Product Development & Brand Manager

Company Overview

Our client is an award-winning, precision-tool brand that has spent more than four decades setting the standard for high-quality, innovative grooming tools. Built on a reputation for reliability, craftsmanship, and continuous product innovation, the organization is energized by a passionate consumer following and a culture centered on brand integrity and education. The brand’s iconic products have been recognized by leading beauty publications and industry awards, reflecting a long-standing commitment to excellence. As the company expands its portfolio and accelerates growth in its pet category, they are looking for a Product Development & Brand Manager to lead end-to-end new product development and go-to-market execution for their Pet Collection.

Position Overview

This is a high-impact opportunity to own and scale a fast-growing pet grooming tools portfolio within an established, premium consumer brand. You will lead new product development from concept through launch, shape the assortment strategy, and build compelling go-to-market plans that win at retail and online. The role is highly cross-functional (Product, Sourcing, Quality, Creative, Marketing, Sales, and external partners) and will have strong visibility with senior leadership through presentations, line review support, and portfolio performance reporting. Over time, this role can expand in scope as the Pet Collection grows, positioning you for broader brand leadership and larger portfolio ownership.

Position Responsibilities

• Own the Pet Collection new product pipeline, from opportunity identification and concepting through commercialization and lifecycle management.
• Translate consumer, category, and competitive insights into a clear product roadmap, including assortment gaps, pricing tiers, and innovation priorities.
• Lead cross-functional development to deliver products on-time and to spec, managing key milestones (samples, packaging, claims, testing, quality, and legal readiness).
• Build pricing and margin plans for new and existing items, partnering to manage COGS, targets, and profitability outcomes.
• Serve as a day-to-day point of contact for suppliers and external partners to keep development moving and risks surfaced early.
• Partner with Sales to support retailer needs (line reviews, channel-specific materials, exclusives) and incorporate retail feedback into product decisions.
• Collaborate with Sourcing, Supply Chain, and Quality to identify and onboard suppliers and ensure launches meet all product and packaging requirements.
• Work with Creative/Digital Content teams to develop launch plans, product storytelling, packaging direction, and content timelines.
• Develop and deliver product/brand presentations and internal trainings to align stakeholders on launches, updates, and priorities.
• Monitor performance (POS, shipments, and portfolio health), recommend actions to optimize results, and lead annual SKU rationalization/complexity reduction.
  
  

Position Qualifications

• Required: Demonstrated track record of successfully bringing consumer products to market and improving portfolio performance through data-informed decisions.
• Required: A minimum of 4–5 years of progressive experience in product management and/or product development (pet industry experience preferred, but strong adjacent consumer goods experience is welcomed).
• Required: Hands-on ownership of new product development from concept through launch, including timelines, sample management, and cross-functional execution.
• Required: Strong commercial acumen, including pricing strategy, margin/COGS management, and comfort using sales/market insights to guide recommendations.
• Required: Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders and represent the portfolio in internal and customer-facing settings.
• Preferred: Familiarity with grooming tools and/or pet grooming categories; strong understanding of product quality standards and testing requirements.
• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree is a plus; equivalent experience will be considered.
• Required: Ability to travel ~15% domestically and internationally for factory visits and industry events/trade shows.
  
  

If you're ready to make an impact and take your career to the next level, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now and a member of Talentfoot’s recruitment team will be in touch should your track record of success, experience, skills and qualifications match our client’s requirements.

Talentfoot Executive Search

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