Product Development Manager; Manufactured Goods

PRODUCT MANAGER

Union, MO

Do you love bringing real, hands-on products to life— from the first sketch to the finished item in a classroom or playroom? As a Product Development Manager at Children's Factory, you'll lead the development of innovative, high‑quality physical products that inspire learning, creativity, and fun. From early education furniture to imaginative play equipment, you'll oversee every stage of the process— transforming ideas into products that enrich children’s environments.

You’ll thrive here if you’re passionate about materials, design, and manufacturing, and enjoy collaborating with creative teams to make great ideas manufacturable, safe, and market‑ready.

Important:
This role requires direct experience developing and launching physical, manufactured products. Candidates with exclusively digital or SaaS product experience will not be considered.

• Lead Product Development
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  Manage the entire lifecycle of physical products, from concept through design, prototyping, testing, and launch.
• Collaborate Cross-Functionally
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  Partner with Design, Engineering, Sourcing, Marketing, and Manufacturing to bring innovative, child-centered products to market.
• Research & Analyze
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  Conduct market and consumer research to identify trends, opportunities, and unmet needs in the early education and children’s product space.
• Evaluate & Innovate
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  Assess competitor products and industry benchmarks to guide product design and differentiation.
• Ensure Manufacturability
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  Work closely with engineering and production teams to align design intent with cost, quality, and manufacturing capabilities.
• Plan & Execute Launches
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  Develop go‑to‑market strategies, timelines, and positioning plans for new product introductions.
• Optimize Product Portfolio
  :
  Support product lifecycle management, SKU rationalization, and continuous improvement efforts.

Every day, you’ll have the opportunity to turn creative concepts into meaningful, tangible products that make a difference for teachers, parents, and children alike.

You're the right candidate if you:

• Have hands‑on product experience
  :
  You’ve led physical product development in a manufacturing environment.
• Understand design and production
  :
  You know how materials, construction, safety, and compliance influence great product design.
• Collaborate seamlessly
  :
  You enjoy partnering across teams—from creative to technical—to make ideas manufacturable and market‑ready.
• Think like a creator and a strategist
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  You balance creativity and market insight with sound business judgment and practical execution.
• Are highly organized and proactive
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  You manage multiple projects, deadlines, and details while keeping the big picture in focus.
• Have a passion for products that make a difference
  :
  You care about designing items that inspire learning, play, and development in real‑world settings.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Design, Product Development, or a related field.
• Proven experience managing physical product development—ideally in furniture, educational products, or consumer goods
  .
• Direct experience working with materials, tooling, prototyping, and production partners.
• Experience managing products with safety, compliance, or regulatory considerations.
• Demonstrated success leading cross‑functional teams through concept, design, sourcing, and launch.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 (Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience with project management tools such as  or Smartsheet is a plus.
• Excellent writing, editing, and presentation skills.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.

• Be Part of a Dynamic, Supportive Team
  :
  We value collaboration and celebrate success together.
• Grow Your Career
  :
  We support professional development and offer opportunities to expand your skills.
• Make an Impact
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  Your work will contribute to making a difference in the lives of children, educators, and parents around the world by supporting the financial health of a company that creates innovative and educational products that inspire learning and creativity.
• Enjoy Competitive Benefits,…