At Lakeshore, we create innovative learning materials and world-class guest experiences for teachers, parents and children. Since 1954, we’ve grown into a global community—with a thriving e-commerce business, multiple catalogs, 60+ retail stores, a peerless national sales force, plus international offices that support our preeminent supply chain division. But today we’re working better, smarter and faster than ever—and setting our sights even higher. We’re building an infrastructure designed for scalability, embracing data-driven decision-making and using technology to improve efficiency and ensure the best tools for the best work. Most importantly, we continue to invest in a diverse team of inquisitive top talent who fuel each other’s passions and curiosity, take risks, try new things, and believe that every new day brings opportunities for growth.

In a time of unprecedented expansion, we are seeking an experienced Product Ideation Manager to join our Product Research, Design & Development (RD&D) team. In this role, you will lead ideation and trend research on educational furniture in order to expand Lakeshore’s product offerings within its three-year product pipeline. You will use Human-Centered innovation to understand the guest experience of the existing or new offerings and help facilitate ideation workshops that will help fuel the product pipeline. The position also requires understanding the guest experience of existing products and articulating ideation strategies that align with customer needs and our RD&D vision. The ideal candidate can identify macro and emerging trends, consumer behavior shifts and cultural influences on educational furniture. Applicants also should have sharp communication skills and strategies for pushing new ideas into implementation.  

This leader will need strong ideation and trending experience in physical product development. They will exhibit leadership skills demonstrated by the ability to influence decision-making and lead within ideation across multiple product categories in furniture as well as multiple customer bases and cross-functionally. This leader should be experienced and well-grounded in new product development, fundamental principles, and Human-Centered Design/Innovation. This leader will start out as a working manager to create the right approach and process for ideation at Lakeshore. They will eventually help build out an ideation team with multiple direct reports. And we’re here to help you succeed—in 2022 Lakeshore earned its Great Place to Work® Certification™ and is proud to put its associates first. 

A day in the office looks like this: 

• Conducting ideation and trend research through curious observation, competitive benchmarking, travel, qualitative and quantitative research, sales analysis, customer reviews and brainstorming 
• Developing big ideas that will incorporate all inputs into product ideas that will propel our Lakeshore brand forward to meet customer needs and meet our financial goals 
• Immersing oneself in the educational space; understanding Lakeshore and competitive products, as well as the education needs of different age groups 
• Creating quarterly competitive benchmarking reports for Lakeshore teams to utilize in development 
• Creating a collaborative culture both within the ideation team and across various departments 
• Facilitating discussions to enable project teams to resolve conflicts and make timely decisions 

Got the skills and experience? Here’s what we’re looking for:

• 4-year college degree in Product Design, Engineering or related field; or equivalent work experience 
• 4+ years of experience in ideation and/or trends in consumer product development   
• 2+ years of experience using ideation approaches and methodologies (e.g., consumer research, lean innovation, human-centered design or design thinking, agile development) 
• 2+ years of leadership experience in a product development organization 
• Excellent communication, active listening, critical thinking, and presentation skills, with experience presenting to Executive Leadership. 
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to read people and connect with multiple audiences; collaborative nature and ability to build long-term partnerships 
• Experience in educational tools and products a plus 
• Experience in furniture product development a plus 

And here’s our end of the bargain! 

• Salary: $115,000-$150,000 with an annual bonus of up to 15%
• Paid leave for new parents to support work/life balance and family bonding
• Excellent medical/dental and vision coverage—EPO, PPO and HSA
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution (because you will retire someday)
• Flexible benefits—choose what you like, ignore the rest
• On-site preschool for our employees’ children
• On-site employee gym for all levels/fitness needs
• Generous employee discount on products that make you smarter
• Casual dress…and we really mean it

At Lakeshore, we know our diversity makes us stronger, and when everyone feels included and valued, we all win. We strive to embrace our differences and create an intentionally diverse and inclusive community that is representative of the teachers, families and children we serve.

We know we couldn’t do the extraordinary things we’re doing without the people on our team. Thanks to the passion and enthusiasm of this spectacular group, Lakeshore is more than a great place to work—it’s a great experience to be part of. Day in and day out, we give everything we’ve got to create products that instill a sense of wonder and foster a true love of learning. To help maintain this high bar for success, we’re constantly on the lookout for people to join us. So if you’re a down-to-earth professional who shares our desire for making a difference, we’d love to hear from you. 
 
To learn more about Lakeshore, visit www.lakeshorelearning.com/careers 
 
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
People are selected to become members of the Lakeshore family based on skill, merit and mind-boggling talent—not based on race, color, creed, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, marital status, domestic partnership status, military status, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, alienage, AIDS or AIDS-related complex status, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, status as a victim of domestic violence, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If things aren’t equal, we all lose.

To learn about how we collect and use Applicant information, please visit our Employee/Applicant Privacy Policy. INDRLL11