Product Development Manager

Location:Los Angeles, CA or Seattle, WA (In-office, not remote)

Reports To: CEO / Executive Team

The Product Development Manager is responsible for managing the product development lifecycle from initial concept through manufacturing handoff. This role ensures products are designed, engineered, tested, and documented to meet the requirements of each sales channel and/or partner while remaining operationally efficient and aligned with brand standards.

The role partners closely with the Production team, who manage mass manufacturing and are actively involved throughout sampling, validation, and factory ramp-up.

This is a hands-on, cross-functional role suited for someone who enjoys working at the intersection of design, engineering, manufacturing, compliance, and omni-channel commerce.

Key Responsibilities:

Guide product development with an omni-channel mindset, accounting for the differing needs of DTC, marketplace, and big-box retail

Work closely with the production team to manage development timelines aligned with retail line reviews, marketplace launch windows, and DTC drops

Balance innovation, speed-to-market, cost, margin, and scalability

Partner with founders, design, production and marketing to develop new product concepts, categories, and line extensions

Evaluate product ideas for brand alignment, channel fit, manufacturability, and commercial viability

Work closely with the production team to guide materials, construction methods, and features that perform well across online merchandising, retail shelves, and high-volume fulfillment

Oversee technical specifications, CADs, tech packs, BOMs, packaging structures, and master cartons

Ensure products meet performance, durability, and safety standards appropriate for both DTC and mass retail environments

Drive resolution of technical challenges uncovered during development and sampling

Oversee the sampling process in close collaboration with the Production team and overseas factories

Review and approve samples across function, materials, color, print, construction, and packaging

Ensure samples reflect final retail-ready and DTC-ready specifications, minimizing late-stage changes

Own the final handoff to Production once a product is development-complete

Ensure all documentation is finalized, including specs, testing protocol, packaging requirements, and channel-specific variations

Support Production during early manufacturing runs to ensure design intent, quality, and channel requirements are maintained

Ensure products comply with all relevant U.S. and international safety standards (e.g., ASTM, CPSIA, Prop 65)

Work with production team to account for retailer-specific compliance, packaging, labeling, and testing requirements

Partner with testing labs and internal teams to manage certifications, warnings, and documentation for all sales channels

Serve as the central hub between Design, Production, Sourcing, Marketing, E-commerce, and Retail partners

Communicate channel-specific tradeoffs, timelines, and risks clearly to leadership

Help build scalable product development systems that support rapid DTC launches and large retail programs simultaneously

Must-Have Qualifications :

5-10+ years of experience in product development, ideally within consumer products, outdoor goods, inflatables, or adjacent categories

Proven experience guiding products from concept through manufacturing handoff

Experience developing products for multiple sales channels, including DTC, Amazon, and/or big-box retail

Strong understanding of overseas manufacturing,…