide range of health, financial, legal, and development assistance, including wellness programs with fitness and weight management partners, paid maternity paternity leave, and infertility treatment. Additionally, we offer flexible time off to help you recharge, along with a competitive 401k plan to support your financial future. At Fanatics, we’re dedicated to supporting you in all aspects of work and life.