Product Development – Paper Products

Dahl Consulting; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 75,411,000 - 140,033,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

Dahl Consulting partners with a leading national retailer to fill a Product Development role focused on Paper Products in Minneapolis, MN. The position is hybrid (in-person on some days) and contract-based for three months, with a compensation range that reflects hourly pay and multi-category responsibilities.

The candidate will drive product development, manage supplier risk, and coordinate across product, sourcing, merchandising, and quality teams to ensure timely decisions and delivery across

Qualifications

• Experience in paper products or related manufacturing fields.
• Strong project management and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to translate technical information into clear business decisions.
• Experience working with suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• Strong judgment and prioritization in ambiguous environments.
• Clear, concise communication and collaborative working style.

Responsibilities

• Support product development, quality improvement, supplier transitions, cost savings, and innovation projects across paper categories.
• Understand key product and manufacturing drivers including material selection, product performance, specifications, testing, converting, and supplier capability.
• Review technical data, identify risks, challenge supplier claims, and recommend practical solutions.
• Lead projects across product development, sourcing, merchandising, quality, packaging, supply chain, finance, and supplier teams.
• Create clarity around priorities, decisions, owners, risks and next steps.
• Navigate a large, matrixed organization and escalate issues early when quality, cost, timing, or supply is at risk.
• Balance product performance, cost, speed, sustainability, and supply risk with business needs.

Job description

Title

Product Development – Paper Products

Location

Minneapolis, MN (Hybrid | Onsite T/W/TH)

Job Type

Contract (3 Months)

Compensation

$26.31 - $48.87/hr

Industry

Retail

About The Role

We are partnering with a leading national retailer to identify a Product Development professional specializing in Paper Products. Our client is a major consumer-products organization known for developing high-quality, owned-brand goods across a wide range of household categories. This role sits within a large, matrixed product development function and plays a critical part in keeping active work moving, managing technical and supplier risks, and helping cross-functional teams make clear, timely decisions.

This is an excellent opportunity for a technically grounded professional who thrives at the intersection of product knowledge, supplier management, and cross-functional leadership. Direct paper manufacturing experience is preferred, but candidates with relevant experience in nonwovens, absorbent products, fiber-based materials, packaging, converting, or adjacent manufacturing industries may also be a strong fit.

Job Description

This role requires a combination of technical product knowledge, strong cross-functional leadership, project management, and sound business judgment. The successful candidate will keep active work moving, manage technical and supplier risks, and help teams reach clear, timely decisions across paper product categories.

Technical and Product Leadership

• Support product development, quality improvement, supplier transitions, cost savings, and innovation projects across paper categories.
• Understand key product and manufacturing drivers, including material selection, product performance, specifications, testing, converting, and supplier capability.
• Review technical data, identify risks, challenge unsupported supplier claims, and recommend practical solutions.
• Distinguish between issues that require deeper technical work and those that can be resolved through sound judgment and timely decision-making.
• Partner with suppliers and internal technical experts to resolve product, manufacturing, and quality issues.

Cross-Functional and Project Leadership

• Lead projects across product development, sourcing, merchandising, quality, packaging, supply chain, finance, and supplier teams.
• Create clarity around priorities, decisions, owners, risks, and next steps.
• Manage multiple workstreams and focus attention on what is truly urgent and important.
• Navigate a large, matrixed organization and move work forward with speed.
• Escalate issues early when product quality, cost, timing, or supply is at risk.

Business and Supplier Management

• Understand the business context behind product decisions, including consumer needs, cost, margin, competitive positioning and supplier economics.
• Balance product performance, cost, speed, sustainability, and supply risk.
• Assess supplier strengths, limitations and ability to deliver against technical and business needs.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Experience in paper products, tissue, towels, nonwovens, absorbent products, packaging, converting, or a related manufacturing field.
• Strong project management and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to translate technical information into clear business decisions.
• Experience working with suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• Strong judgment and the ability to prioritize effectively in an ambiguous environment.
• Clear, concise communication and a collaborative working style.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct paper manufacturing experience.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of how product decisions affect the broader business.
• A curious, adaptable working style—someone who listens carefully, learns fast, asks good questions, and builds alignment across teams.

Benefits

Dahl Consulting is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees that will allow you to choose the best coverage to meet your family’s needs. For details, please review the DAHL Benefits Summary: https://www.dahlconsulting.com/benefits-w2fta/.

Equal Opportunity Statement

As an equal opportunity employer, Dahl Consulting welcomes candidates of all backgrounds and experiences to apply.