Product Development Manager

<h3><strong>About Lola Blankets</strong></h3> <p>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.&nbsp;</p> <h3><strong>About the Role:</strong></h3> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <h3><strong>Key Responsibilities:</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Seasonal Development Ownership</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Manage the end-to-end product development process for seasonal mainline and collaboration drops from initial concept through pre-production.</li> <li>Build and maintain seasonal product development calendars, ensuring milestone adherence across all categories.</li> </ul> <h3><strong>Track deliverables across proto, color sampling, photo shoot sampling, PR sampling, and pre-production stages to mitigate timeline risk.</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Cross-Functional Partnership</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Partner closely with Design, Sourcing, and Merchandising to align on product strategy, costing targets, and launch timing.</li> <li>Ensure design intent is executed within margin parameters and sourcing capabilities.</li> </ul> <h3><strong>Facilitate cross-functional meetings and provide clear status updates on development progress.</strong></h3> <h4><strong>Vendor Management &amp; Communication</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Serve as the primary point of contact with vendors during proto development, color sampling, and pre-production phases.</li> <li>Partner with Tech Design to consolidate and communicate fit comments, construction updates, and material approvals.</li> <li>Proactively identify and resolve development challenges related to timing, quality, or costing.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>Technical Documentation &amp; Process Management</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Partner with Design to initiate and maintain Bills of Materials (BOMs), tech packs, and product specification documents.</li> <li>Ensure documentation accuracy and versio