Associate Director, Product Design

Attindas Hygiene Partners; Delaware (OH); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Attindas Hygiene Partners designs, manufactures, and markets absorbent hygiene products across channels. The Associate Director, Global Baby Product Development drives designs for Baby Diapers, Baby Pants, and Change Mats globally in collaboration with management, procurement, commercial and operations teams.

The role requires a technical background, 10+ years in product development, and proven leadership to deliver innovations, scale launches, and optimize cost across regions.

Qualifications

• Technical degree with strong product development background.
• 10+ years in a technical role with product launches.
• Leadership experience training and developing staff.
• Experience leading complex projects in manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Lead global baby product development for diapers, pants and change mats.
• Partner with Category Management, Procurement, Commercial and Operations.
• Own global product roadmap and ensure on-time, on-cost delivery.
• Balance consumer needs with margin goals and cost leadership.

Skills

Data analysis

Statistical methods

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering

Tools

MS Project

SmartSheet

Job description

Attindas Hygiene Partners designs, manufactures, and markets absorbent hygiene products. The company sells adult incontinence and infant diapers, among other products, into the healthcare, retail, and direct-to-consumer channels under brands including Attends, Indas, and Comfees as well as a wide range of private label brands for retailers.

Mission: We champion health, dignity and comfort.

Vision: To be a global leader in absorbent hygiene by meeting consumers’ diverse needs through effective, affordable and widely available personal care solutions.

OUR VALUES: Caring, Agile, Innovative, Unique, Personal, Genuine

Your Role

The Associate Director, Global Baby Product Development drives business value by ensuring effective and efficient product designs for Baby Diapers, Baby Pants (Diaper Pant, Training Pant, Youth Pant), and Change Mats across all Attindas geographies and channels through a partnership with Category Management, Procurement, Commercial, Business Support and Operations. They keenly navigate the tradeoffs that simultaneously deliver competitive product leadership (category trends, consumer insights, customer requirements, margin/revenue growth aspirations, etc.) and internal operational requirements for overall competitive cost leadership (efficiency, cost, capacity, service, etc.) by creating and enhancing product designs that deliver across multi-faceted business needs. This role supports development of overall Global Category product roadmap for all Baby product lines and leads the Global Baby product development team to execute all key plan elements on time/on cost/on scope. Successful leaders in this role understand the competitive environment and bring innovations to the organization that ultimately deliver in-market success while balancing amongst a project portfolio rich with cost and continuous improvement activity.

Experience/Skills Required

• Technical Bachelor’s Degree (ME or ChE preferred) or other technical degrees considered.
• 10+ years of experience in a technical role
• Brings depth and experience in product development methodologies and commercialization of new products. Provides leadership within segment(s) of the total product portfolio.
• Proven track record in being a thought leader in product innovation, successful commercialization of complex product launches and product improvements
• Prior people management experience training and developing more junior technical staff
• Aptitude that enables design work to be integrated into a business environment.
• Strong knowledge of data storage, data reporting, and data analysis.
• Strong knowledge of statistical techniques to make data driven decisions.
• Aptitude for devices utilizing mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and electrical processes.
• Detail oriented. Ability to collect and organize large amounts of data.
• Understanding of project management techniques.
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to maintain multiple active projects at the same time.
• Ability to manage the trade-offs required to satisfy consumer/customer and business needs.

Preferred Qualifications, Professional Experiences

• Previous experience in absorbent hygiene or similar high speed converting manufacturing
• Previous experience supporting businesses in North America and Europe
• Global People management experience across sites/geographies
• Experience using product evaluation methods including bench testing, fit modeling, and consumer testing
• Experience with project management software (MS project, SmartSheet)
• Knowledge of disposable personal care products converting processes
• Knowledge of raw materials used in the disposable personal care products
• Advanced problem-solving techniques such as six sigma or Kaizen. Previous assignments in the production area with an absorbent article manufacturer or other high speed, high volume process.
• Knowledge of intellectual properties. How to read and interpret.
• Knowledge of absorbent products theory & functionality

Success in this role means effectively leading complex projects and a diverse portfolio of work in a manufacturing environment, using data-driven decision making, problem-solving, and quality-focused processes to deliver results, drive continuous improvement, influence change, and communicate insights confidently to teams, plant personnel, customers, and executive leadership.