Product Development Manager

Our client is looking for a Creative Product Manager to lead its Creative & Product Development function. You will set the creative and product direction, lead the team that turns ideas into finished products, and make sure every new product is on-brand, high quality, delivered on time, and commercially scalable.

This is a hands-on leadership role. About half of your time goes to running the creative production and product development process and leading your team, so we are looking for someone with a clear aesthetic point of view who can also build the systems and standards to scale the team.

• Translate Business Strategy and Brand Strategy into a creative and product direction for each product line, series, and collection.
• Build quarterly Product Development Roadmaps across product lines and business goals.
• Define concept, aesthetics, visual storytelling, and a consistent visual language across the whole portfolio.
• Monitor market trends, competitors, customer behavior, and market gaps across the US and European markets, including Amazon, TikTok Shop, Walmart, Etsy, and related channels, particularly in Art & Craft, DIY, and Activity Kits.
• Identify product opportunities based on commercial value, customer experience, and ability to differentiate.
• Research new materials and finishing techniques; build and manage the innovation pipeline.

• Lead concept development from insight and ideation to Product Brief, Creative Brief, and detailed design direction.
• Define themes, illustration styles, colors, materials, formats, and product experience that fit the target customer.
• Build evaluation criteria for concepts and creative output (differentiation, customer experience, aesthetic quality, commercial potential, brand fit, and execution capability).
• Make sure concepts meet functionality, quality, cost, timeline, and manufacturability requirements, and can expand into a series or collection.

• Review and approve concepts, moodboards, artwork, and visual direction, ensuring quality and consistency with brand positioning.
• Provide art direction for product projects, launch campaigns, and commercial content.

• Own the full process: Research, Ideation, Concept, Design, Prototype, Sampling, Validation, and Launch Readiness.
• Set review and approval criteria for each stage, from concept validation and artwork review to sample approval.
• Manage roadmap, timeline, milestones, resources, and quality across multiple projects at the same time.
• Maintain product specifications, design files, and artwork assets; proactively identify risks and resolve bottlenecks.

• Lead, assign work to, and coach the Product Development team: Product Research, Product Idea, Designers, and Artists.
• Set goals, output standards, and capability development plans for each team member; give clear, constructive feedback.
• Build and standardize SOPs, templates, frameworks, evaluation criteria, and approval processes.
• Standardize data, documentation, and creative assets so the team stays consistent as it scales.

• Work with Supply Chain and suppliers on sample development, material selection, packaging, manufacturing feasibility, and cost optimization.
• Ensure products meet quality, safety, e-commerce platform, intellectual property, and target-market regulatory requirements.

• Manage the product lifecycle from development through post-launch.
• Partner with Marketing, Brand, and Social Media on Go-to-Market plans and on communicating product value and differentiators consistently.
• Prepare artwork, product information, and launch materials.

• Track post-launch performance: sales, conversion, customer reviews, return rates, and contribution margin.
• Analyze customer feedback and business data to assess concept effectiveness, quality, and product experience.
• Propose improvements, new versions, bundles, and series or collection extensions based on actual results.

• Strong creativity and a clear aesthetic sense, backed by a portfolio or products you directed.
• 7+ years of experience in Creative, Art Direction, Product Development, Product Management, or New Product Development (NPD).
• 3+ years of experience leading a team in a related field, with the ability to give clear feedback and develop people.
• Solid understanding of the product development process, including setting evaluation criteria at each stage.
• Proven experience developing physical products from concept to commercialization and managing multiple projects at once.
• Hands-on experience working with factories, suppliers, or manufacturing partners; working knowledge of materials, manufacturing, and cost optimization.
• Proficient in project management methods for schedule and budget control.
• English proficiency for working with international partners and reading technical and market research materials.
• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Fashion Design, 2D Graphic Design, Art Direction, Product or Industrial Design, or a related field (Business, Engineering, Supply Chain, or Marketing backgrounds with strong creative experience are also welcome).

• Adobe Creative Suite, 3D tools, prototyping
• Microsoft Excel / Google Sheets
• Notion / Asana
• AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity for research and product development