Product Development Associate at Steve Madden in New York, NY

Summary: Steve Madden is a global fashion company known for trend-driven footwear, accessories, and apparel. The Product Development Associate supports product development and production from order placement through final execution, coordinating samples, purchase orders, product information, and timelines across internal teams, overseas offices, factories, and customers.

Responsibilities:
- Support the product development and production process from order placement through final execution, helping ensure product moves smoothly and accurately through each stage
- Communicate daily with overseas offices and factory partners to keep development and production timelines on track
- Coordinate and track sample requests and deliveries between factories and customers, ensuring samples arrive accurately and on time
- Create and maintain sample hangtags for all development and production samples
- Maintain and update Spark with accurate product, development, and order information
- Prepare detailed buy sheets following order placement to support Production and internal teams
- Place purchase orders with factories, ensuring all product, quantity, pricing, and order details are accurate
- Enter customer purchase orders into internal systems accurately and within established timelines
- Maintain the tracking sheet, ensuring all order and development information is current and complete
- Review purchase orders for discrepancies and communicate issues to the customer while coordinating resolution with internal and overseas teams
- Manage item setup following order placement, ensuring all product information is complete and accurate
- Maintain organized, up-to-date records and documentation throughout the development and production lifecycle
- Partner closely with Sales, Design, Production, Sourcing, and overseas teams to coordinate priorities and resolve issues
- Act as a reliable point of contact between internal teams, global partners, factories, and customers
- Proactively follow up on open items, identify potential issues, and help keep critical milestones on schedule
- Support special projects and additional initiatives as needed

Required Qualifications:
- Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail, you're someone who naturally keeps track of the details while seeing the bigger picture
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong follow-up skills and a proactive approach to getting things done
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office Suite
- Ability to collaborate effectively with multiple departments and build strong working relationships
- A solutions-oriented mindset with the ability to identify issues, communicate clearly, and help drive them to resolution

Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience working with overseas vendors, factories, or global partners is a plus
- Experience with product development, production, merchandising, or order management systems is preferred

Required Skills: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office Suite, Product Development, Production Management, Order Management Systems, Purchase Order Management, Sample Coordination

Benefits: Health and dental insurance, Life insurance, Disability insurance, 401K, Paid holidays, A generous paid time-off policy, Career opportunities within a dynamic team