THE COMPANY

The company designs and manufacturers outdoor recreational equipment.

THE POSITION

The Director of Design & Product Development will own the end-to-end product development lifecycle and stage gate process, designing and developing products across an omni-channel assortment strategy. This person will continuously assess marketplace, consumer trends and product portfolio to drive the growth of the business while staying ahead of the competition.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Co-create and activate the long-term strategy and vision for the company’s growth and profit, including new product innovation, product life cycle management, operating plans and driving execution.
• Own and shape the product stage gate process from end-to-end (“from whiteboard to last mile delivery”), implementing Lean principles throughout to maximize efficiencies.
• Develop and execute an overall product assortment strategy to maximize revenue and margin. Partner with sales and marketing teams on bringing to life consumer-centric insights through the creation and ideation of new products.
• Serve as liaison for the design and engineering teams across the entire product development process. Connect and engage with commercial teams on consumer insights and trends to shape the overall product assortment strategy.

• Significant experience in a bespoke, premium product category with strong consumer loyalty and brand affinity.
• Demonstrated ability developing and leading a best-in-class “Voice of the Customer” strategy and organization that translates consumer insights into commercial products that drive business results.
• Ability to understand, translate and engage with consumer research, data analytics and insights into actional product plans.
• Able to demonstrate effective leadership across broad parts of the organization where there may be little or no formal authority. Leads by example and demonstrates cross-functional partnership.