SOPHIA AYALA
New York,NY
Summary
Knowledgeable Product Development Manager adept at collaborating with team members, other departments and customers to produce relevant, high-quality products that drive company growth. Well-organized and proactive with excellent communication and planning abilities.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
SENIOR PRODUCT DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
CAPELLI NEW YORK
05.2019 - Current
- Manages team of 7 direct reports.
- Directs all design, development and merchandising for private label brands of mass market and specialty retailers.
- Directs all design development and merchandising for companies own brands and licensed brands for off price and department stores.
- Identifies opportunities for new products and improvements to existing products to increase sales.
- Conducts market research to understand customer needs and identify potential opportunities.
- Captures new customers by optimizing business strategies and launching products to diversify offerings.
- Leads sourcing and cost negotiations with overseas vendors.
- Works cross functionally with Sales, Production and Packaging teams.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
MACY'S INC
02.2019 - 05.2019
- Makes all sourcing decisions independently of the Product Director that satisfies the customer demand and achieves sales, turn and margin plan.
- Follows competitive marketplace and pursues white space opportunities that align with company strategy.
- Supports Product Manager to drive in season business effectively through influence of promotional strategies based on current business needs.
- Collaborated with sales, marketing, and support teams to launch products on time and within budget.
- Analyzed metrics to measure product performance.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
FANTASIA ACCESSORIES
08.2018 - 02.2019
- Worked with all stages of the development process including DVP, PP and TOP samples.
- Worked with the Director on aesthetic execution and production issues.
- Arranged for testing of product and followed up on results.
- Inspected final products to assess compliance with quality standards and established tolerances.
- Organized work to meet demanding production goals.
- Attended weekly development team meetings and assisted in identification and resolution of issues to maintain timeline and budget integrity.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT
CAPELLI NEW YORK
09.2017 - 08.2018
- Assisted with the developing and designing of new products and concepts for each season.
- Maintained PLM database with all product specifications.
- Communicated with overseas factories daily to ensure samples are correct and resolve any issues.
- Worked cross-functionally with Sales and Production teams.
PRE-PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
LYDELL JEWELRY DESIGN STUDIO
05.2017 - 09.2017
- Collaborated with production team to facilitate smooth operations, avoiding disruptions and delays.
- Sourced, purchased and tracked component orders for design.
- Created and updated records and files to maintain document compliance.
- Requested and tracked all development samples.
- Worked with production, design, sales and merchandising on aesthetic execution issues.
Education
B.A.S - FASHION MERCHANDISING MANAGEMENT
FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Timeline
SENIOR PRODUCT DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
CAPELLI NEW YORK
05.2019 - Current
ASSOCIATE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
MACY'S INC
02.2019 - 05.2019
ASSOCIATE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
FANTASIA ACCESSORIES
08.2018 - 02.2019
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT
CAPELLI NEW YORK
09.2017 - 08.2018
PRE-PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
LYDELL JEWELRY DESIGN STUDIO
05.2017 - 09.2017
B.A.S - FASHION MERCHANDISING MANAGEMENT
FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
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