Careers at Curious Universe
We are an equal opportunities employer with a flexible approach. Hiring the right team is of paramount importance to us so we work with all employees to ensure they can ‘Work Where they Work Best’. Our hybrid working solution allows us to cater to the different needs of our workforce whilst still providing outstanding service to our customers. Both yours and the business’s needs will be discussed at interview to reach a mutually beneficial working schedule.
We are always keen to hear from people wishing to work with us so please review our current job vacancies below.
Associate Director - Product Development
Purpose of the Role
This role plays a key part in shaping and delivering innovative, engaging and market-leading products and supports the end-to-end new product development lifecycle. From concept ideation through design, prototyping, testing and commercialisation ensuring projects are delivered efficiently on time and aligned with brand and business goals.
As a senior role it balances creativity with operational rigour, helping to maximise team capacity, improve ways of working and support the continued growth of our product development function.
Main Responsibilities
Strategic & Leadership Support
- Defining and executing the innovation and new product development strategy aligned with company growth goals and brand vision
- Help manage and maintain the product innovation pipeline, ensuring clear prioritisation and visibility across teams.
- Act as a senior point of support for cross-functional teams across innovation, design, product management and development
- Contribute insights on consumer behaviour, trends and market opportunities to inform future innovation.
Product Lifecycle Management
- Support oversight of the new product development process from concept through production, ensuring projects remain on track, on time and on budget
- Work closely with Directors to help deliver against company objectives and ensure alignment on product planning and resource allocation.
- Collaborate with marketing, sales and operations to support cohesive go-to-market planning.
- Assist in developing and maintaining timelines, budgets and resource plans across multiple projects.
Innovation & Creative Leadership
- Champion creativity and innovation within the team, supporting and contributing to ideation sessions and concept development.
- Review and provide input on product concepts, designs, prototypes and packaging, ensuring strong consumer appeal, usability and safety.
- Help ensure innovation outputs are commercially viable and aligned with brand standards.
Team, Workflow & Resource Management
- Facilitate clear communication across disciplines including editorial, design, production, sales and operations.
- Support the balancing of team capacity across multiple fast-moving projects, escalating and re-prioritising where needed with senior stakeholders
- Helping troubleshoot day-to-day product or supplier issues
- Contributing to continuous improvement of team processes
Skills & Experience
- Proven experience in product development, innovation or within consumer products, Toys, Arts and Crafts, Gifts or similar categories
- Experience supporting or leading cross-functional teams in a fast-moving environment
- Strong understanding of the end-to-end product development lifecycle
- Commercially minded, with experience balancing creativity, cost, timelines and resource constraints
- Confident stakeholder manager with excellent communication skills
- Highly organised with strong planning and prioritisation abilities
- A collaborative leader who enjoys developing people and ways of working
Deadline for applications is 23rd January 2025.