Head of Product Development

About the Role

We're helping our client find a Head of Product Development to build and scale a world-class product portfolio across multiple health and wellness categories. In this role, you will lead end-to-end product development—from concept through commercialization—while contributing to building a best-in-class, globally competitive DTC wellness brand.

This role is for someone who has built and scaled massive product pipelines across multiple brands, categories, and form factors—and who understands that great product development is the intersection of science, commercial acumen, and brand storytelling.

You will report directly to the CEO and have a seat at the leadership table.

Responsibilities

Product Pipeline & Roadmap

• Build and manage a deep, rolling product pipeline across multiple categories: men's health, women's health, kids, longevity, performance, hydration, weight management, and emerging verticals
• Drive product development from concept through commercialization across all form factors: powders, gummies, liquids, soft gels, capsules, effervescent tablets, sachets, RTDs, and new delivery formats
• Own the 12–18 month product roadmap with clear gate-stage milestones, prioritized by commercial opportunity, competitive gap analysis, and brand-market fit
• Develop category expansion strategies informed by global market trends, consumer insights, clinical research, and competitive intelligence
• Identify white-space opportunities in underpenetrated demographics and health verticals before the market catches up

Formulation & Product Excellence

• Lead formulation strategy with an obsession for clinical dosing, ingredient transparency, and product efficacy—no fairy-dusting, no proprietary blends that hide weak formulations
• Evaluate and select branded ingredients, patented compounds, and novel actives—balancing efficacy, IP defensibility, regulatory clearance, and COGS impact
• Manage relationships with scientific advisors, KOLs, and clinical research partners to validate formulations and generate credible substantiation
• Stay ahead of ingredient innovation, regulatory shifts (FDA, EFSA, TGA, MHRA), and emerging science across nutraceuticals, functional foods, and adjacent categories
• Own stability testing, heavy metals compliance (Prop 65, USP), allergen management, and multi-market regulatory filings across 31+ countries

Contract Manufacturing & Supply Chain

• Source, evaluate, negotiate, and manage contract manufacturers (CMOs/CDMOs) globally across all form factors—with a sharp focus on quality, cost, speed, and scalability
• Drive aggressive COGS optimization without compromising product quality—negotiate raw material pricing, MOQs, lead times, and production economics
• Build a diversified supplier base to mitigate single-source risk, geopolitical disruption, and supply chain volatility
• Oversee tech transfer, scale-up production, QA/QC protocols, and line trials for new product launches
• Establish vendor scorecards and performance reviews with clear SLAs covering quality, on-time delivery, and defect rates

Commercial Product Strategy

• Partner with the CEO and commercial team to align product development with revenue targets, margin requirements, and DTC/omni-channel strategy
• Own landed COGS modeling and unit economics for every SKU—ensuring products are commercially viable at scale while maintaining premium positioning
• Build product bundles, subscription architectures (monthly vs. quarterly), and tiered SKU structures that maximize LTV and reduce churn
• Collaborate with marketing on product storytelling, hero ingredient narratives, and competitive positioning—translating complex science into consumer-facing claims that convert
• Inform pricing strategy through competitive benchmarking, willingness-to-pay analysis, and margin stack modeling across markets

Brand & Storytelling Integration

• Work closely with the Scientific Advisory Board to validate formulations, pressure-test ingredient choices, and ensure every product meets the highest standards of clinical credibility
• Develop compelling "why this product exists" stories that give marketing, content, and sales teams a strong foundation for go-to-market
• Create product education materials, ingredient deep-dives, and comparison frameworks that equip the brand team to win the trust conversation with consumers
• Ensure every product launch has a clear competitive moat—whether it's a proprietary formulation, a category-first innovation, or a clinically validated claim

Logistics

• Job Type: Full-time / Remote
• Work Hours: US Hours