Associate Director, Product Design

Attindas - US; Delaware (OH); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Attindas Hygiene Partners is seeking an Associate Director of Global Baby Product Development to lead the design and commercialization of baby diapers, pants, and change mats across geographies. You will partner with Category Management, Procurement, Commercial and Operations to balance consumer needs with cost and capacity constraints.

The role requires a technical bachelor's degree and 10+ years in a technical role, with a track record in product innovation and team leadership.

Qualifications

• Technical Bachelor's Degree (ME or ChE preferred) or other technical degrees.
• 10+ years of experience in a technical role.
• Proven track record in product innovation and commercialization of complex product launches.
• Prior people management experience, training and developing junior staff.
• Strong knowledge of data storage, data reporting, and data analysis.
• Experience with project management software (MS Project, SmartSheet).
• Aptitude for integrating design work into a business environment.
• Ability to manage trade-offs to satisfy consumer/customer and business needs.

Responsibilities

• Drive global Baby Product Development for Diapers, Pants, and Change Mats across geographies and channels.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with Category Management, Procurement, Commercial and Operations.
• Develop and manage the Global Baby product roadmap and execute plans on time and on cost.
• Balance consumer/customer needs with internal cost leadership and capacity constraints.
• Lead the Global Baby product development team to deliver multi-project portfolios.

Skills

Leadership

Data analysis

Statistical methods

Project management

Communication skills

Multi-project management

Mechanical/electrical knowledge

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree in ME or ChE (or technical)

10+ years of experience in a technical role

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.