The posting
Position Summary
The Product Development Assistant supports the development and management of the PLANTS & PRESERVED assortment, working collaboratively with the Sr. Director of Product Development to manage the product life cycle from inspiration and ideation through commercialization, photography, and launch. The position owns day-to-day execution across line list management, product development, vendor and sample coordination, hard goods and packaging, gross margin, creative turnover, and Live Date List readiness. This position combines product development coordination and hands-on product management, requiring regular interaction with live plants, preserved products, hard goods, packaging and physical samples throughout the development and commercialization process.
This position reports to the Sr. Director of Product Development and partners cross-functionally with Merchandising, Planning, Procurement, Vendor Relations, Quality Assurance, Creative, Photography and Legal to bring customer-focused products to market on time and with accurate product information.
The Product Development Assistant in this position is responsible for:
- Managing the line list for new seasonal and core development, ensuring assortment updates and documentation are accurate and current
- Coordinating key product development milestones and timelines, identifying dependencies, risks, and follow-up needs
- Managing component, samples, material, product specification, and packaging information throughout development
- Supporting development of hard goods including planters, plush, preserved roses, wreaths, centerpieces, add-ons, and other innovative products
- Partnering with vendors to obtain samples, coordinate revisions, support box fit and complete ship sample approvals
- Preparing and maintaining gross margin calculations for core and seasonal products
- Coordinating photography samples and creative/copy turnover with accurate product features and attributes
- Ensuring commercialized products are ready to launch according to the Live Date List, including dates, retails, names, and legal/trademark review
- Maintaining accurate product data and images across internal assortment systems and documents.
- Partnering with Procurement and Vendor Relations on commercialization, packaging, QA and CSI-related issues and resolution
- Managing sample/design room organization, labeling, inventory and readiness for meetings and development work
The person in this position will perform the following tasks:
- Manage and update the line list and related assortment documentation for seasonal and core development
- Coordinate samples for product development meetings, test shipping, photography, box fit and vendor review; track approvals and returned samples.
- Maintain product, component and packaging specifications and supporting documentation
- Gather market, competitor and trend data to support assortment and product development decisions
- Review product data, images, pricing, names, and dates for accuracy prior to launch and cross-check website information
- Attend cross-functional meetings, commercialization meetings and product development events and communicate actions and follow-up
- Prepare and maintain gross margin calculations and supporting files
- Assist with product presentations, assortment turnovers, and preparation of materials for internal reviews
- Prepare creative briefs and care-card information for products requiring customer education or product-specific instructions
- Prepare photography and creative turnover materials, including product features, attributes, colors, descriptions, functionality, and occasion
- Work with the Sr. Director of Product Development to support product design, sample creation, and development revisions
- Provide recommendations for process and system improvements based on daily interactions with internal systems and cross-functional partners
A successful Product Development Assistant will demonstrate the following:
- Strong ownership, follow-through and accountability for product development deliverables and deadlines
- Excellent critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
- Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and detailed product information in a fast-paced environment
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret product, cost, pricing, and gross margin information
- Exceptional organization, accuracy, writing, proofreading, and data management skills
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across functions and with external vendors
- Ability to absorb information quickly, work independently and confidently follow through with limited direction
- Self-starter with a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach and a strong customer and product focus
- Experience in décor, gift, floral, plants, home or related consumer product categories is a plus
- Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, merchandising, product development, or a related field
- Minimum 2 years of experience in product development, merchandising, product management, or a related role
- Proficiency in MS Office applications
- Above-average knowledge of MS Excel
- Strong data entry, documentation, and proofreading skills
- Ability to analyze numerical data, pricing and gross margin calculations and ensure accuracy
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Strong organizational and project management skills
- Knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud applications and/or PLM systems is preferred, but not required
The expected salary for this position is $66,000 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, skills, internal equity, and other factors permitted by law.
To support our commitment to being an employer of choice, we offer comprehensive and competitive health, wellness, and additional benefits to eligible full-time team members. Benefit eligibility may vary based on location, average hours worked, and length of service.
Benefits may include*:
- Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance for the associate and eligible dependents
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Health Savings Account (HSA)
- 401(k) retirement savings program
- Mental health resources and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Paid vacation time (accrued based on hours worked and tenure)
- Paid company holidays
- Employee discount across our family of brands
- Potential eligibility for annual merit-based compensation increases, where applicable
*Exact benefit terms, conditions, and eligibility requirements are governed by official plan documents and applicable law. The Company reserves the right to modify, amend, or terminate benefit plans and programs at any time.
