Senior Manager, Watch Design – Product Development

American Exchange Group

Senior Manager, leading watch design and product development for brands at American Exchange Group. Overseeing collections from concept through production while collaborating with various stakeholders.

Posted 7/17/2026full-timeNew York City • New York • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $110,000 - $120,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates extensive experience in watch design and product development, with a strong focus on trend forecasting, merchandising, and collaboration with executive leadership and retail partners. Proven ability to lead creative teams, manage multiple brands, and deliver innovative products that align with market demands and brand standards.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Watch Design ExperienceProduct Development ExpertiseTrend ForecastingAdobe Creative Suite ProficiencyLeadership and Mentoring

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills

Watch Construction KnowledgeMaterials ExpertiseManufacturing ProcessesCosting and Pricing AnalysisSales Performance Analysis

Soft Skills

Exceptional CommunicationOrganizational SkillsProject ManagementCreative Problem Solving

Tools & Technologies

Adobe Creative SuiteMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ExcelAI Design Tools

Industry Keywords

Fashion BrandsLifestyle BrandsRetail PartnershipsProduct AssortmentsMarket Trends

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the creative direction and seasonal product strategy for multiple watch brands.
Develop innovative watch collections from concept through production.
Research global trends, shop the marketplace and analyze competitors to identify emerging opportunities and white space.
Develop innovative products that align with brand positioning, customer expectations and target retail price points
Collaborate closely with executive leadership, sales teams and key retail customers to develop compelling product assortments and merchandising strategies.
Present concepts, trend direction and seasonal collections to executive leadership, licensors and retail partners.
Partner directly with overseas manufacturers to ensure design intent, quality, costing and on time delivery
Work closely with licensors to ensure products meet all brand standards and approval requirements.
Analyze sales performance, customer insights and market trends to drive future product development.
Mentor junior designers and foster a collaborative, high performing creative team.
Manage multiple brands and product launches while maintaining exceptional attention to detail and meeting timelines.

Requirements

What you’ll need

8+ years of watch design and product development experience.
Proven track record developing successful watch collections for national or global fashion or lifestyle brands.
Expert knowledge of watch construction, movements, materials and manufacturing.
Extensive experience working directly with overseas factories throughout the product development process.
Strong understanding of merchandising, trend forecasting and consumer insights.
Ability to balance creativity with commercial objectives, including costing, pricing and margin considerations.
Experience presenting to executive leadership, licensors and major retail customers.
Exceptional organizational, communication and project management skills.
Ability to lead multiple projects simultaneously in a fast paced environment.
Demonstrated leadership experience with the ability to mentor and inspire others.
Highly proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel.
Experience leveraging AI tools to support design and product development is a plus
Portfolio Required Please include a portfolio showcasing your design process, trend research and examples of commercially successful product development.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Comprehensive Health & Wellness Benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and supplemental insurance
401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with company match
Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays
Flexible Fridays with shortened hours during both Summer and Winter seasons
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Flexible Spending Account (FSs)
Tax-free commuter benefits
Exclusive employee merchandise discounts