Director, New Product Development

Job Summary: This position is responsible for supporting the organization's new product development projects, advanced development projects, and value engineering efforts through prototyping, product durability and regulatory testing, specification management, regulatory technology development, and claims substantiation to ensure the quality, durability, and design integrity of TSI bedding products. In addition, responsibilities include developing new or improved construction methods, identifying and validating new components, and leading lab and product certification efforts that will result in quality product improvements or component / process cost reductions. Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure that product designs are consistent with operational and corporate strategies. Conduct product research, consistent with business strategies and goals in areas of engineering and manufacturing for new products.

Essential Duties, Responsibilities, and Key Results Area:

• Leads a team of approximately 40 associates across multiple disciplines including product specifications, analytical chemistry, the product approval / regulatory lab and the prototype lab.
• Oversees the strategic and tactical product development aspects of life cycle management for new products - primarily concept development, prototype development, and product design, in support of the Product Commercialization process.
• Serves as the key R&D member on cross-functional brand/platform teams, dedicated to ensuring product meets organizational key metrics for quality, regulatory, and customer satisfaction.
• Technical expert and liaison for ISPA Flammability and Product Safety guidance; serves as sitting member on Sleep Product Safety Council.
• Participates as member of TSI Product Safety Committee, providing insight to regulatory and legal product compliance landscape.
• Develops and implements new technology to enhance the product development process, through testing innovation or process methodology improvements.
• Oversight of corporate product specifications, including deployment to the TSI functional teams
• Facilitates alignment to innovation development pipelines that will ensure the growth of key brands while representing R&D in the platform pipeline reviews.
• Provides development insight to technology development groups in R&D, supply chain, and operations to ensure the required growth pipeline for the Brand.
• Speaks as a technical brand subject matter expert supporting and approving product-related design changes to reduce manufacturing complexity, to increase quality and to reduce product costs. These may include SKU reduction strategies, design for manufacturability, and outsourcing strategies.
• Oversees the design and development of platform and derivative products to meet business needs.
• Facilitates early stage builds and exploratory pilots in support of assembly pilots and validations, interfacing with other R&D functions on technology transfers.
• Directly or indirectly, translates draft product design specifications into final product BOM's and published product specifications.
• Communicates and assists other departments as required for commercialization of new product/process projects.
• Completes resource planning, scheduling, and reporting on group's activities to Management.
• Provides expert technical assistance for inquiries from Customer Service, Legal, Sales, Marketing, and Manufacturing.
• Maintains leadership role supporting new product development process effectiveness, activities, and resource utilization.
• Performs all other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Management reserves the right to assign or reassign other appropriate duties to this job at any time. This document excludes the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties.

Tempur Sealy is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type based upon race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or field related to product development that provides a solid understanding of design principles and business functions.
• Minimum 15 years progressive experience including a minimum of 5 in a management role; prior engineering/product development leadership role; program management; manufacturing environment in multiple plants; demonstrated team development, visioning, talent management, and leadership skills
• Exceptional communication skills - oral and written- large and small group settings as well as through electronic means; exceptional ability to lead and manage multi-functional core team members; strong influencing skills.
• Familiar with standard industry testing within the furniture/mattress industry or consumer products
• Regulatory and Safety compliance experience is preferred

$153,000 to $218,000