Director, Strategic Product Innovation

Job Description

Job Description

As the Director, Strategic Product Innovation, you will lead the strategic direction, development, and performance of a portfolio of physical consumer products. This highly visible role will influence where the organization invests, how it approaches innovation, and which opportunities move from concept to market.

You will develop and execute product strategies that respond to consumer needs, market trends, competitive activity, and business objectives. Working closely with leadership and cross-functional partners, you will translate market opportunities into commercially sound product plans that drive growth, strengthen the portfolio, and create long-term value.

This is not a software, SaaS, or digital product position.

As a leader, you will set a clear vision, challenge conventional thinking, develop talent, and create alignment across the organization. You will lead from strategy into execution, ensuring that strong ideas are supported by disciplined planning, financial judgment, and measurable outcomes.

Location: Greater Philadelphia Area
Work arrangement: Hybrid
Salary range: $115,000–$125,000 annually

Compensation will be based on factors including the scope of experience, education, relevant skills, leadership capabilities, and overall alignment with the position.

YOU MUST HAVE

• 7+ years of progressive experience in product strategy, product innovation, product development, product management, portfolio management, or category management
• Demonstrated success bringing new products from concept through development and market launch
• Proven people-leadership and team-development experience
• Strong business acumen and strategic decision-making skills
• Experience evaluating pricing, product costs, margin, profitability, and portfolio performance
• Strong executive communication, presentation, and influencing skills

WE VALUE

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Product Development, Engineering, or a related field
• Experience developing multi-year product strategies and innovation roadmaps
• Strong understanding of consumer insights, market research, and competitive analysis
• Experience building financial models and business cases for new product opportunities
• Ability to balance creative thinking with commercial and operational discipline
• A leadership style that creates clarity, accountability, and ownership
• The ability to succeed in a fast-moving, evolving business environment

Key Responsibilities

• Product Strategy: Develop and execute a clear strategy for the product portfolio, aligned with market opportunities and broader business goals. Establish the vision, priorities, and areas of focus that will guide investment and growth.
• Innovation Leadership: Build and prioritize a forward-looking innovation pipeline. Identify unmet consumer needs, emerging trends, and opportunities to create differentiated products with meaningful commercial potential.
• Portfolio Management: Evaluate the performance and strategic role of products across the portfolio. Recommend where to invest, expand, improve, reposition, consolidate, or discontinue.
• Product Development: Guide high-potential ideas from early concept through development, sourcing, production, and market launch. Ensure product decisions balance consumer appeal, quality, cost, margin, timing, and feasibility.
• Market and Consumer Insights: Use market research, consumer behavior, customer feedback, competitive activity, and performance data to identify opportunities and inform product decisions.
• Business Case Development: Build and present recommendations that clearly define the market opportunity, strategic rationale, financial potential, risks, and resource requirements.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner with teams across the organization to align product priorities, resolve barriers, and support successful development and launch execution.
• Team Leadership: Lead, coach, and develop product professionals. Establish clear expectations, strengthen strategic capabilities, and create a culture of innovation, accountability, and results.
• Executive Engagement: Communicate product strategies, portfolio performance, recommendations, risks, and progress to senior leadership. Influence decisions through clear thinking, market knowledge, and sound business judgment.
• Performance Management: Establish meaningful measures of success across the portfolio and innovation pipeline. Use results and insights to improve decisions, refine priorities, and support continuous growth.