Activate Talent is hiring a Head of Product Development - 59086937461

Job Title: Head of Product Development Job Type: Full-time / Remote Work Hours: US Hours Job Overview: 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, prioritised 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 optimisation 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 modelling 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 maximise 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 modelling 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.