Director, Research & Development
Job Summary
The Director of Product Development will lead the evolution of Bigelow's core tea offerings and expansion into new usage occasions and consumers. This role requires a strong background in product development, particularly within CPG, with a focus on beverages or related categories.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the development of new and existing products from concept through scale-up, ensuring they meet Bigelow’s high standards for quality, taste, and consistency.
Translate innovation briefs into well-developed, technically sound products.
Provide practical, experience-based input into product concepts based on feasibility, ingredients, and performance.
Ensure every product reflects the Bigelow brand—thoughtful, high-quality, and consumer-focused.
Continuously elevate the quality and performance of Bigelow’s core tea bag portfolio.
Identify opportunities to enhance value while protecting the integrity of the product.
Bring a hands-on, detail-oriented approach to product excellence.
Bring deep manufacturing knowledge into product development decisions from the start.
Lead scale-up from bench to production, ensuring products are reliable and repeatable.
Partner closely with internal operations and external co-packers to develop products that work in real-world conditions.
Lead plant trials and solve problems proactively to ensure strong outcomes.
Build, coach, and develop a team of product developers, many early in their careers.
Create an environment where people feel ownership of their work and pride in the outcome.
Encourage curiosity, experimentation, and continuous improvement.
Set clear expectations and hold the team accountable to high standards.
Establish clear, effective approaches to product development that balance creativity with discipline.
Bring structure and clarity to how work gets done—without slowing momentum.
Ensure strong execution across multiple projects, with clear ownership and follow-through.
Work closely with Marketing to provide product insight and feasibility input as ideas are shaped.
Partner with Supply Chain, Quality, and Regulatory to ensure products are developed responsibly and effectively.
Act as the bridge between concept and product reality.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, or related field, with an advanced degree preferred.
10–15+ years of experience in product development within CPG, ideally in beverages or adjacent categories.
A strong track record of developing and improving products in manufacturing-driven environments.
Experience working with both internal manufacturing teams and co-packers.
Experience in tea, coffee, or similar categories preferred.
What Sets You Apart
You bring both craft and practicality—you care deeply about the product and know how to make it work at scale.
You’re as comfortable in a plant as you are in a development lab.
You develop people, not just products.
You create clarity and accountability without overcomplicating things.
You’re energized by the opportunity to build, improve, and elevate.
Ways of Working
Establish clear, effective approaches to product development that balance creativity with discipline.
Bring structure and clarity to how work gets done—without slowing momentum.
Ensure strong execution across multiple projects, with clear ownership and follow-through.
Travel Requirements
Up to 25% travel as required for product development, customer meetings, research, and internal collaboration.