This is a full time, on-site position at our Pro-Line facility in Banning California. Workings hours will be Monday-Friday 8am-5pm PST.
Typical pay for this position is $105,000-$125,000. The final offer for this position will be based on the unique experience and qualifications of the candidate selected. This position may also be eligible for a bonus not included in the base pay range.The Director of Product Development & Industrialization will provide strategic leadership for the development, commercialization, and industrialization of proprietary hobby products from concept through production. This role will be leading our Product Development, Product Engineering, and Industrialization resources while overseeing the systems, processes, tooling, molds, manufacturing equipment, and technical capabilities required to deliver innovative, high-quality products to market.
This role will partner closely with Brand, Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Finance, Tooling, and external partners to identify market opportunities, translate customer needs into successful products, and ensure products are designed, developed, and launched efficiently. The role balances technical excellence with business performance, ensuring product investments align with growth objectives, customer demand, profitability targets, and long-term strategic priorities.
Key ResponsibilitiesProduct Innovation & Strategy
- Partner with Brand and cross-functional teams to define product roadmaps, priorities, resources, and timelines.
- Drive innovation and development investments that strengthen market position, customer satisfaction, growth, and return on investment.
- Identify and prioritize new product opportunities using customer insight, competitive analysis, market trends, and commercial potential.
Product Development Leadership
- Lead and develop Product Development, Product Engineering, and Industrialization teams supporting proprietary products.
- Own product development from concept and engineering through validation, launch, and lifecycle management.
- Strengthen quality, scalability, execution, and organizational capability through standards, coaching, succession planning, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Business & Commercial Leadership
- Monitor portfolio performance and align cross-functional priorities to achieve revenue, profitability, and strategic objectives.
- Contribute to portfolio planning, market expansion, long-range growth, budgeting, forecasting, and resource allocation.
- Provide senior leadership with business reviews, development updates, performance metrics, and recommendations.
Industrialization & Manufacturing Readiness
- Lead new-product industrialization from concept through launch, applying DFM and DFA to optimize quality, scalability, cost, and manufacturing readiness.
- Partner across Engineering, Manufacturing, Tool Room, suppliers, and development teams to resolve challenges and improve processes, tooling, and capacity.
- Track launch, readiness, quality, and productivity performance to drive continuous improvement.
Tooling, Equipment & Technology
- Define requirements and roadmaps for molds, tooling, fixtures, machinery, automation, and manufacturing technology.
- Lead capital planning and business cases that improve capability, productivity, quality, cost, and return on investment.
- Manage external tooling and manufacturing partners, strengthen internal capabilities, and maintain effective engineering data and technical documentation processes.
Supplier & Partner Management
- Build strategic relationships with domestic and international manufacturing, tooling, engineering, and supplier partners.
- Evaluate supplier capabilities and performance to improve quality, speed, cost competitiveness, and alignment with business objectives.
Success in this role requires strong leadership across innovation, engineering, manufacturing, and business functions to continuously improve speed to market, product quality, operational performance, and return on investment
Qualifications Required
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, Product Development, or a related field.
- 8+ years of experience in product management, category management, business management, product development, or a related leadership role.
- 5+ years of experience leading and developing teams.
- Demonstrated success growing a product category, business unit, or consumer product portfolio.
- Experience developing and launching successful products from concept through commercialization.
- Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets, forecasting, business cases, and profitability.
- Proven ability to develop business strategies and translate them into measurable results.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
- Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities.
- Ability to travel as required for customer visits, product testing, trade shows, industry events, and supplier meetings.
Preferred
- Experience in the RC, hobby products, powersports, automotive aftermarket, consumer products, or related industries.
- Experience working directly with enthusiast communities, racers, influencers, or brand ambassadors.
- Familiarity with manufacturing processes, new product introduction, and global sourcing environments.
- Experience using product lifecycle management (PLM) and project management systems.
Physical Requirements - Occasional lifting of office supplies and materials, up to 20 pounds.
- Ability to sit or stand for extended periods while working on a computer.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.
Benefits & Other Perks - Medical, Dental, Vision
- HSA and FSA options
- Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Life Insurance and Supplemental Life Insurance
- 401(k) with a company match
- Paid Time Off
- Paid Holidays
- Internal Rewards
- Discounts on Products
- Additional Coverage such as accident, critical, hospital and pet insurance
Horizon Hobby is a progressive, innovative company and, as such, is constantly reevaluating and reinventing the processes and procedures associated with each job. The essential duties and responsibilities of this position may change at any time. In addition, employees may be asked to work on special projects or to assist with other work necessary or important to the operation of Horizon. Your cooperation and assistance in performing such additional work is expected and appreciated.
