Liz Burks
Design & Product Manager · Maggie Sottero Designs
Arvada, CO
In My Own Words
Creative, energetic, flexible, detail oriented, and deadline driven Design & Product Manager with 9 years of experience managing a design team from concept through commercialization. Promoted to current role within two years with hard work, detail-oriented problem solving, passion, and creativity. Entrusted to create and execute development timelines and ensure award-winning global product, which is represented in over 70 countries and 1500 retail stores. Strong capability to recognize design and development issues with the ability to bring forward strategic direction to prioritize those issues and take appropriate actions with professionalism.
Work Experience
Design & Product Manager
Maggie Sottero Designs2007 – 2019
• Created and develop timelines and calendars that accelerated production time by 12-weeks. • Streamlined design procedures and strategy to accelerate design development timeline resulting in a 12-week reduction in delivery of prototypes, product to our market, & photo shoots. • Vetted international factories and narrowed down from 11 factories to 8 to ensure efficiency in production of product. • Removed unstable material and colorways from inventory based on previous disruptions in production increasing product to market by 6 months. • Daily communication with overseas vendors and factories regarding product development progress and sample production. • Constant partnership and collaboration with our Sales & Marketing team to ensure the most on brand products are released each season based on customer feedback and trends. • Coach, mentor, and manage a team of 13, consisting of 3 designers, 5 design associates, 2 fit models and 3 seamstresses. • Strong knowledge and understanding of large-scale apparel product design, production and manufacturing. • Proof product details for catalogs, sales rep presentations, market materials, and website to ensure all information represents our products correctly. • Travel to our international factories for quality control checks, review prototype, and product development. • Procedural and accountability meetings with our international factory management teams to continue our strong partnerships. • Oversee QC checks in our USA office and our international factories on new and existing product. Ensure QA standards and specifications are followed and met. • Attend seasonal Trade Shows, multiple times a year, for market research and future development. • Final approval on all Trade Show sample ordering and purchase orders.
