Senior Director, PDC

Serving the needs of all families with young children, Carter’s Inc. is the largest North American apparel retailer exclusively for babies and young children, encompassing Carter’s, OshKosh B’gosh, Skip*Hop and Little Planet brands. Meaningful work, constant learning, genuine people, and a community guided by core values that promote inclusion and innovation is in everything we do. There are many reasons to build your career at Carter's.

HOW YOU’LL MAKE AN IMPACT:
An experienced leader responsible for collaborating with a diverse cross-functional team, overseeing multiple brands or areas of the business.  He / she plays a pivotal role in bridging the Creative Design and Sourcing teams while delivering on a strategic vision through the development process. 

50% - Strategic Development Process:

• Proactively lead the vision of the product development process by driving effective partnerships with Sourcing, Merchandising, Design / Art, TD & PI teams, balancing the needs of design intent with optimal cost and margin.  
• Design Intent – Lead PDC & CF teams to assess construction, design details, fabric, trim, wash & functionality of style development ensuring technical feasibility and execution are within margin targets, offering solutions as needed.
• Partner with the Sourcing team to ensure allocation of development meets Sourcing strategy and matches factory & mill capabilities & lead times.
• Lead mock-up & prototype development to fully realize and validate production readiness prior to sample making.
• Lead the PDC team through the development lifecycle by managing on-time sample delivery & BOM accuracy ensuring seasonal deadlines are met.
• Lead development KPI efforts within department of oversight, creating solutions that ensure aligned strategies are met.
• Conduct benchmarking and review consumer insights to lead a Product Innovation roadmap.
• Assist in executing the corporate ESG initiatives for materials & wash, in partnership with the Sourcing, PI & the Sustainability teams.

25%: Product Management & Governance:

• Lead the PDC team through the initial sample costing during development to ensure financial targets are met. 
• Calculate initial garment costs & margins during Sketch Review utilizing cost calculator.
• Work with CF leaders on margin targets and communicate with Sourcing in order to deliver a sample line that meets brand expectations.
• Identify trends that influence opportunities for continuous improvement for process & systems improvements, with on-going training, that are optimized and standardized among the team.
• Partner with leadership to manage and influence budget for the team.

25% - Leadership:

• Recruit, hire & train a dynamic, world-class Product Development team capable of driving all aspects of product development.
• Set and achieve department goals.
• Lead all aspects of the team’s professional development including succession planning.
• Foster commitment to teamwork and accountability.
• Oversee team’s workload and accuracy of records.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU IF:

• 15+ years of industry experience in either Textile and / or Apparel Manufacturing, Sourcing, Merchandising or Product Development.
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Expert understanding of apparel design / construction, fabric, product costing / cost engineering, import duty rates, printing techniques.  Knowledgeable in Merchandising capabilities.
• Advanced grammar and communication skills; capable of interpreting and conveying international business concepts.
• Advanced analytical skills using Microsoft Office applications.
• Advanced understanding of business, profitability and product margin (IMU vs MMU); ability to influence decision makers in leadership role.
• Excellent organizational skills: ability to manage multiple projects at the same time and set priorities for self and team.
• Ability to travel as needed.

MAKE A CAREER AT CARTER’S: 

• Career Development: Success starts from within, and we have several paths from which you can choose to enhance your career evolution. From Carter’s University to Toastmasters to mentorship programs and more, we encourage you to utilize these tools to elevate your professional prowess. 

Carters is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.