Confidential Client Product Management Manager, Sweaters
The Manager, Yarn Research & Development at Confidential Client leads the seasonal yarn research, development, and commercialization for Polo Brands sweaters. This role collaborates cross-functionally with design, sourcing, and manufacturing partners to develop innovative, commercially viable yarn solutions that meet brand standards for quality, cost, and delivery from concept through bulk production. The position requires strong expertise in yarns, knitwear construction, supplier management, and project coordination to ensure product integrity and supply chain resilience.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Advertising Services.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
What You’ll Do
You will lead yarn research, seasonal development, and commercialization for the confidential client’s sweater assortment. This role works cross-functionally with Design, Merchandising, Raw Materials, Technical Design, Sourcing, and supplier partners to translate creative intent into commercially viable yarn and knitwear solutions that meet quality, cost, and timing objectives.
- Lead seasonal yarn research and development for sweater lines from concept through bulk production.
- Identify and propose yarn qualities, blends, counts, gauges, finishes, and regional sourcing options that support design intent and performance.
- Build and maintain yarn platforms, seasonal yarn libraries, and supplier capability maps to improve speed, consistency, and supply resilience.
- Manage development timelines: lab dips, color approvals, stitch trials, hand-feel reviews, testing requirements, and production-readiness milestones.
- Collaborate with mills, spinners, and sourcing partners to evaluate feasibility, minimums, lead times, capacity, quality risks, and cost implications.
- Support counter-sourcing, cost engineering, and value analysis while preserving brand standards and product integrity.
- Monitor seasonal yarn commitments, exposure, platform utilization, and carryover opportunities; communicate risks and mitigation plans to stakeholders.
- Maintain accurate development data, costing, approvals, and supplier notes in PLM, Airtable, and team tools.
- Prepare and present development updates for weekly WIPs, milestone meetings, costing reviews, and leadership discussions.
- Identify and escalate issues affecting yarn availability, color, quality, minimums, cost, or delivery and drive timely solutions.
Who We're Looking For
We seek a commercially minded, technically strong candidate with hands-on yarn and knitwear experience who can operate in a fast-paced product development environment.
- Bachelor’s degree preferred in Textile Development, Fashion/Apparel, Product Development, Sourcing, or related discipline.
- Experience in yarn development, raw materials, knitwear/sweater development, product development, or sourcing.
- Strong knowledge of fibers, yarn constructions, blends, counts, gauges, spinning, dyeing, finishing, knitwear construction, testing, and garment manufacturing.
- Proven ability to evaluate yarn quality, hand feel, performance, costing, minimums, and supplier capabilities to meet seasonal business needs.
- Excellent cross-functional communication skills and ability to partner with Design, Merchandising, Technical Design, Sourcing, and suppliers.
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple seasonal priorities and complex calendars.
- Solution-oriented, agile thinker who balances design intent, cost, quality, and delivery.
- Strong computer skills: Excel, Outlook, PLM, Airtable (or similar tools) and accurate data/report maintenance.
Preferred / Nice-to-Have
- Prior knitwear or sweater category experience at a retail or brand environment.
- Established relationships with mills, spinners, and yarn suppliers.
- Experience with cost engineering, counter-sourcing, and regional sourcing strategies.
- Familiarity with testing labs and garment/performance testing requirements.
Workplace & Location
This role is based in New York, NY. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. The confidential client and Careertakes will consider reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities throughout the application and hiring process.
Recruiting & Process Notes
Careertakes is managing this search as a third‑party recruiter on behalf of our client. Applicants may be screened using resume review and standard recruiting tools; Careertakes may use automated tools to help match and rank candidates, but final hiring decisions are made by the confidential client and their hiring team.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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