About the Role
The Product Manager plays a critical role in shaping Pendleton’s product vision by translating consumer insights, marketplace opportunities, and business objectives into commercially successful apparel assortments. This role owns assigned apparel categories and/or franchises across the seasonal product lifecycle, partnering closely with cross-functional teams to deliver consumer-led, brand-right product. This position offers the opportunity to influence product direction, business growth, and consumer connection while protecting the heritage, craftsmanship, and enduring quality that define the Pendleton brand.
Responsibilities
- Own assigned apparel categories and/or franchises across the seasonal product lifecycle.
- Develop seasonal assortment strategies using consumer insights, historical performance, marketplace trends, competitive analysis, channel feedback, and company growth priorities.
- Build and manage seasonal line architecture, including category roles, style/color counts, product flow, price ladders, franchise positioning, and lifecycle recommendations.
- Identify opportunities to grow, evolve, consolidate, refresh, carry over, or exit products and franchises based on consumer relevance and business performance, supporting multi-season franchise strategies and scalable product platforms.
- Partner with Design to translate business and consumer opportunities into clear product briefs and seasonal assortment direction that protects Pendleton's heritage and product integrity.
- Analyze sales, margin, sell-through, inventory, productivity, consumer performance, and seasonal hindsight to identify opportunities and inform future assortment decisions.
- Develop pricing recommendations and manage price architecture across assigned categories.
- Partner with Development, Sourcing, and Planning to manage product costs and achieve seasonal gross margin targets.
- Evaluate product adoption and investment decisions based on consumer relevance, assortment need, cost, margin, productivity, MOQ requirements, and financial opportunity.
- Partner with Planning, Sales, and DTC to align forecasts, channel needs, and product investments.
- Lead Product Management activities from seasonal strategy and briefing through adoption, commercialization, and in-market performance.
- Lead and participate in key seasonal product milestones and provide clear product direction and decision-making throughout the development process.
- Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure product execution aligns with product briefs, financial objectives, calendar expectations, quality standards, and brand direction.
- Identify and escalate risks related to assortment clarity, cost, margin, development capacity, quality, delivery, or calendar timing, and partner with Product Line Coordinator/Product Operations resources on product data and administrative execution.
- Partner with Sales and DTC to develop channel-appropriate assortments while maintaining a cohesive Pendleton brand and product strategy.
- Evaluate SMU, collaboration, regional, marketplace, and exclusive opportunities based on strategic alignment, revenue opportunity, margin, MOQ requirements, and organizational capacity.
- Manage approved special product programs through the product creation process in partnership with cross-functional teams.
- Serve as the primary Product Management contact for assigned categories and communicate product strategies, assortment decisions, financial implications, and development priorities.
- Build strong working relationships across Design, Development, Technical Design, Sourcing, Planning, Sales, DTC, Marketing, Creative, and external partners to drive alignment and execution.
- Present seasonal product strategies, assortments, business performance, risks, and opportunities to cross-functional teams, leadership, key accounts, and marketplace partners as needed.
Requirements
- Demonstrates strong consumer, product, and commercial judgment and balances brand strategy, financial objectives, and operational realities when making decisions.
- Uses consumer insights, business performance, and marketplace intelligence to identify opportunities and make recommendations.
- Understands apparel product creation, costing, pricing, margin management, assortment planning, and seasonal calendars.
- Manages multiple categories, projects, and seasonal priorities while maintaining accountability, attention to detail, and follow-through.
- Communicates effectively, builds strong cross-functional partnerships, and demonstrates curiosity, adaptability, and proactive problem-solving.
- Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Business, Product Management, Apparel, Textiles, Fashion, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 4+ years of experience in apparel product management, merchandising, category management, buying, product development, or related consumer product roles.
- Demonstrated experience managing apparel assortments through the product creation lifecycle and using sales, margin, consumer, and marketplace insights to inform product decisions.
- Working knowledge of apparel costing, pricing, margin management, assortment planning, seasonal calendars, and cross-functional product creation processes.
- Operates in a standard office environment and regularly uses computers and digital tools; requires the ability to visually assess product details and handle samples and product materials.
- Occasionally requires lifting and carrying product materials up to 25 lbs. and domestic and/or international travel for markets, trade shows, account meetings, and production or vendor visits.
Skills
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint
- Experience with PLM systems
- Experience with product data management tools
- Experience with business intelligence and reporting tools (preferred)
Location
- Standard office environment
Work Type
- Full-time
Experience Level
- 4+ years of experience
Education Level
- Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Business, Product Management, Apparel, Textiles, Fashion, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
About the Company
- Pendleton has been woven in the West since 1863.
- Built on a legacy of craft, quality, and authenticity, our products are known for their timeless design and enduring stories.
