Global Head of Product

We are currently seeking an experienced Global Head of Product to join a well-established, family-run SME based in Kent.

As Global Head of Product, you will play an integral leadership role, working directly with our founders, leading our supply chain, development and marketing teams to shape our product direction.

You will play a pivotal role in managing, driving and developing these teams but also supporting the strategic direction of the wider business to achieve our ambitious growth plans in conjunction with other Global Heads of Department.

We are looking for an individual with a passion for creative design and innovation but a skilled project manager, with experience across supply chain networks in Europe and preferably the USA too.

Our clients culture and work ethic at are paramount, so you will need to have drive, passion and the ability to manage and deliver on projects within agreed timeframes.

Key duties and responsibilities...

Project Management

• • Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders across the business departments to drive high impact growth initiatives aligned with overall company, product, costings, and growth strategies.
  • Take responsibility for broadening our supply chain to ensure the capacity is there to cope with the growth forecasts, both domestically and internationally.
  • Work closely with the Head of Supply Chain to oversee supplier contracts, set achievable SLA and KPI agreements to build on and maintain strong, long term business relationships.
  • Regular travel to visit customer and suppliers, both throughout the UK and internationally as required.
  • Develop the product growth vision and strategy for the NPD team, drive it forward and ensure efforts of the team are aligned with business goals.
  • Develop initial concepts, communicating to the team and supporting the development into formulated ideas.
  • Take overall accountability for all development projects.
  • Oversee product launches and product profitability.
  • Develop and manage budgets and resource requirements.
  • Provide regular report and updates to the Senior Management Team and Directors, to include costings analysis on all items and forecasting stock levels in line with seasonal trends.
  Marketing
  • Take overall accountability for the marketing team, working closely with the Head of Department.
  • Identifying new opportunities for growing business within current product range and directing the team in developing these opportunities.
  • Ensure collaboration with sales to drive the market positioning, ultimately driving revenue.
  • Participate in market research, validation, analysis to identify new business opportunities, attend exhibitions or events as required to aid this.
  Leadership:
  • Being an inspirational leader to the wider team, both when managing accounts and projects.
  • Driving the department to meeting and exceeding set goals.
  • Overseeing the direction of day-to-day activities of the team in close collaboration with the team leader.
  • Work with the Head of Supply Chain to ensure the purchasing department as a whole is equipped, and structured to cope with seasonal peaks.
  • Motivating the team to achieve business goals.
  • Developing and implementing a timeline to achieve targets.
  • Coordinating and delegating tasks to team leaders and members.

Requirements

• Proven experience in supply chain, ideally across Europe & the US within a manufacturing environment.
• A highly creative, self motivated individual with proven project management experience, ideally with the manufacturing industry.
• Proven experience in project management and execution: you can own dynamic, cross-functional work plans, able to think strategically and operationally, able to plan the necessary resources to deliver on key milestones.
• Proven experience of evaluating and managing team dynamics, individuals ability and work capacity, using an inspiring and hands on approach.
• An eye for design with the ability to think creatively and ‘out of the box’ to drive the creation and development of new, innovative, effective products.
• Ideally an understanding of technical drawings / an engineering background, ideally with experience using Solidworks to produce 3D designs.
• Confident as a team player within a Senior Management Team and in communicating with key and senior stakeholders, both internally and externally.
• A proven track record of accelerating projects from concept to launch with thorough management and coordination.
• Strong commercial awareness, combined with passion for scouting new products, materials, trends.
• Demonstrable people leadership skills, including coaching and mentoring team members.
• Experience in scaling and developing a product team at pace.
• Skilled communicator and presenter (both internally and externally), able to communicate at all levels and pitch complex technical topics in simple terms, appropriate to the audience.
• The ability to work at a fast pace, under pressure and to tight deadlines, particularly as this role is being established.
• Versatile, positive, professional, with a can-do attitude, and able to identify potential obstacles with a mindset of finding solutions.

Benefits

• Competitive package
• 25 days holiday + 8 days BH
• Pension contributions

•

Last updated on May 6, 2022