Director of Product Development

Job description Simpli Home is an exciting, fast growing, digital-first furniture e-commerce company creating affordable, high quality, beautiful products for everyone. Selling directly to our customers through our own website and our online retail partners, you can find our beautifully engineered furniture pieces in the homes of millions of Americans. As we quickly grow, we are looking for a talented, enthusiastic individual to join our team. We are looking for a Director of Product Development, who will develop, create + source new products that will define Simpli Home as a market leading furniture brand defined by the idea that Great Quality is a Right. This role will be critical in defining who we are in the minds of our customers. The individual in this role will have an entrepreneurial spirit and be a seasoned innovator and leader who will be a crucial part in achieving our vision and will be responsible in overseeing our strategic product development strategy. You will report directly to the CEO. The Impact you will make As Director of Product Development, you will be responsible for creating + implementing the strategy to rapidly introduce hundreds of successful compelling new products and categories per anum based on market trends and internal success data. You will guide, inspire, and manage our global team of product development, new factory sourcing + QA professionals. You will create a product development roadmap for the short and long term based on our brand vision. You will ensure that all products follow our stringent specification guidelines. You will enhance and expand our environmental efforts in reducing our environmental footprint by reducing plastic in packaging and using more sustainable materials. Our goal is to enable households to share and enjoy high-quality furniture at attainable prices. We seek to create timeless designs built for exceptional quality at a price that everyone can afford. Working in the contemporary, mid-century, industrial, transitional, Boho and other 20th century styles, you will rapidly add to our furniture selection of compelling high demand furniture items. Further, you will work with our global teams to source new factories and new countries of supply to guarantee our source of supply We are looking for a team player who is the ultimate entrepreneurial professional; who deeply understands strategic product creation based on North American trends and styles in furniture + interior design; whose leadership skills are unparalleled: who loves working methodically and deeply, and is not afraid to roll up their sleeves. Our ideal candidate loves to be on top of things and managing and leading other people. What you will do Partner with business leaders to create and maintain a 3-year vision and launch plan for our furniture and home decor productsIdeate unique and differentiated new home furnishing products that align with Simpli Home brand positioning delivering scalability and cost efficiency.Rapidly create and source multiple new products for quick launch scheduleExpand our factory base to support our new product introductions both within our existing supplier countries and new countries.Attend industry trade shows virtually or in person to grow our supplier base and understand emerging or popular home furnishing trendsImplement PLM (product lifecycle management) process and tool to streamline our product development process creating efficiency and transparency for all stakeholders.Use AI tools deeply and effectively in gaining intelligence from data, ideating new product concepts, and creating compelling presentations.Use Project Management Tools (Asana) to manage product development end to end - working to create ever greater transparency.Work cooperatively with Marketing, Product Management, Sales, Content, Supply Chain, Overseas Offices and FinanceEstablish brand differentiation through creation of unique compelling new products through continuous analysis of market trends, competitive influences, and market leaders. Oversea product development of home furnishing products from inception to launch: Creation of product development briefs to share with all relevant teams identifying all key components of product development journey to launchSelection of development and manufacturing vendor partnersApproving technical drawings, specifications, and samplesWorking with factory partners to maximize environmental specifications for product and packagingPartnering with supply chain to coordinate initial ordersPartnering with marketing to create engaging and compelling written and visual contentPartnering with sales and growth to sketch out sales potential through a focus on the products unique selling criteria as well as initial marketing and promotional strategies Does this sound like you? 5+ Years in Product Development of Home Furnishings + DecorBachelor’s degreeGraduate degree (MBA or related) a plusDeep knowledge of furniture production and factory operationsNetwork of furniture factories globallyKnowledgeable about North American designs, trends and styles. Strong verbal and written communication English skills and proactive collaboration skills. Ambitious, career oriented and committed to life-long learning and self-improvement Motivated, self-starter with very organized, disciplined work habits. Able to work effectively to strict deadlines. Good knowledge of AI toolsGood knowledge of Project Management toolsAbility to work independently and to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Ability to work well under pressure, multitask, and maintain attention to details. Ability to manage many conflicting priorities in a fast-paced environment. Dynamic entrepreneurial leader who loves rapid change and creating new environments, systems, and processesPersonable and social Why Work with Us? Simpli Home is fast paced entrepreneurial company committed to excellence and innovation. Our mission is to move fast with the goal of creating unique affordable beautiful furniture. We are a rapidly growing company filled with great people all over the world. You will be working with a team of exceptionally committed and talented partners who want to see you succeed. As an international company, we have employees located all over the world. This role will be a remote hybrid role located in the Greater Toronto Area To Apply: We are a respectful workplace committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce. We believe in fostering an inclusive work environment where all individuals have an opportunity to succeed. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone. IndustryFurniture and Home Furnishings ManufacturingEmployment TypeFull-time Show less