Associate Product Development Manager

ASSOCIATE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

REPORTS TO: PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

STATUS: EXEMPT

Summary

Boot Barn is where community comes first. We thrive on togetherness, collaboration, and belonging. We build each other up, listen intently, and implement out-of-the-box ideas.  We celebrate new innovations, congratulate one another’s achievements, and most importantly support each other.

At Boot Barn, we work together to make a positive impact on the world around us, and by working collectively with encouragement, we consider ourselves “Partners.” With the values of the West guiding us, Boot Barn celebrates heritage, welcomes all, and values each unique Partner within our Boot Barn community.

Our vision is to offer everyone a piece of the American spirit – one handshake at a time. 

The Associate Product Development Manager is responsible for supporting the execution of product development strategies across assigned categories, from initial concept through final production handoff. This role plays a critical part in managing the product lifecycle, ensuring that all styles meet brand standards for quality, fit, cost, and aesthetic.

Operating as a key liaison between internal teams—including Design, Merchandising, Sourcing, Planning, and Technical Design—and external vendor partners, this role ensures that seasonal product lines are developed on time, within margin goals, and aligned with the creative direction. The Associate Product Development Manager contributes to material and trim development, manages PLM data accuracy, and supports all phases of sample management and product approvals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Style, Tech Pack, and BOM management: Manage accurate creation and maintenance of style records, and Bills of Materials (BOMs) within PLM (Centric), ensuring development integrity.
• Preseason concept raw material development: Collaborate with Design and Sourcing to develop raw materials aligned with seasonal concepts, innovation targets, and cost goals.
• Centric Style Creation/Carryover: Build new styles and manage seasonal carryovers in Centric PLM, ensuring data accuracy throughout the development lifecycle.
• Create Style Colorways: Generate and maintain seasonal colorways per style, ensuring alignment with creative and merchandising direction.
• Style Status Updates: Monitor and update style statuses including additions and drops, providing rationale and ensuring timely communication across teams.
• Bill of Materials Ownership: Create and manage BOMs with complete and up-to-date information on fabrics, trims, and construction details.
• Supplier Sample Request Management: Submit and track development sample requests with vendors; ensure timely receipt and escalate delays when necessary.
• Target Margin Support (EB Goals): Support cost optimization efforts by recommending fabric or trim alternatives to help meet enterprise-wide margin targets.
• Trim Package Development: Lead the development and approval of seasonal trim packages, ensuring aesthetic alignment and cost efficiency.
• Lab Dip, wash, print/pattern development: Coordinate lab dip, print, and wash submissions; track approvals to ensure calendar alignment and aesthetic consistency.
• Sample Tracking and Risk Management: Manage and track samples across all development stages; prepare for key milestone meetings and escalate risk as needed.
• Partner with Tech Design for Sample Fittings: Work closely with Technical Design to support fittings and ensure sample quality aligns with brand standards.
• Style Comments and Communication: Document and distribute development and fit comments to vendors and internal partners for action.
• Line Handoff Management: Facilitate final handoff of product lines to both Technical Design and Production teams post-Line Freeze.
• WIP and PLM Data Management: Maintain accurate development work-in-progress reports and ensure Centric PLM data is current across all style records.
• Demonstrates high level of quality work, attendance and appearance.
• Demonstrates high degree of professionalism in communication, attitude and teamwork with customers, peers and management.
• Adhere to all local, federal and state laws in addition to Company policies, procedures, and practices.
• Performs any other duties that may be assigned by management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Product Development, Textiles, or related field
• 3+ years of experience with product development
• Vast knowledge and working experience with garment construction, textile development and category-specific product development including complex categories such as Denim and Outerwear (high technology-performance experience a plus)
• Proven ability to manage full product lifecycle from Concept to Buy placement with a focus on cost engineering
• Strong communication skills with a track record of achieving metrics without compromising product quality or timelines
• PLM, Microsoft Office Suite; Proficient in Excel
• Ability to travel a minimum of 10% to visit international vendors, mills and development facilities when requested
• Problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast paced, deadline driven environment
• Strong communication, customer service, time management and organizational skills

Competencies

• Attention to Detail: Ensures accuracy in data, documentation, and sample management; takes pride in precision.
• Project Management: Strong time management and organizational skills to drive deadlines across multiple development cycles.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Works effectively with teams across design, sourcing, tech design, and production to achieve shared goals.
• Problem Solving: Identifies issues proactively and proposes practical, data-informed solutions to keep product timelines on track.
• Communication: Communicates clearly and professionally in both written and verbal formats with internal teams and external vendors.
• Product & Industry Knowledge: Understands apparel construction, material development, PLM systems, and market trends relevant to the product category.
• Versatility: Maintains composure and effectiveness in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment with shifting priorities.
• Ownership & Accountability: Demonstrates initiative, follows through on tasks, and takes responsibility for quality and accuracy of work.

Boot Barn Benefits & Additional Compensation Opportunities

• Competitive salary. (insert any other compensation opportunities here)
• Merchandise discount: 50% off of Exclusive Brands and 40% off of third-party brands.
• Paid Time Off plan for year-round Boot Barn Partners.*
• Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance.*
• 401(k) plan with generous company matching.
• Flexible schedules and work/life balance.
• Opportunities for growth at every level – we are opening 50+ new stores each year.

*For eligible Boot Barn Partners

PAY RANGE: $70,500.00 - $72,000.00/yr*

*compensation varies based on geography, skills, experience, and tenure

Physical Demands

In general, the following physical demands are representative of those that must be met by a Partner to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to allow differently abled individuals to perform the essential functions of the job.

• Standing, walking and squatting less than 50% of the work shift
• Required to lift, move and carry up to 40 pounds
• Ability to read, count and write to accurately complete all documentation and reports
• Must be able to see, hear and speak in order to communicate with partners and vendors
• Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus
• Manual dexterity required using hands to finger; handle, feel and type; reach with hands and arms.

[    ] Sedentary: Limited activity, no lifting, limited walking

[ X ] Light: Office work, some lifting, bending, stooping or kneeling, walking

[    ] Moderate: Mostly standing, walking, bending, frequent lifting

[    ] Arduous: Heavy lifting, bending, crawling, climbing

Work Environment

In general, the following conditions of the work environment are representative of those that a Partner encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to allow differently abled individuals to perform the essential functions of the job within the environment.

• The workspace is clean, orderly, properly lighted and ventilated with the proper safety compliance.
• Noise levels are considered moderate.

Boot Barn, Inc. reserves the right to make exceptions to modify or eliminate this document or its content.  This document supersedes all previous policies, procedures or guidelines pertaining to this subject.

Our core value of community bands us together in supportive and inclusive ways to drive our collective success. Boot Barn provides equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national or ethnic origin, veteran or military status, disability, as well as any other protected status under the law.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - Boot Barn will provide reasonable accommodations (such as a qualified sign language interpreter or other personal assistance) with the application process upon your request as required by applicable laws. If you have a disability and require assistance in this application process, please visit your nearest Boot Barn Store or Distribution Center or reach out to Human Resources at 1-949-453-4400, Option 4.

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