Chief Product Officer (durable goods)
We are excited to partner with one of our best clients in Minnesota to identify their first Chief Product Officer:
Landscape Structures is an incredible story; founded 40 years by a husband & wife passionate about getting kids outdoors and having fun doing it, they have quickly grown into the premier commercial playground manufacturer in the United States. Boasting over 4,500 completed projects across the world, they have over 800 employees and $300M+ in annual revenue. They have a phenomenal culture because their employees are also owners in the business; Landscape Structures is one of the largest ESOPs (employee-owned) organizations in the Midwest.
Headquartered in suburban Minneapolis, LSI has seen incredible year over year growth for the last decade, and isn’t slowing down any time soon (they have not only added a shift, but have purchased multiple buildings to help facilitate their growth).
Reporting to the CEO, the Chief Product Officer is responsible for the development of groundbreaking products and technologies that will shape their industry’s future. Open due to a coming retirement, this role is responsible for overseeing all aspects of R&D, from ideation to concept development to commercialization. This role requires a blend of creative thinking, technical expertise, and business acumen to ensure their product portfolio remains competitive and meets the evolving needs of their customers.
*** The position offers a very competitive base salary, annual bonus, and long-term incentive plan, in addition to strong benefits package. ***
*** This is primarily an on-site position given the nature of the work innovation & ideation with a large team, though they offer a flexible work arrangement. ***
Responsibilities
- Lead the development and execution of the company’s product innovation strategy
- Define and prioritize the technology roadmap based on market opportunities, competitive analysis, and customer insights.
- Lead a multidisciplinary team of designers and engineers to drive innovation and deliver high-quality projects on schedule
- Collaborating with cross functional teams to identify, develop and launch new products.
- Own product leadership and will work closely with Custom to ensure alignment in go to market strategies between product segments, new product development, hybrid products, and Custom.
- Provide leadership and mentorship to R&D teams, fostering a culture of creativity, break through thinking, collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Identify emerging market trends, technologies, materials and customer needs to drive product innovation.
- Monitor and analyze market dynamics and competitor activities to identify opportunities for product differentiation and competitive advantage.
- Managing the R&D investments and resources to support innovation across all divisions.
- Overseeing the research and testing processes to ensure product quality and compliance with regulatory standards.
- Lead prototyping and production of prototype projects for market assessment and adoption
- Build and nurture partnerships with external organizations, such as research institutions or technology vendors, to enhance R&D
- Foster a customer/rep centric culture ensuring feedback and needs are integrated into the business
- Engage with key stakeholders to communicate progress and challenges and opportunities related to product innovation and R&D efforts.
Desired Skills and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in related field, advanced degree preferred
- Experience in manufacturing industry with products that endure outdoor elements
- 10+ years of experience in a leadership role that focuses on product innovation
- Leadership in multiple disciplines and aligning product strategies
- Strategic Leadership: Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic plans that drive innovation and business growth.
- Analytical Thinking: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
- Technical proficiency: Stays abreast of emerging technologies; deep understanding of product development processes, emerging technologies, and industry best practices.
- Innovation Management: Not afraid to challenge the status quo; advances thinking and ways of doing things
- Financial Acumen: understand and interpret financial information and data effectively.
- Business Acumen: holistic understanding and insights to how businesses operate, make decisions and how they fit within industry dynamics, the competition, and market trends.
- Communication Skills & Cross Functional Collaboration: leadership and interpersonal skills that motivate cross-functional teams.
- Talent development: Manage and develop future talent
- Regulatory compliance: Able to understand and follow regulatory compliance
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