Senior Manager, Product Development - (Toys & Backyard Recreation) Sam's Club
Position Summary
The Senior Manager, Product Development (Toy & Backyard Recreation Assortments) will lead the creation and delivery of compelling, trend-forward seasonal assortments that drive member excitement and category growth. This role owns the end-to-end product development lifecycle from concept through execution, bringing newness, storytelling, and elevated design perspective into high-SKU seasonal events. You’ll operate at the intersection of product, trend, and merchant strategy translating global inspiration, material innovation, and customer insights into commercially successful assortments. Success in this role means delivering “what’s next” in toys & backyard recreation while continuously improving speed, quality, and impact across the product pipeline.
What you'll do
Own and deliver breakthrough seasonal assortments by leading product development from concept to shelf introducing new ideas, materials, and storytelling that resonate with members and drive sales.
Translate trend insights into product strategy by leveraging global inspiration (e.g., international trade shows, trend services, competitive benchmarking) to define seasonal themes and “must-win” product directions.
Drive product lifecycle excellence by proactively identifying risks, solving complex production challenges, and ensuring on-time, high-quality delivery across a high-SKU environment.
Elevate design intent through product execution by partnering cross-functionally to ensure materials, finishes, and details align with a cohesive aesthetic vision.
Lead cross-functional alignment across sourcing, merchandising, design, and insights teams to ensure product strategies are executable, scalable, and aligned with business goals.
Introduce “radical newness” into the category by identifying when to evolve or replace legacy products and bring fresh ideas that keep the assortment relevant and differentiated.
Leverage data and insights to refine strategy by using performance metrics, member feedback, and trend analysis to continuously improve product outcomes.
Build and develop a high-performing team by mentoring associates, fostering strong collaboration, and elevating the team’s ability to execute with both speed and quality.
What You’ll Bring
A track record of delivering successful product lines in Toys, Children’s Home or Textile, or high-SKU retail environments, with clear examples of driving newness and category growth.
Strong product development expertise with the ability to move from concept/inspiration to commercially viable product at scale.
A sharp trend and taste level, with the ability to interpret market signals and translate them into cohesive assortments.
Experience working with materials and product construction (e.g., textiles, wood, plastics, finishes), with an understanding of how design intent translates into production.
Proven ability to operate in fast-paced, complex environments, balancing multiple product lines, timelines, and stakeholders.
Strength in cross-functional leadership and communication, influencing partners across merchandising, sourcing, and design.
A data-informed mindset, using insights and performance metrics to guide decisions and improve outcomes.
Additional Compensation
Annual salary range: $110,000.00 - $220,000.00
Performance-based bonus awards
Other benefits: health benefits, financial benefits, paid time off benefits, military leave pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more.
Benefits
Health benefits: medical, vision, and dental coverage
Financial benefits: 401(k), stock purchase, and company-paid life insurance
Paid time off benefits: PTO, parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting
Short-term and long-term disability
Company discounts
Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Design, or related field and 4 years’ experience in design, merchandising, marketing, or related area
OR 6 years’ experience in design, merchandising, marketing, or related area
Preferred Qualifications
Application development experience with emphasis on VBA and SQL programming languages
Creative design software
Financial modeling
Leading and completing cross-functional projects
Manufacturing, product development, or packaging
Microsoft Office
Supervisory Masters: Arts, Masters: Business, Masters: Science
Project Management - Project Management Professional - Certification
Six Sigma - Certification