Shiva Nadjm

Product Development professional with 7 years of experience managing the full lifecycle of apparel, accessories, and footwear. Proven track record in vendor negotiation, cost optimization, multiseason planning, and cross-functional collaboration. Skilled in PLM systems, BOM management, product testing, and process improvement. Recognized for driving efficiency, mentoring team members, and delivering high-quality, on-time product launches.

Associate Product Developer, Accessories + Footwear - Alo Yoga - Beverly Hills, CA

(2024-07)

• Own end-to-end product development across hair accessories, socks, and premium accessory categories, leading the full lifecycle from concept through commercialization across four concurrent seasonal calendars.
• Serve as the primary product development partner to Design, Merchandising, Technical Design, and Sourcing, aligning cross-functional teams and external vendors to deliver products that meet brand standards for quality, margin, and timeline.
• Manage complex vendor development across multiple factories, proactively identifying and mitigating risks related to materials, color approvals, construction, and production readiness.
• Drive cost optimization initiatives through vendor negotiations, sourcing strategy, and product engineering, achieving a 10% year-over-year reduction in Average Unit Cost (AUC) while maintaining quality and design intent.
• Led vendor diversification initiatives across key hair accessory styles, successfully reducing product cost by 50% and generating ~$200K in seasonal savings while maintaining product quality and performance standards.
• Partner with vendors and internal teams to engineer product improvements, including hardware and material updates that improved durability and reduced negative customer feedback on core styles.
• Implemented new SOPs for color approval workflows and lab dip submissions, improving process efficiency and reducing sample turnaround delays across accessories development.
• Maintain ownership of development tracking tools including PLM data, BOMs, seasonal WIP trackers, and vendor timelines, ensuring clear visibility into development status and critical path milestones.
• Mentor and onboard new team members, improving team alignment on documentation, vendor communication, and development processes.

Product Development Coordinator, Accessories + Footwear - Alo Yoga - Beverly Hills, CA

(2022-05 - 2024-07)

• Supported development across hair accessories, socks, and cold-weather categories, managing the execution of seasonal development from design handoff through production readiness.
• Coordinated cross-functional communication between Design, Merchandising, Production, Technical Design, and overseas vendors, ensuring timely approvals and alignment throughout the development process.
• Managed SMS development for 300+ SKUs per season, overseeing sample ordering, tracking, and delivery to ensure 100% on-time sample completion for key merchandising milestones.
• Led packaging development for new accessories, partnering with creative and merchandising teams to design functional and brand-aligned packaging solutions.
• Maintained development reporting tools including WIP trackers, sample logs, and cost sheets, providing leadership teams visibility into product status and seasonal progress.
• Supported vendor negotiations and costing reviews, contributing to improved cost efficiency and development timelines.

Assistant Product Developer, Women's Apparel + Denim - Torrid - City of Industry, CA

(2020-12 - 2022-05)

• Supported development across women's woven and denim categories, managing vendor communication to ensure prototypes, samples, and production milestones stayed on schedule.
• Reviewed development samples for fit, construction, and quality, identifying risks early and collaborating with Technical Design to resolve issues prior to production.
• Partnered cross-functionally with Design, Merchandising, and Sourcing to align product design, material selection, and construction methods.
• Maintained development tracking across four overlapping seasonal calendars, managing WIP reports, costing sheets, and vendor submissions.
• Supported prototype costing and vendor negotiations, helping identify opportunities to optimize development budgets.

Product Developer - Golden Green, LLC - Los Angeles, CA

(2019-09 - 2020-12)

• Managed end-to-end product development for private label programs supporting brands including Zella, Stitch Fix, Marine Layer, and Joe's Jeans.
• Oversaw fabric development with mills and dye houses, coordinating lab dips, print approvals, and color standards to ensure consistency across production.
• Collaborated daily with patternmakers, sample room teams, and production partners to troubleshoot development challenges and refine construction.
• Maintained WIP and T&A reports to track product development progress across multiple client programs.
• Provided technical feedback on prototype samples to improve garment fit, durability, and production efficiency.

Product Display Specialist - Nordstrom Rack/Hautelook - Culver City, CA

(2018-09 - 2019-09)

• Built and proofed online product pages to ensure accurate information, clear presentation, and a cohesive digital shopping experience.
• Collaborated with Buying, Merchandising, Production, and Photo Studio teams to maintain product accuracy and brand consistency.
• Monitored live product pages for errors or missing assets, proactively identifying and resolving issues to uphold quality standards.
• Supported visual merchandising initiatives through organized product data and high-quality digital display standards.

Bachelor of Arts - Fashion Merchandising - California State University, Long Beach (2018)