Director of Product

Posted by Cheeky Fishing / Wingo Outdoors on 10/31/2024

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Director of Product Job Basics

Industry Sector: Fishing, Outdoor
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Categories: Management
Salary: -
Required to Relocate: Yes
Required to Travel: No
Employee May Telecommute: No
State: Massachusetts
Job Seeker Must Live Within: -
City: North Adams, MA
Required Experience: 7 - 10 years

Director of Product Job Description & Requirements

Company: North Point Brands, LLC, DBA Cheeky Fishing & Wingo Outdoors

Position: Director of Product

Job Location: North Adams, Massachusetts.

Company Profile:

Founded in 2009, Cheeky Fishing develops, manufactures, markets and sells high performance fishing reels and equipment. The company is a category innovator and dedicated to pushing the limits of product design to create fly fishing equipment that specifically aligns with the demands of a growing demographic of progressive anglers. To that end, the company launched a second brand in 2014, Wingo Outdoors, a manufacturer of accessories and pet products geared towards outdoor and fishing enthusiasts. Cheeky Fishing and Wingo Outdoors are co-located in North Adams, MA and run side-by-side under the parent entity North Point Brands. The Director of Product contributes to both brands.

Cheeky and Wingo currently distribute product on six continents through a robust dealer network of specialty fishing, outdoor and “big box” retailers, as well as an online direct-to-consumer platform. Our company culture values a professional and responsible “work hard, play hard” mentality and a relentless passion for business growth. If you can’t maintain a great attitude while contributing to the company’s growth in any way you can, this position is not for you.

For more information on Cheeky Fishing and Wingo Outdoors, please visit our websites at https://cheekyfishing.com and https://wingooutdoors.com/.

Job Description:

North Point Brands is seeking a full-time Director of Product who will lead all aspects of product development and creation for the company’s two current brands. This position is a key leadership position at the company and will be charged with managing the product pipeline and leading the full spectrum of the product development process – from concept and design to factory relationships and sourcing strategy. The position is demanding and ideal for an individual who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial work environment and understands the importance of introducing new, innovative products in a small, fast-growing business.

A strong applicant will have significant product development experience, a track-record of bringing innovative products to market, excel in vendor/supply-chain management, and have both strong creative and analytical skills. It is critical that the individual is highly motivated, dedicated to their work, and detail oriented. The Director of Product will interface with all functions of the company including sales, marketing, and operations. The Director of Product will work closely with the company’s CEO, as well as the CMO, Director of Operations, and Director of Sales.

The right candidate will be willing to put the time in necessary to get the job done, including working some nights and weekends. Managing global supply-chain across many time zones means that evening work is required. Some international and domestic travel will also be required, particularly as it relates to vendor management and sourcing, but also trade shows and other industry events.

Job Responsibilities:

Product Pipeline Management

· Create, manage, and be accountable to the company’s product development pipeline for both brands. The Director of Product’s main focus is ensuring the company is continuously bringing innovative products to market that address customer needs and solve customer problems.

· Lead annual or bi-annual product ‘go-to-market’ campaigns by coordinating with sales, marketing, and operations for successful product launches.

· Through consumer research, market analysis, and customer feedback, manage product strategy across multiple categories. Identify and assess product opportunities in new categories.

· Liaise with internal team to lead ideation sessions and gather feedback on new product ideas and samples.

· Analyse margins, product costs, and landing fees to develop products with target pricing that is in line with company’s profitability and margin goals.

· Conduct annual line reviews to evaluate performance of all products and optimize SKU productivity and gross margins.

Sourcing and Supply-Chain

· Manage product-related communications with all vendors. The Director of Product is the main point of contact for the company’s vendors.

· Work with vendors to achieve best pricing, terms, and delivery in support of company goals. Coordinate on the same with our Director of Operations, who manages purchasing and inbound logistics.

· Create and manage a 5-year sourcing plan. Diversify risk by developing and managing redundant and/or contingency sourcing opportunities. This is a priority.

· Utilize industry knowledge and vendor relationships to effectively source product opportunities from new vendors around the world.

Product Development

· Lead product development effort to design, develop, prototype, sample and finalize all new products for the company. This includes managing all product samples in the development process.

· Create and manage product development timelines/calendars, including milestones, benchmarks and gates, to ensure all products are ready for seasonal launches.

· Develop pre-launch testing procedures for all prototypes and quality control procedures for all go-forward products.

· Engage with and manage product development firms, product engineers, and other external design and development resources when necessary.

· Lead all product education efforts with the sales and marketing teams to ensure features and benefits are accurately communicated to customers.

Qualifications & Experience:

The Director of Product position requires a minimum of 5-7 years of product development experience in the outdoor industry. The company prefers product development experience in general outdoors products as opposed to fishing specific products, although candidates with the latter are welcomed to apply. The Company’s CEO will continue to provide vision and guidance on fishing product development.

If you are applying for this position, you are:

· Well versed in global supply chain

· Creative, analytical and consumer focused

· Keyed into product trends

· Persistent with follow through / have a strong completion principle

· Highly self-motivated with a track record of rolling up your sleeves to “get stuff done”

· Entrepreneurial and willing to think differently

· Extremely dedicated to your work and someone who takes pride in a job well done

· Passionate about the outdoors

Compensation:

This is a salaried position commensurate with experience and includes competitive benefits.

Application Instructions:

Please submit both a resume and cover letter to npb@northpointbrands.com as soon as possible. The company will review all applications promptly and interviews will take place on a rolling basis.

About Cheeky Fishing / Wingo Outdoors

Cheeky and Wingo currently distribute product through a robust dealer network of specialty fishing, outdoor and “big box” retailers, as well as an online direct-to-consumer platform. Our company culture values a professional and responsible “work hard, play hard” mentality and a relentless passion for business growth. If you can’t maintain a great attitude while contributing to the company’s growth in any way you can, this position is not for you.

Cheeky Website

Wingo Website

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