Product Development Associate, Woven Sportswear

Lilly Pulitzer
Job Type:
Regular
Brand Strategy
Our Brand mission is to inspire confidence and optimism, inviting everyone to shine bright and stand out.
Our Brand vision statement is: “Create Your Sunshine, A Resort State of Mind”.
Our Brand Equities are: Casual Glamour, Sunny & Spirited, and Charmingly Disarming.
Job Description
About the Position
The Product Development Associate, Woven Sportswear is responsible for supporting the development and execution of Woven Sportswear within Lilly Pulitzer. This role manages the day-to-day product development process from initial concept through production handoff, ensuring products meet quality, cost, and calendar objectives. The Associate serves as a key partner to Design, Technical Design, Merchandising, and vendor partners, facilitating communication, issue resolution, and on-time execution.
A day in the life…
Product Development is central to product creation. The team provides overall project management and serves as the liaison between manufacturers and the home office supporting the Lilly Pulitzer product strategy. The Lilly Pulitzer® Product Strategy is to create innovative designs that delight our customers, have high retail sell through and contribute to the profitable growth of the company.
The goal of these responsibilities is to ensure each style moves from design intent to production-ready decision-making with clear ownership, accurate costing, and on-time samples.
Creative Project Management –
Manages the daily development activities for assigned product categories
Partners closely with cross-functional teams and vendors to ensure product development milestones are achieved, and samples accurately reflect design intent
Manage seasonal product development timelines for assigned categories
Coordinate with vendors to ensure timely sample execution and delivery
Monitor development progress and proactively communication risks or delays
Partners with cross-functional teams to resolve development issues and maintain calendar adherence
Understand the Lilly Pulitzer customer and ensure product decisions support brand standards and customer expectations
Costing –
Supports the achievement of seasonal cost targets through effective vendor communication, cost analysis, and executional follow-through
Negotiate and manage costing for assigned styles
Review cost changes and communicate opportunities to leadership
Track historical costing trends and support cost optimization initiatives
Partner with Merchandising and Design to identify solutions when styles exceed target costs
Maintain accurate costing information and development records within designate system
Sample Management & Calendar Execution –
Responsible for maintaining sample development calendars and driving accountability with vendors and internal partners
Track and manage all sample requests and deliveries for assigned categories
Ensure vendors have the necessary materials, specifications, and approvals to meet deadlines
Escalate risks to leadership when timing, quality, or cost concerns arise
Support the implementation of new tools and processes to improve development efficiency
Maintain organization and accuracy throughout the sampling lifecycle
Note, the Associate may be asked to perform duties that are outside the specific functions that are listed.
Qualifications for the Position
A four-year college degree is required, preferably with a major/minor relating to fashion or apparel.
3 to 5 years of prior experience, preferably in the fashion or retail industry.
The Associate is a position that requires an ability to collaborate well with others. This position requires the ability to develop new products with conceptual thinking to avoid potential issues in garment construction and meet pricing parameters.
Proficiency with personal computers in Microsoft Windows environment for Excel and Word is required. Knowledge of Centric and the company’s AS400 system is helpful.
The ability to interact effectively and credibly with internal colleagues in design, fabric and trims, merchandising, production, and vendors is required.
Strong written and verbal communication skills are required to communicate effectively with internal colleagues, management, and vendors.
Our Core Values: The Lilly Way. Rooted in our bold, original, and inclusive brand outlook, these principles define how we do things The Lilly Way.
We take pride in the pursuit of excellence
We create our own path
We become stronger together
We operate with integrity
We make the world a brighter place
We continuously improve
We have fun in the process
Doing Our Part
As a company we commit to corporate social responsibility. We believe in doing the right thing for our people, the places we work, and our planet. We believe in a respectful and inclusive workplace. We recognize the importance of serving the communities where our employees work and live. We are cognizant of the impact that our operations can have on the environment and actively explore and pursue environmentally-friendly processes throughout our business. This position is expected to contribute to the advancement of these principles.
A Little More to Know…
This position is classified as full-time salaried; it is exempt and is not eligible for overtime. This position is eligible for standard company benefits.
This position is required to maintain a structured hybrid work schedule based out of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. This hybrid schedule, which includes work done in the King of Prussia Office as well as your Home Office will be determined by your supervisor.
Given the seasonality of the business, this position may require flexible, additional working hours during peak periods.
This position is expected to collaborate effectively with other individuals in alignment with our Core Values and Core Leadership Qualities.
This position requires compliance with Lilly Pulitzer policies and a detailed Code of Conduct as outlined in the Employee Handbook.
This position is reviewed annually.
Lilly Pulitzer is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against qualified applicants based on race, color, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religious creed, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, military and veteran status, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition, genetic information, reproductive health decision-making, lawful off-duty use of marij