Product Development Manager – Bags

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Product Development Manager to lead the development of bag products, ensuring they are technically sound, commercially viable, compliant, and ready for bulk production. The role oversees risk execution and stage‑gate governance from initial concept through final brand approval.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the Product Development function with full accountability for technical readiness and stage‑gate progression.
• Drive product risk identification, assessment, and mitigation across construction, material, quality, safety, cost and production.
• Govern fit, pattern, construction, SMV, BOM, marker efficiency and product safety, ensuring all approvals are secured before stage advancement.
• Chair development risk reviews, maintain risk registers and ensure closure of mitigation actions.
• Ensure pattern integrity, grading, tolerances, version control and comprehensive technical documentation.
• Conduct root‑cause analysis of development failures to reduce rework and shorten lead times.
• Partner with Lean/IE and Engineering to validate SMV, operation breakdowns, machinery capability and manufacturability.
• Oversee end‑to‑end sample development, enforcing approved materials, testing, construction methods and quality standards.
• Enforce PQI clearance and corrective‑action closure before fitting, brand submission or stage progression.
• Govern BOM accuracy, costing assumptions and technical data integrity.
• Act as the technical governance authority for brand requirements, regulatory compliance and factory capability.
• Drive innovation through construction simplification, productivity improvement and process optimisation.
• Monitor KPIs such as first‑time approval rate, development cycle time, rework, SMV variance and marker efficiency, implementing corrective actions as needed.

Required profile

• Proven experience in product development for apparel or accessories, preferably bags.
• Strong technical knowledge of fit, construction, SMV, BOM, pattern and marker processes.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional teams and manage complex development projects.
• Expertise in risk management, governance and root‑cause analysis.
• Analytical mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Required skills

• SMV validation
• BOM management
• Pattern development and grading
• Marker making and efficiency optimisation
• Product safety compliance
• Quality assurance processes
• Lean/Industrial Engineering principles
• PQI clearance procedures