Manager, Product Development

Guitar Center; Westlake Village (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Guitar Center seeks a Manager of Product Development to own the lifecycle from concept to production for consumer hard goods. You will collaborate with design/engineering and commercial partners to align timelines, costs, and market success across our brands, driving cross-functional execution and product validation.

The role requires 5–7 years of development experience, strong project management, and a hands-on approach to design thinking, user testing, and supplier alignment to deliver

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Design, Product Development, or related field.
• 5–7 years of progressive product development experience, ideally within consumer hard goods.
• Proven track record managing product lifecycles and contributing to profitable launches.
• Strong project management with cross-functional coordination.
• Familiarity with design thinking, user testing, and technical product development processes.
• Experience with sourcing and supply chain to align on cost and manufacturability.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities.
• Business acumen with ability to interpret product performance data.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day product development activities from concept through mass production, ensuring products meet design intent, quality standards, and business requirements.
• Partner with Merchandising and Planning teams to align on specifications, sourcing, cost, and delivery goals.
• Ideate and develop new product opportunities based on consumer and market insights.
• Incorporate user testing feedback into design improvements and final product specifications.
• Develop and maintain project timelines, track budgets, and coordinate deliverables for on-time launches.
• Monitor performance targets and validate durability, reliability, and experience benchmarks with testing teams.
• Track product cost structures and partner with sourcing on cost optimization.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Design thinking

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Design, Product Development, or related field

Job description

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Manager, Product Development will drive the creation, execution, and delivery of product development initiatives within a defined brand. Reporting to the Director, Product Development, this role is responsible for managing product lifecycles from concept through production, ensuring alignment with business objectives, timelines, and cost targets. The Manager will collaborate closely with design/engineering resources and commercial partners to bring consumer-relevant products to market.

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Product Development Execution: Manage day-to-day product development activities from concept through mass production, ensuring products meet design intent, quality standards, and business requirements.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Merchandising and Planning teams to align on specifications, sourcing, cost, and delivery goals.
• Product Concept Development: Partner with the cross functional team to ideate and develop new product opportunities based on consumer and market insights.
• Consumer Insights: Support product validation by incorporating user testing feedback into design improvements and final product specifications.
• Project Management: Develop and maintain project timelines, track budgets, and coordinate deliverables to ensure on-time and on-cost product launches.
• Product Standards: Monitor performance targets and collaborate with testing/quality teams to validate durability, reliability, and experience benchmarks.
• Cost Management: Track product cost structures, support cost optimization efforts, and partner with sourcing on value engineering opportunities.
• Category Knowledge: Maintain up-to-date knowledge of product category trends, materials, and technical details to support development and cross-functional decision-making.
• Post-Purchase Support: Contribute to the creation of product documentation, troubleshooting guides, and FAQs to enhance customer experience.
• Culture & Collaboration: Model teamwork, problem-solving, and respectful communication, contributing to a positive and high-performance culture.

To join our band, you'll need the following experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Design, Product Development, or related field.
• 5–7 years of progressive product development experience, ideally within consumer hard goods (Musical/Audio is a plus but not a requirement).
• Proven track record managing product lifecycles and contributing to profitable, consumer-centric launches.
• Strong project management skills, with experience coordinating cross-functional teams and navigating execution challenges.
• Familiarity with design thinking, user testing, and technical product development processes.
• Experience working with sourcing and supply chain partners to align on cost, quality, and manufacturability.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities.
• Business acumen with ability to interpret product performance data and support decision-making.

Why Guitar Center? Here’s just some of the rewards:

For our employees who are musicians we offer the unique opportunity of gig leave—take time off to share your music with the world and return to your job after your tour! Guitar Center offers robust benefits and perks, including Medical, Dental, Vision,401K plus company match, mental health support, paid sick/holiday/vacation time, employee discount program, and tuition reimbursement options.

Pay Rate: $80,000- $130,000 depending on background and experience.

This position is eligible to participate in the Guitar Center Company bonus program based on Company performance. The job posting is not necessarily reflective of actual compensation that may be earned, nor a promise of any specific pay for any specific employee, which is always dependent on actual experience, education, and other factors. The pay range(s) listed are provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different in other locations.

Guitar Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides fair and equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status prohibited under Federal, State, or local laws. All employment decisions are based on valid job‑related requirements.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our website, you may request a reasonable accommodation to express interest in a specific opening. You can request reasonable accommodation by calling 1‑818‑735‑8800 ext. 2862 or by sending an email to [e-mail].

Why join us?

With a career at Guitar Center, you become part of the world's largest multichannel musical instrument retailer. Whether at our Stores, Contact Centers, Distribution Centers, or Support Center, Guitar Center employees have a common goal: to help people find their sound and fill the world with more music.

Love this gig and want to apply?

Guitar Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides fair and equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status prohibited under Federal, State, or local laws. All employment decisions are based on valid job‑related requirements.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our website, you may request reasonable accommodation by sending an email to [e-mail].