VP Product Development - Consumer Products

Jsr Associates; Fort Worth (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Jsr Associates in Fort Worth, TX, seeks a Vice President of Product Development to lead the end-to-end lifecycle for hardline consumer goods and outdoor products. You own the product vision, innovation roadmap, and cross-functional execution to bring differentiated products to market.

You will mentor diverse teams across R&D, industrial design, engineering, sourcing, and commercialization, partner with Marketing, Sales, Operations, and Supply Chain, and ensure durability, safety, and

Qualifications

• 10-15+ years of progressive product development leadership in CPG hardline goods, outdoor equipment, tools, sporting goods, or durable consumer products.
• Proven success launching commercially successful products across retail, big-box, specialty, and e-commerce channels.
• Strong technical background in materials, manufacturing processes, and product engineering.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and managing complex product portfolios.
• Demonstrated ability to translate consumer insights into high-value product solutions.
• Executive-level communication, strategic thinking, and cross-functional leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end product lifecycle from ideation to launch.
• Develop market-driven innovation roadmaps aligned to growth objectives.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Operations and Supply Chain.
• Drive sustainability initiatives in materials and packaging.
• Oversee regulatory compliance, testing, and field performance validation.
• Build business cases, cost models, and margin targets for new products.

Skills

Product strategy

Cross-functional leadership

Executive communication

Project management

Materials & manufacturing knowledge

Job description

The Vice President of Product Development is the strategic and operational leader responsible for driving the end-to-end product lifecycle for hardline consumer goods and outdoor products. This executive owns the product vision, innovation roadmap, category expansion strategy, and cross-functional execution that brings commercially successful products to market. The VP leads multi-disciplinary teams across R&D, industrial design, engineering, sourcing, and commercialization to deliver differentiated products that meet consumer needs, strengthen brand positioning, and achieve financial targets.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy & Innovation

• Build and own a multi-year product innovation roadmap aligned to market trends, consumer insights, and company growth objectives.
• Identify new product categories, materials, technologies, and outdoor-use innovations that create competitive advantage.
• Lead concept development, prototyping, and validation for new hardline goods and outdoor products.
• Champion a consumer-centric approach using VOC, market research, and field testing.

Leadership & Cross-functional Management

• Lead and mentor product development, engineering, and design teams; establish a high-performance, innovation-driven culture.
• Partner closely with Marketing, Sales, Operations, and Supply Chain to ensure product feasibility, manufacturability, and commercial success.
• Drive alignment between product strategy, brand strategy, and channel strategy (retail, e-commerce, specialty outdoor).

Product Lifecycle Ownership

• Oversee all phases of product development: ideation, design, engineering, testing, regulatory compliance, sourcing, and launch.
• Ensure products meet durability, safety, sustainability, and performance standards expected in outdoor and hardline categories.
• Manage SKU rationalization, product refresh cycles, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Commercial & Financial Accountability

• Build business cases, cost models, and margin targets for new products.
• Optimize product cost structures through material selection, supplier negotiation, and design-for-manufacturing principles.
• Monitor category performance, competitive landscape, and pricing strategy to ensure market leadership.

Operational Excellence

• Implement best-in-class product development processes, stage-gate systems, and project management discipline.
• Oversee testing protocols, quality assurance, and field performance validation.
• Drive sustainability initiatives related to materials, packaging, and product lifecycle impact.

Qualifications

• 10-15+ years of progressive product development leadership in CPG hardline goods, outdoor equipment, tools, sporting goods, or durable consumer products.
• Proven success launching commercially successful products across retail, big-box, specialty, and e-commerce channels.
• Strong technical background in materials, manufacturing processes, and product engineering.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and managing complex product portfolios.
• Demonstrated ability to translate consumer insights into high-value product solutions.
• Executive-level communication, strategic thinking, and cross-functional leadership skills.

Success Profile

The ideal candidate is a strategic builder with deep category knowledge, a passion for outdoor-use products, and a track record of delivering durable, high-performance consumer goods. They blend creativity with commercial rigor, move quickly from concept to market, and elevate the brand through innovation and execution excellence.