Head of Product Development

Job Title: Head of Product Development

Job Type: Full-time / Remote

Work Hours: US Hours

We’re helping our client find a Head of Product Development to build and scale a world‑class product portfolio across multiple health and wellness categories. In this role, you will lead end‑to‑end product development—from concept through commercialization—while contributing to building a best‑in‑class, globally competitive DTC wellness brand.

This role is for someone who has built and scaled massive product pipelines across multiple brands, categories, and form factors – and who understands that great product development is the intersection of science, commercial acumen, and brand storytelling.

You will report directly to the CEO and have a seat at the leadership table.

Product Pipeline & Roadmap

• Build and manage a deep, rolling product pipeline across multiple categories: men’s health, women’s health, kids, longevity, performance, hydration, weight management, and emerging verticals.
• Drive product development from concept through commercialization across all form factors: powders, gummies, liquids, soft gels, capsules, effervescent tablets, sachets, RTDs, and new delivery formats.
• Own the 12–18 month product roadmap with clear gate-stage milestones, prioritised by commercial opportunity, competitive gap analysis, and brand‑market fit.
• Develop category expansion strategies informed by global market trends, consumer insights, clinical research, and competitive intelligence.
• Identify white‑space opportunities in underpenetrated demographics and health verticals before the market catches up.

Formulation & Product Excellence

• Lead formulation strategy with an obsession for clinical dosing, ingredient transparency, and product efficacy – no fairy‑dusting, no proprietary blends that hide weak formulations.
• Evaluate and select branded ingredients, patented compounds, and novel actives – balancing efficacy, IP defensibility, regulatory clearance, and COGS impact.
• Manage relationships with scientific advisors, KOLs, and clinical research partners to validate formulations and generate credible substantiation.
• Stay ahead of ingredient innovation, regulatory shifts (FDA, EFSA, TGA, MHRA), and emerging science across nutraceuticals, functional foods, and adjacent categories.
• Own stability testing, heavy metals compliance (Prop 65, USP), allergen management, and multi‑market regulatory filings across 31+ countries.

Contract Manufacturing & Supply Chain

• Source, evaluate, negotiate, and manage contract manufacturers (CMOs/CDMOs) globally across all form factors – with a sharp focus on quality, cost, speed, and scalability.
• Drive aggressive COGS optimisation without compromising product quality – negotiate raw material pricing, MOQs, lead times, and production economics.
• Build a diversified supplier base to mitigate single‑source risk, geopolitical disruption, and supply chain volatility.
• Oversee tech transfer, scale‑up production, QA/QC protocols, and line trials for new product launches.
• Establish vendor scorecards and performance reviews with clear SLAs covering quality, on‑time delivery, and defect rates.

Commercial Product Strategy

• Partner with the CEO and commercial team to align product development with revenue targets, margin requirements, and DTC/omni‑channel strategy.
• Own landed COGS modelling and unit economics for every SKU – ensuring products are commercially viable at scale while maintaining premium positioning.
• Build product bundles, subscription architectures (monthly vs. quarterly), and tiered SKU structures that maximise LTV and reduce churn.
• Collaborate with marketing on product storytelling, hero ingredient narratives, and competitive positioning – translating complex science into consumer‑facing claims that convert.
• Inform pricing strategy through competitive benchmarking, willingness‑to‑pay analysis, and margin stack modelling across markets.

Brand & Storytelling Integration

• Work closely with the Scientific Advisory Board to validate formulations, pressure‑test ingredient choices, and ensure every product meets the highest standards of clinical credibility.
• Develop compelling "why this product…