Acting as a key partner to Design, Product Development, and Merchandising, the role ensures that products are executed to the highest standards of quality, cost, and timeline. The position plays a critical role in translating design intent into production-ready solutions while driving supplier performance and managing development from concept through production.What You'll Do
Category Execution & Expertise: Deliver expert execution of handbag sourcing by applying deep category knowledge to ensure products are feasible, high-quality, and aligned to brand standards.
Apply expertise in materials, construction, and finishing to guide product execution
Assess design feasibility, complexity, and vendor capability early in development
Provide clear recommendations to ensure design intent is achievable in production
Supplier Management & Development: Manage and develop supplier relationships to consistently deliver on quality, cost, and timelines.
Oversee day-to-day vendor performance across quality, delivery, cost, and compliance
Drive accountability and continuous improvement with suppliers
Identify and escalate risks or opportunities with actionable recommendations
Costing & Commercial Management: Own costing and negotiations to deliver commercially viable products without compromising quality.
Build and manage detailed product costing across all components
Lead supplier negotiations to achieve cost targets
Identify value engineering opportunities while protecting product integrity
Product Development & Sample Execution: Lead sourcing execution through development to ensure samples meet design, quality, and timeline expectations.
Partner with Design and Product Development to execute prototypes and samples
Review samples to ensure construction, materials, and finishes meet standards
Resolve development issues with vendors to enable on-time approvals
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with cross-functional teams to align product execution with creative, commercial, and operational goals.
Collaborate with Design, Merchandising, Quality, and Sustainability teams
Translate design intent into manufacturable solutions
Influence stakeholders to balance creativity with cost and timing realities.
Proven experience in luxury or premium handbag sourcing or product development
Background working with recognized handbag brands (e.g., Tapestry, Capri, Tory Burch,
Longchamp, Mulberry, Furla, or similar) preferred
Strong exposure to Asia-based manufacturing environments
Demonstrated experience in supplier management and production execution
Technical & Category Expertise: Deep knowledge of handbag construction, including materials, hardware, and finishing techniques. Able to assess design feasibility, complexity, and execution risks, translating creative concepts into manufacturable products while maintaining premium quality and brand standards.
Commercial Acumen: Strong understanding of cost drivers across materials, labor, and production processes. Skilled in negotiations and managing trade-offs, with the ability to identify value engineering opportunities that optimize cost while protecting product quality and brand intent.
Supplier & Execution Management: Proven ability to manage supplier performance across quality, cost, delivery, and compliance. Drives accountability through clear communication, strong follow-through, and proactive issue resolution while building effective, long-term vendor partnerships.
Collaboration & Influence: Effective cross-functional partner who communicates clearly and influences stakeholders without direct authority. Able to align diverse teams, balance creative and commercial priorities, and ensure smooth execution across design, development, and production.
Quality & Problem Solving: Detail-oriented with a strong quality-first mindset suited to premium products. Applies structured problem-solving and root-cause analysis to resolve issues, prevent recurrence, and maintain high standards in fast-paced, complex environments.
Ways of Working: Highly organized and disciplined, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and tight timelines. Uses data to inform decisions, remains resilient under pressure, and operates with a global mindset and cultural awareness, particularly in manufacturing environments.
Skills Required
- Proven experience in luxury or premium handbag sourcing or product development
- Background working with recognized handbag brands preferred
- Strong exposure to Asia-based manufacturing environments
- Demonstrated experience in supplier management and production execution
- Deep knowledge of handbag construction and materials
- Strong understanding of cost drivers and negotiations
- Proven ability to manage supplier performance across quality, cost, delivery
- Effective cross-functional partner
- Detail-oriented with a strong quality-first mindset
- Highly organized and disciplined, able to manage multiple priorities
What We Do
In 1969, Don and Doris Fisher opened the first Gap store on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco. They wanted to make it easier to find a great pair of jeans, and they did. Their denim and records store was a hit, and it grew to become one of the world’s most iconic brands. Today we’re represented in more than 1400 stores in over 40 countries, and online. We have headquarters in New York, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, and, of course, San Francisco. Our unique aesthetic is optimistic cool, elevated American style. Our clothes are crafted with care, with focused attention to thoughtful design. We believe in staying true to our heritage while creating what’s next. Don and Doris Fisher always wanted to “do more than sell clothes.” They wanted to support the people who ran their company, to be active in their communities, and to have a positive impact on the world. Their vision helped transform retail, and we’re still following their lead. We stand for freedom and possibility for all; we champion diverse ideas that transcend generations, geographies and genders.
