VP of Product Innovation & Development

Five Star Recruiting and Staffing; South Bend (IN); On-site; USD 200,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Five Star Recruiting and Staffing seeks a Vice President of Product Development & Innovation to drive the strategic evolution of its product portfolio. Lead R&D, engineering, and product teams from concept to commercialization in a manufacturing/logistics context.

The role shapes the innovation roadmap, champions customer-centric solutions, and ensures alignment with sustainability and regulatory standards while managing budgets and timelines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Product Design, or related field.
• 10+ years of product development experience, including 5+ years in senior leadership.
• Experience in industrial manufacturing, packaging, logistics.
• Proven success launching products and managing lifecycle.
• Lean Product Development, Six Sigma, Agile experience.
• Strong strategic thinking and communication.

Responsibilities

• Architect and execute a product innovation strategy aligned with market demands and long-term business goals.
• Lead cross-functional teams through ideation, prototyping, testing, and full product launch.
• Manage and mentor engineering and R&D teams, fostering accountability and continuous improvement.
• Identify and integrate emerging materials, technologies, and design methodologies to enhance product performance and sustainability.
• Partner with Operations, Sales, Marketing, and Customer Support to ensure seamless product introduction and market adoption.
• Oversee product development budgets, timelines, and resource planning.
• Direct intellectual property strategy and product lifecycle management.
• Ensure compliance with relevant certifications, safety standards, and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Problem-solving

Cross-functional leadership

Lean Product Development

Six Sigma

Agile

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Product lifecycle management

Job description

Five Star Recruiting and Staffing seeks a Vice President of Product Development & Innovation to drive the strategic evolution of its product portfolio. Lead R&D, engineering, and product teams from concept to commercialization in a manufacturing/logistics context.

The role shapes the innovation roadmap, champions customer-centric solutions, and ensures alignment with sustainability and regulatory standards while managing budgets and timelines.