Product Development Associate

  • Full-time

Company Description

Ranked the #1 fastest growing company in NY by Crains and the #7th fastest company in the country by INC Magazine, Bear Mattress is a sleep and wellness brand that helps active people sleep better, recover faster, and improve athletic performance through our line of mattresses, pillows, and accessories. Bear Products are available online and delivered direct-to-consumer.

Job Description

The Product Development Associate is a highly visible position within Bear Mattress. As a key team member of physical product development, you will work on our product development roadmap and strategy, and will coordinate the journey of new products from their infancy to their launch. This role will be involved in all aspects of category performance: from building a scalable supply chain & increasing margin through to end-to-end new product launch; continuous innovation on our core product; building out accessories and other ancillary products; building legal protection & sustainability. You’ll be bringing brand vision and new concepts to life with innovative techniques, materials, and an uncompromising focus on the highest quality and aesthetic outcomes in a way that excites our consumers.

 

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Working directly with CEO & Product Development team on all new physical products including mattresses, accessories and ancillary products
  • Responsible for coordinating new product development, from market & product research, competitive analysis, timeline development, design, sourcing, costing and packaging, and pricing from ideation through launch.
  • Build and manage schedules and timelines for new product development.
  • Meet with suppliers and manufacturers to discuss products in development and provide feedback on design and concept direction with regards to pricing concerns and feature set requirements.
  • Drive continuous improvements of existing products, with a “no improvement is too small” attitude to material and designs that both enhance quality and optimize costs.
  • Build and maintain long-term relationships with suppliers that treat them as part of the Bear family and journey.
  • Work hand in hand with the Bear Operations team to establish priorities and communicate with factories to resolve issues.
  • Enforce Bear’s brand values, aesthetic and quality standards across all of our products and packaging.
  • Partner cross-functionally with all teams to ensure brand & strategy alignment and build strong feedback loops.

Qualifications

 

  • 2+ years in consumer product development and sourcing
  • Experience in mattresses, textiles, furniture or home category product development is a plus
  • Experience working with suppliers in Asia is a plus
  • Demonstrated track record of successfully developing the product vision and requirements for successful product launches and lifecycles
  • An uncompromising obsession with high-quality work
  • Strong aesthetic sensibility and eye for good design
  • A love of details and a desire to always move fast
  • Superior organizational skills and ability to prioritize workload autonomously
  • Not afraid to question the status quo
  • B.A/MBA preferred 

Additional Information

Competitive Comp & Benefits