Director, Product Development - Denim

THE ROLE (what you are accountable for):

• Lead Product Development: Oversee the end-to-end denim product development process from initial concept through production handoff, ensuring products meet True Religion’s quality, fit, construction, and aesthetic standards while balancing cost, manufacturability, and speed to market.
• Costing & Margin Accountability: Own the denim costing process, ensuring all products are developed within True Religion’s established costing parameters and IMU targets. Proactively identify costing challenges and drive solutions without compromising design intent or quality.
• Denim Expertise & Innovation: Apply deep expertise in fabrics, washes, finishes, trims, and construction to drive product innovation while ensuring commercial feasibility within True Religion’s costing requirements.
• Vendor Management & Negotiations: Expand and strengthen the denim vendor base by introducing and onboarding cost-competitive manufacturing partners that meet True Religion’s costing parameters, quality standards, and production requirements. Lead vendor negotiations to secure cost, quality, and delivery commitments.
• Development Calendar & Execution: Own and manage seasonal development calendars, ensuring key milestones, sample approvals, costing deadlines, and production handoffs are achieved on time. Proactively identify risks and drive corrective actions to prevent delays.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Design, Merchandising, Technical Design, Production, and Sourcing to align on product expectations, costing, development priorities, and timelines. Drive timely decisions and ensure accountability across teams.
• Process Improvement & Operational Efficiency: Identify opportunities to strengthen development processes, improve costing accuracy, eliminate inefficiencies, and drive faster, more effective execution across the denim business.
• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and develop the denim product development team, including the Product Development Manager and Wash Manager, establishing clear expectations, accountability, and performance standards while building a collaborative, solutions-oriented team.
• Strategic Planning & Business Partnership: Partner with Sourcing leadership to support seasonal business objectives, identify opportunities for margin improvement, strengthen vendor capabilities, and continuously improve product development performance.

REQUIRED MINIMUM EXPERIENCE

• Experience developing both men's and women's fashion denim programs. 
• Experience with global vendor networks and denim wash development. 
• Familiarity with costing analysis, IMU reporting, and product lifecycle systems. 

ADDITIONAL ROLE INFORMATION

• Compensation: The anticipated base salary range for this role is $150,000 – $180,000. This is a full-time, exempt position. This range represents the low and high end of the expected base salary range for this role based on the applicable location. True Religion reasonably expects to pay within this range in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors including relevant experience, skills, knowledge, and internal equity.
• Perks: We offer a mix of benefits and perks to support our employees at work and beyond, including health benefits, a 401(k) with employer match, merchandise discounts, commuter benefits, wellness & employee assistance programs, and more. 
• Work Model: This role is based in El Segundo, CA, and will initially require five days per week in the office to support onboarding, team integration, and cross-functional collaboration. Following the initial transition period, the role will move to a hybrid work model of four days per week in the office and one remote day, with an expectation of in-office presence on designated days to support collaboration and business needs.
• Employment Eligibility: Employment with True Religion is contingent upon meeting applicable employment eligibility requirements.