VP Product Development & Merchandising – Personal Care

About Us

American Exchange Group is an industry leader in fashion accessory products and brand management. By facilitating distribution to major retailers internationally for their globally recognized brands, custom private label brands, and exclusive licensed brands—including footwear, tech wearables, watches, jewelry, handbags, fashion accessories, home, and beauty—American Exchange Group raises the bar by disrupting the status quo with value and quality, while staying at the forefront of trends.

 Joining American Exchange Group means being part of a dynamic and diverse team where your contributions drive real impact—and where there’s always room to grow. If you're looking to be part of a company that blends heritage with hustle, we’re excited to meet you.

 Visit our website at www.axnygroup.com

Job Title:  VP Product Development & Merchandising, Personal Care 

Location: Onsite 5 days a week at our NYC HQ

Overview

We are seeking a strategic, trend-driven, and execution-focused VP, Product Development & Merchandising – Personal Care to lead product strategy, development, sourcing, packaging, and brand positioning across our growing portfolio of personal care  brands. This leader will drive end-to-end product creation—from concept through delivery—ensuring that all items meet the unique requirements of the off-price channel while maintaining strong brand identity, quality standards, and margin goals.

The VP Product Development & Merchandising will oversee a cross-functional creative and development team, collaborate closely with design, sourcing, sales, and retail partners, and guide innovation across categories including nail care, beauty tools, spa accessories, bath and body, textiles, and giftable personal care products.

This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership role ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with frequent product turns and retailer-driven timelines.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy & Merchandising

• Lead the overall product vision and seasonal roadmap across multiple personal care categories.
• Develop cohesive product assortments tailored to each brand and retail partner (TJX, Burlington, Ross, etc.), aligned with consumer insights and competitive market trends.
• New Business Development – Club, Mass, and Department Stores
• Partner with Sales to build compelling assortments and presentations that maximize sell-in and profitability.
• Monitor category performance, pricing architecture, and margin targets to optimize line profitability.

Product Development & Innovation

• Oversee the full product lifecycle from ideation through production, including briefs, spec development, artwork, packaging direction, and approvals.
• Identify new materials, formulas, packaging structures, and innovation opportunities to keep brands trend-right and competitive.
• Ensure strong quality standards and testing compliance for beauty and personal care products.

Sourcing & Vendor Management

• Drive sourcing strategy across global vendor partners, ensuring competitive costing, reliable delivery, and quality standards.
• Negotiate pricing, lead-times, MOQs, and capacity planning to meet seasonal and customer deadlines.
• Work closely with the Product Development & Sourcing Coordinator to manage sample tracking, production timelines, and vendor communication.

Packaging, Branding & Creative Direction

• Lead the packaging and graphic design team in developing elevated, brand-appropriate packaging solutions for multi-brand portfolios.
• Ensure packaging is optimized for shelf impact, brand voice, and value perception in off-price and mass retail environments.
• Maintain strong consistency across brand standards while adapting to retailer-specific requirements.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership to product, design, and sourcing teams; coach and develop high-performing talent.
• Collaborate with Sales, Operations, Finance, and QA to align timelines, inventory plans, cost structures, and compliance requirements.
• Communicate proactively with internal teams and leadership regarding progress, risks, and key milestones.

Retailer & Market Insights

• Stay ahead of category trends, competitor assortments, and consumer preferences across beauty and wellness.
• Partner with Sales to gather retailer feedback, build customer-specific assortments, and interpret partner directives.
• Ensure assortments fit the unique needs and expectations of the off-price channel, including value perception, pack configuration, and promotional strategies.

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of product development or merchandising experience in beauty, personal care, wellness, or related consumer goods categories.
• Proven success developing product for off-price retailers, mass market retailers, and club stores strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of packaging, development timelines, cost engineering, and overseas sourcing.
• Experience managing cross-disciplinary teams, including design, sourcing, and development.
• Highly creative with a strong aesthetic eye, balanced by strong business acumen and margin discipline.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume environment with shifting priorities.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a proactive, solution-oriented approach.

What We Offer

• 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
• Half Day Fridays with shortened hours during both Summer and Winter seasons
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Tax-free commuter benefits
• Exclusive employee merchandise discounts

Salary: The anticipated base salary is $160k - $190k annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, internal equity, and location.

This position description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills or working conditions associated with this position. While this description is intended to accurately reflect the position's activities and requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties as necessary. The compensation package is dependent on a number of factors, including, for example, experience, education, market data, and business needs.