Hybrid Director, Product Development – Private Brand

at CSC Generation

• Job title: Director, Product Development – Private Brand
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Lead
• Salary: $140,000 - $165,000 per year
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Seattle, United States

About the role

• Director managing Sur La Table’s Private Brand product development. Leading end-to-end product creation and building a customer-obsessed private brand engine.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the product development vision, strategy, and operating model for private brand, including clear roles, processes, and tools from merchant brief through product launch.
• Partner with Merchandising, Planning, and other functional teams to build seasonal and long-range line plans that balance innovation, differentiation, and profitability.
• Continuously evaluate and improve product development workflows, calendars, and tools to increase speed, reliability, and cross-functional alignment.
• Champion the smart use of AI, automation, and digital tools to accelerate trend discovery, concepting, analysis, and development workflows—and to free the team up to focus on higher-value creative and strategic work.
• Apply strong change-management skills to introduce new processes and ways of working, build cross-functional buy-in, and ensure durable adoption.
• Provide clear goals, coaching, and feedback to the Product Development team; build capabilities and bench strength that support future growth.
• Own the creative direction for Sur La Table private brand product across categories, in partnership with Merchandising, Creative and Brand Marketing: 1) Define consistent design language, naming conventions, packaging approaches, materials, color stories, finishes, and details that express the Sur La Table brand; 2) Lead seasonal concepting and “big idea” development grounded in customer insight, trend, and competitive analysis.
• Translate merchant briefs (product needs, target retails, margin goals, MOQs, channel strategy) into clear product development roadmaps.
• Oversee artwork and pattern development with design partners and creative resources; ensure all work is cohesive, on-brand, and ownable.
• Guide how artwork, color, and design stories are applied across collections and categories to create impactful, cohesive assortments.
• Partner with Merchandising on line architecture, SKU productivity, and lifecycle management to ensure the right balance of hero items, supporting items, and newness.
• Build and manage a robust network of manufacturing and sourcing partners across categories and regions.
• Lead vendor selection and negotiation for new and existing products, including costing, MOQs, payment terms, and development fees.
• Work closely with partners and factories from initial brief through sampling, revisions, and final approvals, ensuring quality, cost, and timelines are met.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external experts on lead times, capacity planning, and risk mitigation.
• Ensure all private brand products meet Sur La Table’s expectations for quality, safety, and regulatory compliance in partnership with appropriate internal and external resources.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the Product Development team; set clear expectations and development plans that build both creative and operational capability.
• Balance strategic leadership with a willingness to be hands-on—especially as processes, tools, and structures continue to evolve.
• Help shape the future-state Product Development organization (e.g., divisional product development leaders, designers, coordinators) and contribute to a phased hiring and capability plan as the business grows.
• Foster a culture that balances creativity with accountability—where ideas are ambitious, and execution is disciplined.
• Partner closely with: Merchandising to align briefs, assortment strategies, and product positioning.
• Creative and Marketing to influence product name, on product branding, packaging, photography, copy, and storytelling for private brand launches.
• Planning & Finance to ensure development supports financial goals, margin targets, and inventory strategies.
• Stores, Culinary, and E-commerce to gather feedback from customers and store teams and use that insight to inform future development.
• Represent Product Development in cross-functional projects related to private brand growth, omni-channel strategy, and brand building.

Requirements

• 10+ years of product development experience in consumer hard goods (home, kitchen, tabletop, small electrics, or similar), including at least 5 years leading product development teams and processes.
• Deep experience in private brand / own-brand development for a multi-category, multi-channel retailer or consumer brand.
• Proven success building and/or improving a Product Development function (process design, tools, organizational structures, or operating models).
• Strong taste level and design sensibility; able to quickly assess whether a product is on-brand, commercially right, and differentiated. A portfolio or work samples will be requested.
• End-to-end product creation expertise, including: Trend research and concept development, Line planning and product road mapping, Sourcing and factory/partner management, Cost engineering and negotiation, Sampling, testing, and quality, Timeline and calendar management.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen; comfortable working with cost models, margins, and business cases to support decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate with cross-functional partners at all levels, including senior leadership.
• Curiosity and hands-on experience using modern AI tools to accelerate research, streamline workflows (e.g., communication, documentation, and tracking), and reimagine how product development work gets done—without needing to be a technologist.
• High comfort level working with partners and vendors across time zones and cultures; ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment with ambiguity and phased change.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Benefits

• Executive Access: Work directly with brand CEOs and senior leadership, solving real business problems and earning mentorship from top operators.
• AI-First Skill Building: Get hands-on with the most advanced AI tools in the market. From automation to prompt engineering, you’ll build a modern tech stack that sets you apart in any industry.
• Accelerated Career Path: High performers are quickly entrusted with greater responsibility, new challenges, and leadership opportunities across our portfolio of brands.
• Competitive benefits: Paid time off policies, 401(k)/RRSP match, medical/dental/vision and a variety of supplemental policies, and employee discounts at our portfolio companies.