Director of Product Development - Christmas Designers - Sherman, TX
(2023-03)
- Developed and maintained the product roadmap, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
- Analyzed customer feedback to inform product features and enhancements.
- Managed a team of product managers, providing guidance on strategic decisions.
- Identified opportunities for market expansion and new product development initiatives.
- Conducted extensive research into industry trends to identify potential areas for growth or improvement.
- Built relationships with customers to understand their needs and preferences in order to develop competitive products.
- Provided technical guidance related to product design and implementation.
- Facilitated cross-functional collaboration between departments including marketing, sales, operations, finance.
- Maintained an up-to-date knowledge base on competitors' offerings in order to stay ahead of the curve.
- Evaluated various vendors' proposals to select the most cost effective solutions that meet project requirements.
- Communicated regularly with senior management regarding progress towards milestones established in the roadmap.
- Spearheaded new product development and enhanced existing products.
- Studied customer needs and desires to incorporate into product requirements.
- Collaborated with customers, partners and internal teams to drive product vision and project prioritization.
- Planned advertising campaigns for online, print and other mediums.
- Developed marketing strategies based on corporate objectives and market trends.
- Cultivated business partnerships to build lasting relationships with internal and external parties.
- Negotiated with vendors to obtain most cost-effective pricing for product distribution.
Director of Product Development - The Decor Group - Dallas, TX
(2016-01 - 2023-03)
- Pioneered development of new product offering, penetrated new market segment leading to net new 2.25M annual revenue and creating New Business channel anchor to annual revenue.
- Established New Vendors for development, and guided it through implementation development teams onshore and abroad.
- Brought in key clients through compelling new product rollouts at tradeshows and meetings that landed New Nationwide accounts such as Neiman Marcus, Crate & Barrel, Frontgate, Pottery Barn and QVC.
- Lead brainstorming sessions with business partners, stakeholders, visual designers, and support teams to compose comprehensive specification documents.
- Consult with managers, marketing team, and sales force to identify product strategy.
- Conceptualized long-range product roadmaps and strategically designed according to market data and research.
- Designed and coordinated processes applicable to numerous projects for design efficiency and continuity.
- Met strict deadlines, coordinating moving parts in product team and orchestrating well-designed flow.
- Identified productivity bottlenecks and devised innovative solutions while remaining conservative with resources.
- Advocated for and advertised products in field.
- Supported staff development, promoting personal achievement and retention as best strategy for long-term organizational health.
- Authored think-big whitepapers about solutions to industry problems.
- Prepared, checked, and coordinated documentation to support component design and application.
- Integrated architectural and engineering drawings to create cohesive packages.
- Evaluated existing procedures and made proactive adjustments to meet changing demands.
- Recruited, placed and oversaw project staff for optimal project results.
- Established and conducted quality control programs to verify construction projects met required quality standards.
- Presented project information and status updates to customers and fielded concerns.
- Developed and maintained the product roadmap, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
National Business Development Manager - GKI Bethlehem Lighting - Taunton, MA
(1999-03 - 2016-01)
- Created New Product Exclusives in tandem with Customers. Amazon.com, Costco, Walmart.
- Developed sales strategy based on research of consumer buying trends and market conditions.
- Attended industry conferences and tradeshows to stay up-to-date with market trends and customer needs.
- Introduced cost-saving initiatives to reduce losses and increase
- Executed successful marketing campaigns to generate new business and expand customer base by 210%. (22% year over year).
- Resolved problems with high-profile customers to maintain relationships and increase return customer base.
- Collaborated with advertising group to create uniformity between advertising messages and retail incentives.
- Boosted marketing, reviewed pricing strategies and expanded distribution channels to increase sales revenue on e-commerce channel.
- Achieved established KPI for company, regional team and individual performance through teamwork and focus on customers.
- Collaborated cross-functionally with headquarters, regional and other teams nationally to maintain consistent message and experience.
