Director Product Development - Handbags and Small Leather Goods

We are an American luxury lifestyle brand, founded in 2004. Anchored in the casual elegance of American sportswear, Tory’s design philosophy is defined by effortless silhouettes, innovative materials, eclectic juxtapositions of color, and the tension of past and present. The collections include ready-to-wear, handbags, footwear, accessories, jewelry, home and beauty.

Empowering women is the company’s guiding principle, expressed through Tory’s collections and reflected in the company culture as well as the work of the Tory Burch Foundation. Established in 2009, the Foundation provides women entrepreneurs in the United States with capital, education and community.

You are seeking a work environment where people are encouraged to dream, explore, discover and, as important, laugh together. If you’re prepared to work hard, create impact, and have fun while doing it, we would love to have you join #TeamTory. Apply today!

Life @ToryBurch is Special Because:

When you join us, you’re joining a global, purpose-led company on an exciting growth journey with an amazing culture and great benefits.

• Our culture is welcoming and inclusive -- everyone is empowered to make a difference.
• We have the best team in the world and believe in paying competitively and rewarding for high performance.
• Your overall well-being is important to us; we offer generous benefits to help you take care of your mental and physical health, create financial security, and achieve wellness in all areas of your life.
• We love seeing our employees wear our beautiful collections. You’ll receive a generous employee discount and access to exclusive sample sales.
• We are invested in your professional growth – you’ll have access to free executive coaching on-demand.

This Role is Tailor-Made for You Because:

A Day in the Life:

Job Summary

The Director, Product Development, HBSLGs leads the end-to-end product development process for handbags and small leather goods, covering concept interpretation, development planning, sample execution, cross-functional coordination, commercialization and production handover, and continuous improvement of development standards.

Based in HK, this role acts as a key product development and operational partner between Design, NY PD, Tech, QA, Raw Materials, Costing, Testing, Production, and vendor partners to ensure each product meets brand aesthetics, quality expectations, cost targets, delivery timelines, safety requirements, and bulk production readiness.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the full HBSLGs product development process from design handoff, development review, construction and feasibility alignment, prototype and sales sample review, pre-production approval support, and final production readiness coordination.

• Partner closely with Design, NY PD, Tech, QA, Raw Materials, Costing, Testing, Production and vendors to align development goals, seasonal calendars, sample priorities, construction considerations, cost implications, and handover milestones.

• Apply strong product and technical understanding of bag construction, materials, workmanship standards, fit-for-use requirements, and production feasibility to support balanced decisions across aesthetics, quality, cost, and manufacturability.

• Identify product development, construction, fit-for-use, quality, testing and production risks early in the development cycle, working with technical and quality partners to resolve issues and avoid late-stage changes.

• Drive sample execution, development validation, testing follow-up, product approval samples review and approval progress against agreed seasonal timelines, escalating key issues with clear recommendations and action plans.

• Set clear development standards and monitor supplier and development KPIs such as sample hit rate, approval lead time, issue closure, calendar adherence, and production readiness, using insights to raise execution discipline and drive continuous improvement.

• Lead, coach and develop the product development team by setting clear ownership, strengthening development discipline, improving problem-solving and influencing skills, and reinforcing accountability for KPI delivery, calendar adherence, cross-functional communication, and vendor partnership.

EDUCATION & REQUIREMENTS

• 15+ years of experience in product development, pre-production, or commercialization for handbags and small leather goods, preferably within global brands, retailers, sourcing offices, or manufacturing environments.

• 5+ years of leadership experience, with the ability to lead product development teams, manage competing seasonal priorities, influence cross-functional partners without direct authority, drive KPI ownership, and maintain strong calendar discipline across development milestones.

• Strong working knowledge of HBSLGs construction, materials, trims, finishing techniques, testing requirements, and manufacturing processes, with the ability to identify risks and partner with technical experts on solutions.

• Able to balance design intent with technical feasibility, quality performance, cost targets, vendor capability, production efficiency, and consumer-use expectations.

• Strong problem-solving, communication, influencing, stakeholder management, decision-making, escalation, and vendor partnership skills, with the ability to convert product development and calendar risks into clear options, KPI-based priorities, and actionable recovery plans.

• Fluent written and spoken English; Mandarin and/or Cantonese speaking will be plus.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office and structured development tracking tools; experience with seasonal calendars, sample trackers, issue logs, PLM systems, or other product workflow platforms is a plus.

KEY SUCCESS MEASURES

• Product development and production-readiness milestones delivered on time against the seasonal calendar, with clear ownership, proactive tracking, and timely escalation of risks or delays.

• Improved sample quality, approval efficiency, testing pass rate, production readiness, and early risk mitigation.

• Strong alignment across NY PD, Tech, QA, Raw Materials, Costing, Production, and vendor teams, with timely decision-making and clear issue ownership.

• Effective team leadership demonstrated through stronger product development capability, clearer accountability, improved communication, stronger influencing across functions, disciplined KPI management, and consistent follow-through on calendar commitments.

• Continuous improvement in development standards, sample execution, cost effectiveness, vendor capability, production readiness, innovation adoption, and repeatable best practices across HBSLGs categories.

To Land This Role:

Why You'll Want to Join Our Team:

How We Work Together

• Adaptable – We change before we have to
• Entrepreneurial – We own it
• Collaborative – There’s no “I” in Tory
• Client & Brand Focused – We put ourselves in Tory’s shoes
• Live the Values – We show up for each other
• Functional Expertise – We’re constantly learning and growing

#TeamTory Values

We show up with honesty & kindness, act with integrity & compassion, work with passion & humility and lead with excellence & humor.