PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST– AUSTIN, TX
If you are a collaborative problem-solver with a passion for product development, this may be the job for you!

About Kendra Scott:
We are a fun, talented and driven team dedicated to providing our customers with gorgeous products and a WOW! experience. Family, fashion and philanthropy are at the core of our company and though we move at a very fast pace, we are committed to maintaining a family-oriented work environment and giving back to our community. A passion for great design, dedication to innovation and a strong social media presence are our building blocks for creating a unique and engaging lifestyle brand across all channels, including retail stores, wholesale accounts and e-commerce.

Position Overview:
The Product Development Specialist is a member of the product team who reports directly to the Product Development Manager. This is a salaried, exempt position with responsibilities to maintain a physical inventory system for the Product Development Team, receive and distribute product to cross functional partners throughout the company, review development samples and provide execution feedback to factories, and support the development to ensure design aesthetics, technique and functionality are all feasible for production. Additionally, this role will ensure seamless execution of development milestones, build, track and follow the progression of all sample orders, create and communicate seasonal working line lists in preparation for Market, and consistently communicate changes, roadblocks and wins to internal teams. This role may include supporting special initiatives, projects, and collaborations. The Product Development Specialist will exhibit high levels of organization, efficiency, focus, and quality work. This role will be a key contributor to the team by acting as a bridge between Design, Production, Merchandising, and overseas partners.

Responsibilities:
Sample Order Management

• Own issuing supplier requests, sample orders, and handoff emails to the vendors in PLM system.
• Manage development sample communication and tracking with vendors for quality, on time shipments throughout all development sample phases.
• Partner with Manager/Lead to review, approve, and track sample invoices from vendors, and work closely with accounting to issue payment.
• Partner with Manager/Lead to ensure product information is accurately reflected before handing off to Production once an assortment is finalized.
• Enforce sample ship dates according to the Product Development calendar and communicate priorities to vendors- Is solution oriented when requested ship dates cannot be met.
• Maintain and keep all sample documentation organized and easily accessible for team use through the PLM system.
• Coordinate with Production Manager and Materials Manager on vendor placement based on sample lead times, on-time delivery, and development capacity.
• Maintain meticulous organization of received samples and other materials in stock rooms.

Sample Receiving & Distribution

• Work with cross functional teams to determine sample order quantity needs by SKU.
• Responsible for distributing samples to all cross-functional teams as needed per the sample distribution matrix.
• Manage Inbound Shipment log and communicate to team members when samples arrive, or if there are any delays. Responsible for proactively working with trade compliance and logistic partners on any shipments that are not on schedule.
• Receive and log all incoming shipments of samples in a timely manner.
• Ensure shipment contents and quantities are congruent with packing lists, and if incorrect, communicate discrepancies to vendors.
• Responsible for responding to all internal team sample requests, fulfilling when able to, or directing to the correct team when unable to fill the request.
• Prepare shipments of samples to internal and overseas teams.

Design Development

• Collect and document design or merchandising direction and aesthetic goals to provide clear communication to overseas agency, track progress, provide feedback, options, and trigger decisions driving development through to production.
• Evaluate jewelry development samples and materials for accuracy against product specifications and established standards.
• Ensure timelines of material sourcing by coordinating with Materials Manager, product specifications, sample orders, approvals, standards’ tools, and all steps of development are met according to established calendar.

Documentation & Specifications

• Create, maintain, and finalize tech packs with design supplied mockups, cads, and product details to provide comprehensive instructions and specifications to aid factory in development, sampling, and production.
• Communicate and document any changes, updates, or elimination of styles to vendors & cross-functional partners.

Team & Cross Functional Responsibilities

• Alert cross functional teams and to Manager any product risk to eliminate roadblocks and mitigate any risks in production.
• Work with production to support new vendor onboarding plans for a smooth, successful onboarding.

Market Prep

• Coordinate with cross-functional teams on market timeline for sample needs and communicate sample timelines with the vendors.
• Create handoff documents for our cross-functional teams regarding sample representation, placeholders, and mockups.
• Coordinate with design for sample mockups to be created pre-market if needed.
• Present product at the seasonal line list meeting to the photo team and communicate all style changes when distributing sample sets.

Calendar Management

• Owns product development dates within the Product Lifecycle Calendar; Ensure accuracy, update daily with any changes, and communicate any risks associated with the shift.
• Supports cross functional calendar meeting preparation and proactive communication across applicable teams.

Leadership & Vendor Management

• Build strong cross functional partnerships with Design, Merchandising, Production, Vendors and Agent.
• Provide productive feedback to vendors and agency when needed, and track downfalls/wins including, but not limited to, lead times and on-time delivery, throughout the quarter to aid in the completion of the partnership survey for the quarterly scorecards.
• Limited but specialized scope, focused on tactical execution with some decision making.

Our Ideal Candidate Will Have:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Business, Design, Product Development, Fashion Merchandising, or related fields.
• 1-3 years’ experience in Product Development for a high-growth company. Jewelry experience is a plus.
• Strong multi-tasking skills and ability to react quickly in a fast-paced environment.
• Excited by a challenge and can execute projects with little to no direction.
• Deadline focused and highly organized; Not fazed by complexity, multiple timelines, and competing priorities.
• Experience with Excel, PLM experience a plus.
• Understanding of retail product development, technical design, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience working with domestic and overseas vendors.
• Experience developing, implementing, and communicating new processes and tools.
• A strong ability to build cross functional partnerships and work collaboratively.
• A growth mindset: desire to learn, grow and embrace new ideas.
• A shared appreciation for our 3 core values of Family, Fashion and Philanthropy.

Home Office

Product Development

Home Office

Full Time

Austin

Texas

78756

30-Nov-2023