Product Development Manager - Outdoor Consumer Products

(On-site, Indianapolis, IN | International Travel Required) Westfield Outdoors, Inc. is a leading designer and manufacturer of outdoor products including furniture, tents, coolers, packs, shelters, and gear. We partner with top retailers to deliver innovative, high-quality products under both private label and our own national brands. With headquarters in Indianapolis, IN, and global sourcing and development teams throughout Asia, Westfield is uniquely positioned to drive growth in the outdoor industry. Position Summary The Product Manager is responsible for driving product strategy, innovation, and execution across assigned outdoor product categories. This role owns the full product lifecycle, including Discovery & Innovation, New Product Planning, New Product Introduction, and Post-Launch Performance Management. The Product Manager will leverage market intelligence, consumer insights, and competitive analysis to identify opportunities, define product direction, and deliver commercially successful products aligned with business objectives, margin targets, and channel requirements. This position will focus on softgoods and lifestyle-driven outdoor categories, including beach, packs, bags, and coolers. The ideal candidate combines strong analytical capability with product intuition and commercial discipline, with a clear focus on physical, durable goods. Key Responsibilities Discovery & Innovation Define market research objectives and lead execution of research initiatives across assigned categories Conduct competitive analysis to evaluate positioning, product features, pricing, and assortment strategies Develop consumer insights to identify unmet needs, usage behaviors, and target segments Identify new product opportunities and category white space through ongoing market, financial, and performance analysis Develop product strategies that balance functional performance with consumer-driven design, materials, and seasonal trends Develop and manage category-level product roadmaps aligned with company objectives Define product positioning, feature sets, and value propositions across retail and e-commerce channels Establish and manage product-level financial targets including cost, margin, and pricing strategy Drive portfolio decisions including line expansion, optimization, and rationalization of underperforming products New Product Planning & Development Oversee product development projects, managing scope, timelines, and trade-off decisions across cost, features, and schedule Partner with Design, Engineering, and Sourcing teams to bring product concepts to market Lead cross-functional teams through development milestones and stage gate processes Identify and manage risks associated with product development and commercialization Recommend GO / NO-GO decisions at key milestones to ensure readiness for launch Go-to-Market & Commercial Execution Coordinate cross-functional teams to support product launches across retail, e-commerce, and marketplace channels Support development of marketing materials, sales tools, and product training resources Ensure alignment between product positioning, packaging, and channel strategy Post-Launch Performance Management Monitor product performance against KPIs including sales, margin, and channel performance Analyze consumer feedback, competitive activity, and promotional effectiveness Conduct regular product reviews and recommend adjustments to improve performance Manage product lifecycle decisions including updates, repositioning, or discontinuation Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or related field 3–7 years of product management experience within physical, durable goods categories (software-only experience not applicable) Demonstrated success managing product lifecycles from concept through commercialization and post-launch optimization Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, materials, and global sourcing environments Experience working across retail and e-commerce channels with an understanding of channel-specific requirements Strong analytical, organizational, and cross-functional collaboration skills Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment Preferred Qualifications Experience with softgoods, sewn products, or outdoor lifestyle categories such as beach, packs, bags, and coolers Familiarity with global product development cycles and overseas manufacturing partners Exposure to multiple outdoor product categories including shelters, accessories, and equipment Willingness to travel internationally for product development and supplier collaboration Salary range commensurate with experience Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, 401(k), and paid time off Opportunity to directly influence product innovation, category growth, and portfolio performance #J-18808-Ljbffr Westfield Outdoor, Inc.