About Mello
Mello is building a premium custom merchandise company for modern brands. We create elevated apparel, headwear, accessories, packaging, and branded products for fast-growing companies across food & beverage, hospitality, retail, lifestyle, and beyond.
We are not a promo company. We focus on products people actually want to wear, keep, and use.
As we scale, we’re investing heavily in our bespoke product division - creating custom products from the ground up with stronger quality, better design, and more fashion-forward execution than typical merchandise providers.
The Opportunity
We’re hiring a Senior Product Development & Sourcing Manager to lead our custom product development engine.
This person will own the process of turning ideas into real products - managing sourcing, materials, factories, fit, samples, costing, timelines, and production readiness across apparel, headwear, accessories, and specialty merchandise.
You should understand how products are actually made and know how to balance quality, speed, cost, and execution.
This is a high-impact role with real ownership inside a fast-growing company.
What You’ll Own
Product Development
- Lead custom product development across apparel, hats, bags, accessories, uniforms, and specialty merchandise
- Translate client concepts, inspiration, and brand direction into manufacturable products
- Create and manage specs, measurements, construction notes, BOMs, and tech packs
- Review samples and manage revisions through approval
Sourcing & Vendor Management
- Source and manage domestic and overseas factories, mills, trim suppliers, and production partners
- Request quotes, negotiate pricing, MOQs, lead times, and capabilities
- Match each project with the right vendor based on complexity, budget, and timeline
- Build a world-class supplier network over time
Materials & Quality
- Evaluate fabric quality, handfeel, weight, washes, trims, finishes, and packaging details
- Recommend better materials and construction methods
- Ensure products meet premium quality standards before production
Production Readiness
- Prepare approved styles for production handoff
- Solve pre-production issues before they become expensive mistakes
- Improve consistency, margins, and execution speed
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Work closely with sales, creative, operations, and leadership teams
- Help educate internal team on possibilities, timelines, and costs
- Build repeatable systems as the department grows
Who You Are
Must-Have Experience
- 5+ years in product development, sourcing, apparel production, or related industry
- Strong understanding of garment construction, fit, fabrics, trims, and manufacturing processes
- Experience working directly with factories and suppliers
- Ability to review samples and give clear corrective feedback
- Organized, decisive, and able to manage multiple projects at once
Strong Plus If You Have
- Headwear development experience
- Accessories / bags / hard goods experience
- Technical design or patternmaking background
- Existing supplier relationships in the U.S., Asia, Europe, or Latin America
- Experience with premium, streetwear, fashion, or hospitality brands
Personality Fit
- Taste level matters - you care about details
- Resourceful and proactive
- Fast-moving without sacrificing standards
- Ownership mentality
- Comfortable building systems from scratch
Why Join Mello
- High ownership role with visible impact
- Help build a modern product company from the ground floor
- Work on exciting projects for growing brands
- Real opportunity for career growth as company scales
- Fast-paced environment where great people can move quickly
