Ralph Lauren Senior Product Management Manager, Polo Women's Sweaters

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Support Production Team with all sourcing allocations, TNAs, OTBs in GFE/PLM.
• Drive (build/negotiate/analyze/communicate) TNA plans with sourcing offices and analyze the information to ensure that timing associated with fabric, production, and logistics are in line.
• Risk access and find solutions. Highlighting issues to sr. manager/lead & CFT.
• Lead a seasonal production plan with CFT partners to optimize a Post market commit. Ie Strategic core fabric positioning (partner with raw material team).
• Adhere to POST Market Flexibility (60% goal). Secure on time delivery methodologies by aligning/leveraging lead times for added buy flexibility and product planning to start ship.
• Execute raw material positioning strategies and capacity planning with a focus on top investment core programs.
• Secure and reconcile buy commitments while ensuring contracted deliveries from mills/suppliers is being met.
• Ensure cost sheets are submitted in PLM & flowing in GFE meeting milestone calendar (Flash/Board Review, Proto, SRS, Bulk).
• Presenting up-front Flash costing and cost engineering to cross functional team member as a guideline during product development stage.
• Analyze and negotiate by understanding product components and key cost drivers and lead-time of a garment. Lead all seasonal cost meetings.
• Pull end of season business analysis and report to Sr. Manager/Lead.
• Chase & Reconciliation/Rebalancing Management: Support Production Team in adhering to Chase, Reconciliation/Rebalancing Playbook calendar milestones. Partners with internal and external partners to ensure accuracy in data and timelines are adhered.
• Manage and maintain the showroom sample process adhering to all rack review, line review, and market deadlines. Lock & export SRS/Bulk units and send GFE downloads to vendors.
• Ensure sample quantities are accurate. Offer corrections working collaboratively with vendors.
• Send PIRS & PRS to NY Ops for non-hko vendors. SRS management with sourcing/vendors. Utilize SRS PODs to review status and mitigate any delivery delays.
• Tracked and checked in SRS. Maintain SRS tracking report to ensure on-time SRS del and communication of status to CFT partners & management. Highlight styles that will miss arrival, discuss mitigation.
• Drive communication and influence on decision making with internal and external partners for updates on pending approvals for on time showroom samples and stock.
• Influence and navigate key stakeholders to collectively adhere to corporate calendar deadlines.
• BOM & Cost Sheet Complete - Pull BOM tracker, analyze how to execute, and action to achieve completeness (monthly).
• AUC - Manage costing activities based on analysis of past production strategies; provide upfront visibility to component costs that negatively impact margin goals prior to seasonal adoption to achieve dept goals.
• Evaluate monthly delivery flow reports and capacity trends to support changes in allocation plan and seasonal buying strategies.
• Identify and mitigate development inefficiencies to promote thoughtful line architecture.
• Manage factory direct programs, allocation and capacity planning, order management, solicitation of all production approvals and proactive quality assurance and reinforcement of company and brand protocols.
• Negotiate cost and delivery with sourcing offices, work on cost options. Review with Sr. Manager/Lead.
• Communicate must be timely, clear and concise. Influence, manage, and facilitate the timely approval of raw material components to support on time bulk deliveries and understand design style changes and their impact to cost, delivery, and liability.
• Lead liability utilization and management (O9).
• Focus on quality; manage escalation decisions for the brand, monitor vendor performance, and drive product developments allocation based on capacity and delivery performance results.

Business Growth & Innovation

• Diversify and develop new business opportunities.
• Lead cross-departmental initiatives for operational excellence.
• Drive knowledge sharing and best practices across global offices.
• Champion sustainable development practices and innovative solutions.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Champion new operational processes, create opportunities for efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement in production process.
• Ensure adherence to brand standards and quality benchmarks.
• Manage associate/assistant career growth.
• Strong skills in team development and retaining talent.
• Lead and drive decisions supporting brand and product integrity during weekly cross functional stakeholder meeting with keen awareness to milestone expectations.
• Drive communication and influence decision making with internal and external partners for updates on cost/delivery.
• (Design, PMT, Tech, Merchandising, Regional buyers, Sourcing Offices)

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

• 4-year college degree preferred.
• Apparel production experience, with specific focus on sweater/knitwear development and construction.
• Understanding of yarn, knit gauges, stitches, and sweater manufacturing techniques.
• Self-motivated and ability to adapt to changing business needs.
• Manage projects, team coordination, and processes within their immediate scope.
• Supervise small teams or individual contributors.
• Make decisions within established guidelines.
• Embody critical thinking skills, solutions-oriented approaches to problem solving, and adaptability.
• Strong verbal and written (email) communication, presentation, and leadership skills.
• Proficient in all computer systems: Intermediate to advanced Excel (i.e. pivot tables, v lookups etc.), PowerPoint, Word, SAP, FlexPLM, GFE+, Ariba, o9.