Product Development Manager

Job Description

Job Description

HiFyve is hiring a Product Development Manager in Hicksville, NY!

Pay: $75,000-$95,000/year

Shift: Days

Location: Hicksville, NY | On-site

Benefits: Full benefits package

About the Role

We're looking for an experienced Product Development Manager to lead new product development, product costing, and category planning within a fast-paced consumer products manufacturing environment. This role owns the development process from initial concept through the first production run while partnering across R&D, Packaging, Purchasing, Production, Creative, Marketing, and Sales.

Job Responsibilities

• Own the complete product development process from new item concept through the first production run
• Develop new everyday and seasonal food products for private-label customers
• Lead cross-functional collaboration across R&D, Packaging, Purchasing, Production, Creative, Marketing, and Sales to successfully launch products on schedule
• Partner with Sales on new product requests from key customers, including samples, pricing, and development timelines
• Lead the pricing process for new products and ensure manufacturing costs and assumptions are accurately captured
• Develop and oversee product costing models incorporating manufacturing, labor, raw materials, packaging, and transportation costs
• Analyze product formulas, yields, and losses to maintain accurate product costs
• Work with Production and suppliers to validate labor, material, and manufacturing costs
• Develop pricing recommendations that support company and customer margin targets while maintaining competitive consumer pricing
• Partner with Marketing on product positioning, creative direction, sales materials, and e-commerce presentation
• Analyze category performance, market trends, and business implications
• Identify competitive white space, consumer trends, and new product opportunities
• Develop strategic recommendations for product lines and category execution
• Identify and implement process improvements throughout product development and costing
• Continuously review costing models to maintain accurate costs and customer pricing
• Manage timely responses to customer RFQs
• Provide leadership and mentorship to junior team members and potentially manage direct reports

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, or a related field
• 6+ years of product development experience within food, R&D, or manufacturing
• Consumer product development expertise, with food industry experience ideal
• Strong knowledge of product construction and manufacturing processes
• Thorough understanding of financial costing and experience developing detailed product costing models
• Experience taking new products from concept through commercialization and first production
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive projects through completion
• Strong financial and analytical skills with the ability to evaluate costs, margins, yields, and pricing
• Understanding of food trends, consumer preferences, and category management
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, organization, and time-management skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
• Strong communication and follow-up skills
• Strong Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office skills
• Ability to work on-site in Hicksville, NY