Manager, Product Development - Shark Chemicals

The Product Development organization within SharkNinja drives our global product roadmap from concept to shelf through the constant lens of the consumer. We are the “product CEOs” and partner cross-functionally with almost every other team within the company to drive high satisfaction for our end user and to drive business results. We are comprised of individuals from a variety of professional and educational backgrounds, from product marketing managers to consumer-focused engineers – but we all have one thing in common: we’re consistently striving to deliver a 5-star experience for every customer on every product we bring to market.

Responsibilities:

• Support the Shark business onsite in our Needham, MA headquarters with the development of successful and profitable programs for chemical products for our hard floor, carpet extraction, and home environment products. You will lead roadmap definition and new product development (creation and management) for chemicals from brainstorm phase through mass production. You are responsible AND accountable for progressing, reporting on, and actioning your deliverables.
• Lead, manage, and grow team members within the organization – providing guidance on their assigned projects, ensuring product success, supporting professional advancement within their role and within SharkNinja, and holding them accountable to their specific job responsibilities. You will be viewed as a manager who has proficiency navigating people, conflict, and resource management.
• Define and develop chemical product specifications, marrying consumer wants/needs, white space in the market, and new technologies as the primary consumer advocate.
• Develop user-relevant design targets for chemical performance and user experience – and act as the beacon of these targets to the cross-functional team of product engineers, commercial marketers, and chemical formulation/production partners.
• Partner with SharkNinja’s Consumer Insights team to develop consumer testing objectives, and implement this consumer-driven feedback into chemical and product specifications and formulation iterations throughout the development cycle.
• Partner with SharkNinja’s testing and quality organizations to define, develop and manage quality and performance testing procedures.
• Partner with SharkNinja’s Compliance team to coordinate and manage regulatory testing and certifications for chemicals being shipped to global markets. Ensure all chemical products meet international regulatory standards, maintaining up-to-date documentation to support global distribution and sales.
• Manage chemical cost structure, reporting, and cost rationalization exercises – and collaborate with supply chain, merchandising, and supply planning teams on chemical and bottle sourcing strategy recommendations.
• Provide direction and oversight into the creation and execution of go-to-market collateral to support product launch, including instructional material and consumer-facing product specification information.
• Support development of chemical-related product troubleshooting and “FAQs” to support a 5-star consumer experience post-purchase.
• Act as the chemical “expert” for cross-functional team member questions and concerns.
• Be called upon to take leadership of larger cross-functional “breakthroughs” that increase executive visibility and accelerate career growth.

Qualifications:

• 4+ years of experience in product development, product marketing, engineering, or a related field, preferably within the cleaning products or household chemicals industry.
• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent experience) in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials/Polymer Science, Management, Product Development or a combination of the above
• Prior experience hiring, managing, leading, and goal setting with team members.
• A “100% on” consumer-first perspective when it comes to introducing new products/processes or improving current products.
• Ability to effectively “manage up” by communicating your top priorities and constantly seeking feedback on your and your team’s work.
• A mindset geared toward building relationships across multi-functional teams, coupled with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Highly-effective communication skills – both written (presentation/email) and in-person (ability to host succinct, effective conversations that solve problems and ability to make effective presentations to all levels of management, including SharkNinja’s executive leadership team)
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize effectively, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and stay organized in a fast-paced environment.
• A desire to learn and grow in a passionate environment.  The ability to embrace transparency and shifting priorities while learning from each decision and focusing on the path forward.