HEAD OF PRODUCT & SUPPLY CHAIN

Hawkeye Search Group; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

Hawkeye Search Group seeks a Head of Product & Supply Chain in New York to drive the complete product lifecycle from concept to factory execution. You will own the corporate calendar, coordinate with retailers, and ensure timely launches across all lines.

The role requires hands-on leadership, strong cross-functional collaboration, and a track record of optimizing workflows in a high-volume product environment. This senior position is hybrid, with significant in-office coordination.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in product operations, product development, supply chain, or a related function.
• Experience in CPG, toys, hard goods, or a similar product-driven industry strongly preferred.
• Must come from a high-volume product environment: 200+ product launches per year.
• Experience managing a team of at least 10 people.
• Merchandising experience a strong plus: familiarity with assortment, product portfolio, and brand.
• Deep experience managing factory relationships and leading negotiations.
• Strong background overseeing logistics, freight, and shipping.
• Track record of working against retailer requirements, deadlines, and product launches.
• Experience dealing with mass retailers such as Walmart and Target is a must.
• Operational, decisive, and low-drama. A self-starter, proactive in ambiguous environments and solutions-oriented by default.
• Deep understanding of how cross-functional teams should work together and communicate.
• Comfortable leveraging AI and modern tools to improve operational efficiency.
• Strong leadership and communication skills; able to drive accountability across departments.

Responsibilities

• Build, own, and manage the corporate/product calendar, working backward from retailer presentations, PO deadlines, production timing, licensing approvals, packaging, and key milestones.
• Diagnose broken workflows and build the fix yourself. This role does not escalate problems upward.
• Own product development across the full portfolio, managing the lifecycle from concept through end-of-life, aligned to retailer requirements and deadlines.
• Oversee production execution across all product lines: supply chain coordination, logistics, freight, shipping, and delivery timelines.
• Build and maintain strong factory relationships; lead negotiations on pricing, timelines, and production requirements.
• Partner with creative leadership, translating ideas into concrete briefs, deadlines, decisions, and execution plans; push back constructively when new ideas disrupt priorities or timing.
• Lead cross-functional meetings across sales, design, product development, and production; track timelines and hold teams accountable.
• Develop scalable workflows, processes, and operational standards that support the company's continued growth.

Skills

Leadership experience

Product operations

Supply chain

CPG industry

High-volume launches

Team management

Merchandising

Factory relationships

Logistics & shipping

Retailer requirements

Mass retailers experience

AI tools

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Job description

NYC (4 days in office)

Position Overview

We are seeking a Head of Product & Supply Chain to serve as the operational backbone of a fast-growing consumer products company. This is a senior leadership role, among the most senior in the organization, leading a team of approximately 20 across product development, merchandising, process, production coordination, and execution.

The ideal candidate is a highly experienced, hands‑on operator who brings structure, discipline, and accountability to the product development process, owning the full product journey from development through production, logistics, and factory execution.

A major priority is creating and managing a clear corporate and product calendar, working backward from retailer presentations, purchase-order deadlines, production timing, licensing approvals, packaging, and other key milestones. The role also requires partnering with the creative and visionary side of the organization: translating ideas into briefs, deadlines, decisions, and execution, while pushing back when new ideas threaten priorities or timing.

The ultimate measure of success: leadership has full confidence the product organization is under control, with fewer fire drills, fewer missed details, and far less operational oversight required from the top.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, own, and manage the corporate/product calendar, working backward from retailer presentations, PO deadlines, production timing, licensing approvals, packaging, and key milestones
• Diagnose broken workflows and build the fix yourself. This role does not escalate problems upward
• Own product development across the full portfolio, managing the lifecycle from concept through end-of-life, aligned to retailer requirements and deadlines
• Oversee production execution across all product lines: supply chain coordination, logistics, freight, shipping, and delivery timelines
• Build and maintain strong factory relationships; lead negotiations on pricing, timelines, and production requirements
• Partner with creative leadership, translating ideas into concrete briefs, deadlines, decisions, and execution plans; push back constructively when new ideas disrupt priorities or timing
• Lead cross-functional meetings across sales, design, product development, and production; track timelines and hold teams accountable
• Develop scalable workflows, processes, and operational standards that support the company's continued growth

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in product operations, product development, supply chain, or a related function
• Experience in CPG, toys, hard goods, or a similar product-driven industry strongly preferred
• Must come from a high-volume product environment: 200+ product launches per year. Candidates from low-SKU-velocity backgrounds are not the right fit
• Experience managing a team of at least 10 people
• Merchandising experience a strong plus: familiarity with assortment, product portfolio, and brand
• Deep experience managing factory relationships and leading negotiations
• Strong background overseeing logistics, freight, and shipping
• Track record of working against retailer requirements, deadlines, and product launches
• Experience dealing with mass retailers such as Walmart and Target is a must
• Operational, decisive, and low-drama. A self-starter, proactive in ambiguous environments and solutions-oriented by default
• Deep understanding of how cross-functional teams should work together and communicate
• Comfortable leveraging AI and modern tools to improve operational efficiency
• Strong leadership and communication skills; able to drive accountability across departments

Salary: $180,000 - $225,000 base + bonus