Project Architect
Trueline
Senior Manager, Product Development
Caraway Home
full-time
Posted on:
Origin: • 🇺🇸 United States
Visit company websiteJob Level
Senior
About the role
- Lead expansion of kitchen and homeware lines, liaise between Asia factories and NYC headquarters
- Manage and enact improvements to existing product lines and develop new product line initiatives
- Establish new factory relationships and source new suppliers to execute design vision
- Manage current Asia team of 2 and expand team resources and capabilities
- Bring new concepts to life with innovative techniques, materials, focusing on quality, cost, and aesthetics
- Establish deep understanding of product technical details, design, and requirements and coordinate communication between stakeholders and factory partners
- Ensure full project details are established, clear, and communicated to external stakeholders, including CAD, design, quality and testing requirements
- Work with internal Caraway team to establish/adapt standards
- Prioritize between Asia and USA PD team based on production timeline, critical issues, and supplier needs
- Provide daily communication on key issues, blockers, and missing details to keep projects moving
- Communicate with factory management directly when necessary
- Understand basics of costing and labor costs across Asia and coordinate pricing updates with suppliers
- Drive Caraway MSA completion with factory partners and lead payment terms discussion during RFQ
- Follow complex technical problems, provide guidance for team members and factory partners
- Work closely with US team to ensure specifications fully detailed prior to supplier engagement
- Identify cost savings without compromising aesthetics or quality
- Establish weekly priorities with local team, support growth and professional development of direct reports
- Set quarterly team metrics and goals outside project-based work
- Step into supplier discussions as the 'voice of Caraway' ensuring compliance with Caraway quality standards
Requirements
- 7+ years of experience in kitchenware product development
- Bonus points for experience in metals, sustainable plastics, glass, and wood
- Detail-oriented and fast learner comfortable wearing many hats
- Initiative and desire to optimize + improve each product
- Analytical, data-driven thinker who can translate complex challenges into actionable insights
- Able to communicate clearly and seamlessly with a wide array of internal and external stakeholders
- Excellent written communication with an ability to act as intermediary between Design, Product Development and factories
- Strong project management and communication skills
- Willing to travel for several days at a time and able to work independently, establishing priorities as necessary
- Can lead discussions with suppliers and work independently
- Ability to communicate technical information in both Chinese and English (asked in application questions)
