Director Retail Development Jobs in Arkansas (NOW HIRING)

About Us

Earthbound is the industry's most experienced, trusted, and respected brand licensing and product design company, with a passion for creating a competitive edge through the evolution and expansion of brands. Our seasoned, innovative, and agile capabilities deliver superior results while maintaining our uncompromising values which place people first, embrace change, and act with humility and integrity. For more information, please visitwww.earthboundbrands.com.

Our office is located in Bentonville, AR and we are currently operating on a hybrid schedule, in office Monday through Wednesday and remote on Thursday and Friday.

The Role

We are looking for a mid-level Product Development Manager (PDM) to join our Product Development team. This role is critical to bringing our seasonal home assortments to life across Walmart's in-store and .com channels.

This position will focus on theWindow Curtains, Window Hardware, and Decorative Accent categories (Walmart Department 17 Home Dcor).

The PDM is a key connector across the business both internally and externally. You will work hand-in-hand with our internal design partners, PD Directors, packaging team and marketing team, as well as external partners including Walmart merchants, suppliers, and cross-functional Walmart stakeholders. You are organized, detail-oriented, commercially minded, and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

What You'll Do

Strategy & Planning

• Partner with PD and Design leadership to support seasonal planning
• Contribute to the development and management of the Design Brief including SKU counts, supplier matrix, price points, fabrications, and assortment structure
• Support the seasonal vision and operating plan process, ensuring category-level research and trend insights translate into clear, actionable product direction

Product Development & Execution

• Own and maintain the Item Development Matrix (IDM) in Airtable throughout the product lifecycle from brief through commitment and post-production
• Manage supplier relationships day-to-day, ensuring clear communication, accurate timelines, and on-brief execution
• Lead the handoff meeting with the Execution Team at post-commit stage, providing full context on suppliers, deadlines, testing requirements, and all relevant details
• Partner with the Execution Team on post-commit tracking, sample approvals, and IDM updates
• Conduct and/or support PDP audits ensuring product details, imagery, and photography are correct and complete across all channels

Sample Review & Approvals

• Participate in Round 1 sample reviews alongside Design and PD Directors
• Escalate design intent issues, color discrepancies, or quality concerns to the appropriate stakeholders promptly
• Support the internal leadership review process ensuring designs are brief-compliant and aligned before presenting to senior leadership for approval

Packaging & Photography Coordination

• Prepare and present comprehensive assortment updates at the packaging and photography handoff meeting, including a detailed review of needs across in-store and .com channels
• Coordinate with the Packaging Project Manager on sample requests, dielines, intake forms, and milestone deadlines
• Flag any deadline risks proactively to the Walmart Merchant

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with Walmart merchants and cross-functional Walmart teams serving as a key point of contact on product details, timelines, and assortment updates
• Collaborate with Earthbound's internal marketing team to ensure product strategy aligns with marketing priorities and key category storytelling
• Work closely with design team counterpart and leadership to ensure product briefs are clear, specific, and actionable
• Partner with Retail Analytics to understand category performance, volume drivers, and business trends
• Contribute to the end-of-season review process prepared to speak to product performance data and provide informed interpretation

What You Bring

• 35 years of experience in product development, ideally within home dcor, soft goods, or consumer products
• Strong understanding of the retail product lifecycle from concept through to on-shelf execution
• Experience managing supplier relationships and navigating post-commitment processes
• Proven ability to work effectively with both internal teams and external retail partners comfort working directly with merchant teams at major retailers is a strong plus
• Experience working with Walmart or other major mass-market retailers preferred
• Comfort working with data you can read a category health report and speak confidently to what it means
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail you can manage multiple categories and deadlines simultaneously without dropping the ball
• Clear, direct communicator you know how to brief a supplier, align an internal team, and manage an external retailer relationship
• Familiarity with PDP audits and .com assortment requirements preferred
• Experience working with Airtable or similar project management and data tracking tools preferred
• A collaborative spirit you understand that great product is the result of strong partnerships, both inside and outside the building

Physical Demands:

• Management of samples: this position involves constant moving, standing and lifting. May occasionally involve reaching, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and climbing ladders. May involve reaching above eye level.
• Involves close vision, color vision, depth perception, and focus adjustment

What Makes This Role Special

At Earthbound, the PDM isn't just a project manager you are a strategic partner to our design and business teams, and a key representative to the world's largest retailer. You'll have visibility across the full product ecosystem, from the earliest category strategy conversations through to what the customer sees on the shelf. You'll work on some of the most recognized home brands in retail, with a team that is deeply invested in doing the work well.