Director of Product- Apparel

Storm Creek; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) plan

PTO + company holidays

Volunteer time

B Corp commitment

Job summary

Storm Creek is seeking a Senior Leader to own the product engine from concept to delivery across three channels. You will set vision, lead the team, and ensure every season ships on schedule with best-in-class factory partnerships.

You will manage full product lifecycle, collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Finance to drive revenue and margins, monitor trends, and champion sustainability and compliance across the supply chain.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive experience in apparel product management, merchandising, and global sourcing.
• Experience leading senior-level product strategy in a fast-paced, multi-channel apparel business.
• Experience as a working apparel designer is required.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration with Design, Sales, Marketing, Finance and Operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead multi-year product assortment strategy across channels.
• Own full product life cycle from concept to go-to-market and end-of-life decisions.
• Drive product roadmap and ensure on-time delivery across cross-functional teams.
• Manage factory relations, cost modeling, and supply chain optimization to hit margins.
• Lead sustainability and compliance initiatives across sourcing partners.

Skills

Product management

Merchandising

Global sourcing

Factory relations

Cross-functional leadership

Costing & margins

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Excel

ERP

PLM systems

Job description

Head of Product

STORM CREEK Head of Product Department: Product | Level: Senior Leadership

The Role

The Head of Product owns Storm Creek's product engine from first concept to final delivery-and everything in between. This is a senior leadership position with full accountability across product line strategy, concept development, design direction, merchandising, purchasing, factory relationships, and sustainability. You set the vision and you execute it. You lead the team and you know every detail. You hold the calendar and you make sure everything ships. Success in this role means a cohesive, financially strong product assortment delivered on time, every season-built on best-in-class factory partnerships, airtight processes, and a supply chain that reflects Storm Creek's values. You're equally comfortable presenting a three-year product strategy to executives and diving into a spec sheet discrepancy with a factory partner at midnight. You lead from the front, hold your team to high standards, and never lose sight of the details that make or break a season.

What You Own

• Lead the development and execution of a multi-year product assortment strategy across Storm Creek's three channels.
• Own the full product life cycle-from concept through go-to-market launch, in-season management, and end-of-life decisions.
• Partner with Sales, Marketing, and Finance to ensure the line drives revenue, gross margin, and market share targets.
• Monitor competitor and market trends across lifestyle, outdoor, and corporate apparel; translate insights into actionable product decisions.
• Champion the product roadmap across the organization-serving as the final voice on product priorities and trade-offs.

Concept Development & Design Direction

• Drive seasonal concept development and creative direction in close partnership with the Design team.
• Balance proven bestsellers with trend-forward newness; ensure every product earns its place in the assortment.
• Translate the brand vision into a commercially viable, well-edited product line that stands out in the market.
• Maintain relentless quality standards from concept approval through final production sample sign-off.

Merchandising & Assortment Planning

• Own assortment architecture-SKU count, price ladder, color strategies, and seasonal flow-across all categories.
• Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to ensure assortment supports channel needs and financial objectives.
• Use sales data, trend analysis, and sell-through performance to continuously optimize the line.
• Maintain product data integrity across all systems; ensure accurate, up-to-date information reaches every internal team.
• Build and maintain the Private Label project management system.

Purchasing & Financial Accountability

• Own product costing and pricing from initial cost modeling through final margin sign-off.
• Partner with Finance and Purchasing to hit cost, margin, and inventory targets every season.
• Proactively manage and minimize unplanned carryover; maximize sell-through in partnership with Sales and Operations.
• Analyze and forecast product costs-fabric, labor, logistics-to protect margin and enable accurate production planning.

Sourcing, Factory Relations & Supply Chain

• Own all factory and vendor relationships globally-building, deepening, and holding them to the highest standards of quality, compliance, and performance.
• Travel internationally to assess facilities, negotiate agreements, and strengthen partnerships firsthand.
• Serve as the primary liaison between Storm Creek and its factory partners; negotiate pricing, lead times, and contract terms to support margin goals.
• Resolve production and quality issues swiftly and proactively-before they become delays.
• Maintain standardized sourcing and development processes with accurate, audit-ready documentation across all vendor communications, specs, and approvals.
• Manage freight and logistics coordination to optimize cost and delivery timing.

Calendar & Timeline Ownership

• Own the product calendar end to end-every milestone, every phase, every deadline.
• Lead the development calendar and hold all internal and external stakeholders accountable to on-time delivery.
• Anticipate bottlenecks and production risks well in advance; resolve them before they surface as problems.
• Ensure timely approvals, accurate documentation, and smooth production flow across all cross-functional teams.

Sustainability & Compliance

• Champion Storm Creek's sustainability and responsibility goals-embedding them into every sourcing decision, factory selection, and product development choice.
• Ensure all supply chain compliance certificates are current and maintained, including HIGG Index reporting.
• Lead vendor sustainability audits and ensure factories meet Storm Creek's standards for labor, environmental practices, and ethical production.
• Partner with the Sustainability Specialist to continuously advance the program.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead, develop, and inspire the product team-setting clear goals, building capability, and holding everyone accountable.
• Serve as the communication hub for all product-related information across Design, Purchasing, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Operations.
• Partner with Marketing to equip the team with the product information needed to create compelling sales collateral, hangtags, packaging, and digital content.
• Foster a culture of high performance, continuous improvement, and deep cross-departmental trust.

Experience

What We're Looking For

• 12+ years of progressive experience in apparel product management, merchandising, and global sourcing-with proven ownership across the full product life cycle.
• Deep hands-on experience in international factory engagement, including direct negotiations, facility assessments, and sustained vendor relationship management.
• Demonstrated success leading senior-level product strategy in a fast-paced, multi-channel apparel business.
• Experience as a working apparel designer is required.
• Proven track record managing cross-functional teams and holding the calendar in high-stakes, deadline-driven environments.
• Experience working across multiple countries with strong understanding of Asian manufacturing ecosystems, regional pricing, and cultural nuances.
• Background in garment manufacturing and textile sourcing, including a clear understanding of labor rates, production capacity, fabric costing, and cost modeling.
• Freight forwarding knowledge, including coordination and cost optimization across international shipments.

Skills & Capabilities

• Exceptional organizational skills-obsessed with details, capable of managing competing priorities without dropping anything.
• Strong financial acumen: proficiency in product costing, margin analysis, and the ability to translate financial metrics into product decisions.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel; experience with ERP and PLM systems; data visualization tools a plus.
• Skilled communicator-able to present strategy to leadership, align cross-functional teams, and navigate difficult factory conversations with equal confidence.
• Sustainability knowledge, including familiarity with HIGG Index, compliance certifications, and responsible sourcing frameworks.
• Proactive problem-solver who anticipates issues before they escalate and acts without being asked.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Product Management, Business, or a related field-or equivalent combination of experience and demonstrated expertise.

Benefits

• Health: Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Financial: 401(k) and life & disability insurance
• Time Off: PTO + 8 company holidays + 1 floating holiday
• Community: 8 paid volunteer hours annually
• Mission: Work for a B Corp that donates 5%+ of profits and genuinely lives its values

We're an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse, inclusive team.

Storm Creek is proud to be a women-owned, B Corp-certified employer.