At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire a talented team to create innovative consumer products.
- Company: Join a successful consumer products business in Greater Manchester.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, benefits, and the chance to shape product development.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for growth and collaboration.
- Why this job: Play a key role in driving innovation and influencing the company's future.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in product development and strong leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 59400 - 72600 £ per year.
A genuinely exciting opportunity to join a well-established, highly successful consumer products business at an important stage of growth. This is a brand-new leadership position, created as part of an ambitious long-term growth strategy. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape the Product Development function, influence the wider business and play a key role in its future direction.
The Role
- You'll take ownership of the Product Development function, leading and developing a talented team responsible for creating innovative, commercially successful consumer product ranges across multiple categories.
- Working closely with Design, Sales, Merchandising, QA and an established global supplier network, you'll oversee the product journey from initial concept through to production, ensuring ranges are commercially viable, customer-focused and delivered to a high standard.
The Detail
- Lead, develop and inspire a high-performing Product Development team.
- Set the product development strategy and drive innovation across multiple consumer categories.
- Develop strong, long-term supplier relationships, improving quality, speed to market and product innovation.
- Work closely with factories on prototypes, samples, costing and final product execution.
- Partner with Design and wider commercial teams to develop ranges that balance creativity, quality and commerciality.
- Conduct competitor analysis, retail benchmarking and market research to identify new opportunities.
- Ensure product ranges are commercially balanced, with a strong understanding of costing, pricing and margin.
- Champion best practice across product development processes and identify opportunities to improve ways of working.
- Support the wider leadership team as the business continues to grow.
Who We're Looking For
- Proven experience leading Product Development within a consumer products business, ideally across categories such as homeware, toys, gifting, seasonal, accessories or similar.
- Experience working with major retailers/grocers would be advantageous.
- Strong commercial understanding, with experience across product costing, retail pricing, margins and range development.
- A confident, decisive leader who can challenge ideas, influence stakeholders and drive change.
- A strong people manager who enjoys coaching, developing and building high-performing teams.
- Passionate about product, innovation and bringing commercially successful newness to market.
- Naturally curious, with a strong understanding of competitors, trends and the wider consumer market.
- Highly organised and comfortable managing multiple projects in a fast-paced, commercially driven environment.
- A collaborative and approachable leadership style, with the confidence to raise standards and make an impact.
Head of Product Development in Manchester employer: Zachary Daniels Careers
Join a well-established automotive company in Wokingham, where your expertise as an MOT Tester is truly appreciated. With a strong commitment to employee development, you will benefit from competitive salaries, generous bonuses, and a comprehensive benefits package that prioritises your health and wellbeing. Experience a supportive work culture that fosters growth and offers genuine career progression opportunities in a thriving environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Product Development in Manchester
✨Join Product Management Meetups
Get involved in local product management meetups or workshops. These events are perfect for meeting industry folks, sharing ideas, and staying updated on trends. Plus, you never know who might be hiring—it's a fantastic way to make connections that could lead to a job at places like Zachary Daniels Careers!
✨Show Off Your Product Sense
Create case studies or mini-projects showcasing your product management skills, and share them on platforms like Medium or LinkedIn. This not only puts your skills on display but also boosts your visibility in the product community. Imagine how impressed the hiring team at Zachary Daniels Careers would be by your initiative!
✨Utilise Online Communities
Dive into online product management communities like Product Coalition or Mind the Product. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and share your insights. These platforms are goldmines for networking and finding hidden job opportunities—many companies often scout talent from within these circles.
✨Leverage Your University Network
If you’ve recently graduated or are still in uni, tap into your alumni network for connections in product management. Many universities have their own job boards and affinity resources to help graduates land roles. Don't forget to keep an eye out for job openings at Zachary Daniels Careers through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Product Development in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Head of Product Development, let your passion for developing products shine through in your cover letter. Share specific examples of products you've managed, how you solved user needs, and any successful outcomes you've achieved. This is your chance to showcase your understanding of the product lifecycle!
Highlight Your Cross-Functional Skills:Product management isn't just about understanding the product; it’s about collaborating with different teams! Make sure to emphasise your experience working with developers, designers, and marketers. Use your CV to showcase your ability to bridge gaps between these areas, and include relevant experiences that demonstrate your communication and leadership skills!
Include Your Metrics and Achievements:In a full-time product management application, data speaks volumes! Quantify your achievements wherever possible. Did you increase user retention by a certain percentage? Launch a product ahead of schedule? Include these metrics in your CV to paint a picture of your impact and effectiveness in previous roles.
Tailor Your CV to the Role:Make sure your CV is tailored for the Head of Product Development position at Zachary Daniels Careers. Use keywords from the job description and ensure your relevant experiences are front and centre. Highlight any certifications or relevant training you’ve completed that will make you stand out as a strong candidate for the role. And remember, we’re excited to see your application on our website!
How to prepare for a job interview at Zachary Daniels Careers
✨Understand the Product Life Cycle
As a product management candidate, we need to get our head around the complete product life cycle. Be prepared to discuss real-world examples of how you’ve managed product development from ideation to launch. Bring specific insights on tools like JIRA or Trello that can help streamline these processes.
✨Showcase Your Cross-Functional Skills
Product management is all about collaboration. We should be ready to highlight how we’ve worked across teams—think marketing, engineering, and design. Prepare to discuss scenarios where you had to mediate differing opinions and how you got everyone on board with a shared vision.
✨Prepare for Case Studies
In a full-time role, we can expect to encounter case study questions during our interviews. Practise solving hypothetical product problems on the spot, such as prioritising features for a new app or improving user engagement metrics. This will show our analytical thinking and decision-making skills.
✨Know Your Metrics
Let’s face it, numbers are our best friends in product management. We should prepare to discuss key performance indicators (KPIs) and how we've used analytics to inform product decisions. Dive into examples where data has driven our strategy for improvements or justified product changes.
