Director Product Development Program New Platforms

Swedish Match Sales Sweden Aktiebolag; Västra Götalands län; Hybrid; SEK 1,400,000 - 2,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working flexibility

Relocation support offered

Global career development

Job summary

Swedish Match seeks a strategic Director of Product Development for New Platforms to translate strategies into innovative products and portfolio expansion while meeting regulatory and quality requirements.

You will lead cross‑functional teams across R&D, Marketing, Commercial, Regulatory and Innovation to shape a future‑focused portfolio and deliver market impact. This global role requires strong leadership, stakeholder management, and the ability to navigate ambiguity.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience within Global Innovation in multinational FMCG.
• Experience developing innovation and portfolio strategies using consumer and market insights.
• Experience leading in global cross-functional environments with senior partners.
• Fluent in English.

Responsibilities

• Translate category and innovation strategies into product innovations and portfolio expansion opportunities.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration across R&D, Marketing, Commercial, Regulatory and Innovation teams.
• Define and lead the Calendar Innovation and Product Portfolio Roadmap for New Platforms.
• Gather insights and translate into actionable product development and portfolio strategies.
• Develop clear project scopes and product briefs with Category, Marketing and Commercial teams.
• Drive innovation and portfolio initiatives, ensuring timelines, quality targets, and business goals.
• Provide technical stream leadership and manage risk in cross‑functional delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

English fluency

Education

University degree in Technology, Engineering, Product Development or related field

MBA or Marketing education (preferred)

Job description

Join us to deliver a smoke-free future as Director Product Development Program New Platforms!

At Swedish Match, we are transforming our business to build a smoke‑free future. As an affiliate of PMI, we have led the industry for over 200 years.

In the Nordic region, 1,800 employees across Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway collaborate to deliver a smoke‑free Nordics.

About the Position

In this role, you will translate category and innovation strategies into product innovations and portfolio expansion opportunities, ensuring we meet consumer needs while staying ahead of market, regulatory, and quality requirements.

You will shape the future product portfolio, leading cross‑functional collaboration across R&D, Marketing, Commercial, Regulatory, and Innovation teams to deliver impactful innovations to market. This highly visible global role combines critical thinking, portfolio management, and innovation leadership.

Your Responsibilities

• Define and lead the Calendar Innovation and Product Portfolio Roadmap for New Platforms, incorporating incremental innovation projects and portfolio expansion initiatives.
• Gather and translate consumer, regulatory, technical, and market insights into actionable product development and portfolio strategies.
• Develop clear project scopes and product briefs in close collaboration with Category, Marketing and Commercial teams.
• Drive innovation, product development, and portfolio expansion initiatives, ensuring achievement of project objectives, timelines, quality targets, and business goals.
• Lead cross‑functional product delivery teams and provide technical stream leadership to ensure effective risk management and successful project execution.
• Support U.S.-specific product development requirements when needed, including product specifications, evidence packages, and regulatory submission inputs.
• Ensure Sustainability by Design principles are followed and that sustainability considerations are embedded into innovation projects and portfolio decisions.

Relocation support is offered for this role.

Who You Are

You are a strategic and innovative leader with a passion for building future‑focused product portfolios. You thrive in a complex, matrixed environment, can influence stakeholders, build positive relationships, and deliver results through teamwork. You combine strong business insight with technical expertise and confidently navigate from long‑term innovation strategy to operational execution. You are comfortable making decisions in ambiguous situations, challenging the status quo, and driving cross‑functional teams toward ambitious goals.

You Demonstrate

• Strategic and innovative thinking, while maintaining focus on delivery and results.
• Excellent stakeholder management across all levels of the organization.
• High levels of emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills, building strong and lasting relationships.
• A collaborative approach with the ability to build strong partnerships across functions and geographies.
• Courage to challenge, prioritize, and make difficult decisions.
• Ability to handle complexity, ambiguity, and opposing priorities.
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical capabilities.
• A continuous learning mindset and adaptability in a constantly evolving environment.

Requirements

• University degree in Technology, Engineering, Product Development, or a related field. Complementary MBA or Marketing education is highly preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience within a Global Innovation organization in a multinational FMCG company.
• Experience developing innovation and portfolio strategies, using consumer, market, and business insights.
• Proven ability to drive innovation programs, product development, and portfolio management initiatives.
• Experience leading in global, cross‑functional environments with multiple senior partners.
• Excellent communication skills and presentation abilities.
• Fluency in English.

Benefits

• Freedom to define your future and ours – take risks, experiment, and explore.
• Inclusive, diverse culture where everyone’s contribution is respected.
• Hybrid working flexibility – split time between office and home as business needs allow.
• Global career development opportunities within a large multinational organization.
• Pride in delivering a smoke‑free future for society.