Job Details

The SVP Product Development is responsible for managing the product development process including: design, preliminary engineering, costing, management of development timelines and interaction with the Hong Kong Engineering.  Functions reporting to the SVP Product Development include design, preliminary engineering, milestone planning, and product costing.   

Key Responsibilities

Product Development

·         Review, enhance and manage the end to end product development process

·         Ensure product timelines are adhered to through management of the milestone tracking process

·         Hold Marketing, Design, Packaging, and Preliminary Engineering  teams accountable for adherence to agreed development milestones and product launch dates

·         Work with all Brand teams to resolve issues impacting development timelines. Escalate issues as appropriate.

·         Manage Preliminary Engineering team to ensure timely and accurate turnovers to Hong Kong

·         Work with Hong Kong Engineering to resolve product development issues that impact timelines and intended product functionality and design

·         Oversee timely communications on project status throughout the organization.

Product Costing & Preliminary Engineering

·         Help improve productivity and efficiency of the preliminary design and engineering process.

·         Help streamline the development and quality of turnover packages to the Far East office.

·         Ensure turnover packages are timely and complete

·         Work with Marketing and Design to optimize content and features of the products.  Review proposed materials and functional designs against marketing requirements and ensure preliminary design turnovers maximize the best design solutions given the constraints of selling price, target cost and margins.

·         Review utilization of materials, methods and process in order to help team meet cost objectives and quality specifications.

·         Assist Far East Engineering in trouble shooting products before and after turn over to the Far East office.

·         Oversee the product costing to ensure cost and value are maximized.  Integrate budgetary considerations into evaluations.

·         Participate in business and product strategy development   Participate in product brainstorming.

Key Metrics

·         On time execution of product development

·         Hong Kong turnover packages with cost variances of less than 2%

·         Effective management of the product development team

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Skills & Experience Requirements

·         Extensive experience developing, implementing and managing product development processes

·         Experience working with Far East Engineering and development

·         Exceptional organization and time management skills with the ability to balance multiple competing demands

·         Toy industry experience preferred

·         Strong problem solving skills

·         Flexibility to work in a dynamic environment

·         Excellent teamwork and cooperation

·         Strong written and oral communication skills