The Director of Product Management will lead global product strategy and execution from concept through commercialization through the product life cycle, ensuring alignment with consumer needs and business goals. This role is accountable for driving growth, profitability, and innovation across all brands and categories to maximize profitability and align with business goals.
Key responsibilities include managing the full product lifecycle, guiding cross-functional collaboration, and overseeing new product development through a Stage Gate process. The Director will also partner with the SVP to shape the category roadmap and lead a team of product developers, fostering talent and delivering results.
Strategic Product Leadership
- Define, articulate, and manage the strategic product roadmap, aligning features, market positioning, and release timelines with business objectives and customer needs.
- Evaluate and monitor the full product portfolio—including growth, profitability, materials, inventory, manufacturing, marketing, and sales—to optimize performance against short-term business plans and budgets.
- Evaluate product performance in the marketplace and recommend changes in development, differentiation, and pricing strategies.
- Champion legacy product lines by sharing consumer and market insights to inform future innovations.
Product Development & Execution
- Lead new product development from concept through launch, managing timelines, specifications, and cross-functional communication.
- Write development briefs that clearly define product objectives, features, and positioning.
- Collaborate with internal teams and external partners on cost structure, sourcing, and product strategy.
- Ensure adherence to product line cost targets while aligning investments with global goals.
- Coordinate with design, fragrance, and import teams to ensure alignment on product, packaging, and sourcing.
- Work with the Fragrance Manager to brief and review fragrance development based on market trends.
- Partner with import and design teams to procure accessories and finalize product specifications.
- Approve documentation and prototypes for supplier execution.
- Visit the Leesburg, OH plant regularly for hands-on time with product review and/or approvals and time with the R&D team.
Consumer & Market Insights
- Manage consumer insights, testing, and validation to ensure product performance and messaging meet expectations.
- Conduct competitive analysis and attend industry events to inform innovation, pricing, and strategic decisions.
- Collaborate with Testing and Quality teams to define and manage robust quality and performance testing protocols.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Serve as the product expert across cross-functional teams, addressing questions and ensuring alignment throughout the product lifecycle.
- Lead and support downstream marketing efforts, including customer presentations and value proposition development.
- Provide direction for product, packaging, and graphic design, ensuring alignment with cost and market trends.
Team Leadership
- Guide and mentor product developers at various levels, leading cross-functional initiatives and supporting career growth.
Operational & Regulatory Oversight
- Ensure compliance with regulations and manage clinical, sensory, and consumer testing.
- Attend key meetings (e.g., R&D, Product Development, Safety, Quality, Production) as needed.
- Ensure accurate data entry into systems (Quotes, PCOs) and initiate all required product testing.
- Support lifecycle code changes and raw material quoting in collaboration with Operations and Sales.
Qualifications:
Education and/or Experience
- Bachelors Degree in Marketing or related field – or – related work experience in the home fragrance industry.
- 5+ years of product experience (i.e.; buying, development).
- Proven track record driving successful product launches from concept to customer.
- Leadership experience mentoring manager-level direct reports.
- Strong project management skills and cross-functional communication to ensure projects meet timelines and budget.
- Have a passion for making data-driven decisions regarding product.
- Must be organized, have impeccable attention to detail, and be strong in multitasking.
- Must be a strategic thinker, flexible, self-starter, and possess an entrepreneurial spirit.
- Team player, reliable partner, and collaborative thinker is a must.
- Availability to travel.
Additional Information:
Physical Demands
- Vision and hearing correctable to within normal ranges
- Able to hear average or normal conversations and receive ordinary information
- Average, ordinary visual acuity necessary to prepare or inspect documents
- Must be able to speak and write clearly and distinctly
- Must be able to bend, stoop and lift approx. 10-20 lbs throughout the day
- Must be able to use required mechanical equipment
- Finger Dexterity
- Using primarily just the fingers to make sure small movements such as typing & cutting.
- Repetitive Motions
- Movements frequently and regularly required using the wrists, hands and / or fingers
- Able to distinguish between subtle color & fragrance differences.
Work Environment
- Must be able to work around fragrances, oils, potpourri, candles, related products, etc. daily
- Availability and ability to travel occasionally unassisted.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
