Vice President of Product Development

Job Title: Vice President, Product Development

Division: Consumer Products Division, Culligan Retail NA

Location: Remote or Hybrid, Rosemont, IL

Description: The Vice President, Product Development will be at the helm of our Consumer Products Division's Culligan branded NA Retail business, leading the charge in product development, process optimization, and regulatory compliance, with a particular focus on consumer-focused water treatment and filtration systems. We're seeking an individual who can champion innovation, foster collaborative efforts across departments, and ensure the delivery of top-tier products that meet consumer demand and align with market trends.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Vision and Leadership:

• Influence the business unit strategy and translate the business strategy into category programs and strategies.
• Stimulate and champion change and innovation in the organization and in cross-functional team members by initiating and supporting new ideas and initiate change through data driven decision-making.
• Promote a global perspective, knowing that the products must win in NA. Leverage design, technology, costs, supply chain, etc. across any and all businesses to gain leverage and formalize opportunities.
• Develop and articulate a clear product and platform (iOT) strategy and roadmap aligned with Brand Marketing and sales teams in NA taking into consideration the competitive landscape, with the anticipation that global expansion is expected.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to seamlessly integrate relevant innovations into the overall business strategy, setting the right processes, cadence and investment strategies that will drive growth across multiple product lines.
• Support product education and sell-in sessions at retailer line reviews.
• Lead cross-functional product training, education, and support initiatives.

New Product Development:

• Be the voice of the consumer to own the product and experience from MVP concept to exit.
• Own the New Product Development (NPD) process and cultivate a 3–5-year product innovation vision for consumer-focused products within the Culligan product categories of housewares and installed-solutions.
• Own the New Product Development pipeline to launch by working cross-collaboratively with Brand Marketing and Sales to deliver on the NPD brief from Brand Marketing and set gates to ensure Senior management is involved in key decisions and investments.
• Craft Engineering and R&D briefs, including packaging engineering, based on attributes, specifications, and pricing/margin requirements set by Brand Marketing.
• Develop comprehensive Bill of Materials (BOMs) and precise cost estimates to meet margin targets.
• Support Marketing in creating product collateral and assets, including consumer care FAQs, inclusive of troubleshooting and quick start guides.
• Lead consumer care product training sessions and develop troubleshooting guides.
• Maintain product specifications and master data sheets.

Optimize Product Portfolio

• Drive revenue and gross margin opportunities through new, innovative products/positioning.
• Analyze SKU assortment and aim to deliver 20% of rolling 12 month revenues through new launches to deliver incremental value to the business and minimize cannibalization.
• Drive product improvements based on marketing and consumer feedback loops.
• Lead sustaining engineering work to gain stronger consumer claims built on efficacy, ease of use or ESG improvements.
• Lead quality assurance processes with the operations team to ensure product quality standards for the Culligan brand.
• Support product issue resolution and facilitate communication with sales, marketing, and finance teams.

Product Sustainability:

• Identify opportunities for product and packaging sustainability improvements.
• Validate product and packaging sustainability claims.
• Lead product lifecycle assessment and data collection in collaboration with the ESG team.
• Develop and manage filter recycling programs.

Engineering and Regulatory:

• Lead claims substantiation testing, including clinical testing and trials.
• Oversee packaging engineering, including structure, sourcing, and drop and ship testing.
• Explore packaging materials based on marketing specifications.
• Support pallet configuration, weights and dims in partnership with supply chain team
• Regulatory, Quality, & Legal Liaison:
• Coordinate Regulatory submissions and certifications with NSF and IAPMO.
• Maintain NSF and IAPMO certifications with support from Engineering and Regulatory teams.
• Manage Culligan and competitive product certifications tracker.
• Oversee patent applications in collaboration with the legal team.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in Product Development, with a focus on Consumer Products and Regulatory Compliance.
• Proven track record of leading and developing high-performing teams.
• Comprehensive knowledge of regulatory requirements related to consumer products, particularly in the water treatment sector.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to travel up to 40% as required.

About us - The world’s leading water experts, we deliver high-quality water solutions to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, Culligan International offers technologically advanced, state-of-the-art water filtration products, including water softeners, water filtration systems, industrial water treatment solutions, drinking water systems, and whole- house filtration systems. We improve water across all aspects of consumers’ lives.

GLOBAL CONSUMER PRODUCTS DIVISION (CPD)

Mission Statement: Become the global leader in water transforming systems, by creating world-class, consumer-centric brands that drive penetration of iconic products and deliver recurring revenue through proprietary consumables and omni-channel experiences that empower consumers in choice for their water needs that meet their lifestyle.

To learn more visit - https://culligandiy.com & https://zerowater.com

We offer competitive compensation & benefits including: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, 401(k) & 401k Match, Parental Leave, Unlimited PTO, Additional voluntary benefits