Product Development Lab Manager Jobs in Arkansas

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 visit www.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 an Associate Product Development Manager to join our Product Development team. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career in retail product development on some of the most recognized home brands in mass retail.

Working closely with a Senior Product Development Manager or Director you will own the full product lifecycle for your assigned subcategories — from seasonal planning and design briefs through to supplier management, sample reviews, and packaging coordination. You'll also support the broader team on larger category initiatives. You'll work alongside talented internal teams and build direct relationships with Walmart merchants, suppliers, and cross-functional partners.

What You'll Do

Strategy & Planning

• Partner with PD and Design leadership to support seasonal planning compiling competitive and market data, trend insights, and category analysis to inform strategic direction
• Contribute to the development and management of the Design Brief — including SKU counts, supplier matrix, price points, fabrications, and assortment structure

Product Development & Execution

• Own and maintain the Item Development Matrix (IDM) in Airtable for your assigned categories throughout the product lifecycle — from brief through commitment and post-production
• Lead day-to-day supplier relationships for your categories — initiating and running supplier meetings, reviewing product details, discussing business needs, and ensuring timelines are on track
• Communicate product updates, changes, and follow-ups to suppliers and cross-functional teams in a timely and organized manner
• Manage sample needs across the seasonal calendar for your categories — tracking, requesting, and organizing samples for key reviews and presentations
• Create meeting recaps that capture imagery, item details, strategy, and next steps
  

Sample Review & Approvals

• Assist in the preparation and organization of sample reviews — including set-up, collateral, and documentation
• Support escalation of design intent issues, color discrepancies, or quality concerns to the appropriate PDM or Director
  

Packaging & Photography Coordination

• Communicate new product and packaging needs to the Packaging Project Manager and collaborate throughout the packaging development process
• Support coordination of photography and marketing sample requests for both Walmart and brand teams
• Assist in the preparation of assortment updates for the packaging and photography handoff meeting
  

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Build and maintain working relationships with Walmart merchants, Walmart cross-functional teams, suppliers, and Earthbound's internal design, marketing, and creative teams
• Collaborate with Walmart merchants, PD, and brand teams to evaluate sales performance, focus assortments, and drive brand clarity
• Partner with the design team to ensure product briefs are clear and actionable — and that trend and category direction is well understood across the team
• Support analysis of end-of-season sales performance and contribute to the post-season review process
  

What You Bring

• 2–3 years of relevant experience in retail, product development, buying, merchandising, design, or sourcing
• A genuine interest in home products and an eye for what's on-trend and commercially relevant
• Strong organizational skills — you can manage multiple projects, deadlines, and details at the same time without losing track
• Clear communicator — written and verbal — comfortable working with both internal teams and external retail and supplier partners
• Collaborative by nature — you understand that great product is the result of strong relationships and clear communication across teams
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where priorities can shift and problem-solving is part of the job
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); experience with Airtable or similar tools a plus
• Familiarity with retail link, PLM, or Adobe Illustrator a plus
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed
• Bachelor's degree preferred
  

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