Product Development Manager

Why Wild Birds Unlimited?

At Wild Birds Unlimited (WBU), our mission is to bring people and nature together by providing high-quality wildlife products that bring joy to backyards across North America.

We aren't just a corporate team; we are employee-owners. Through our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), joining our Franchise Support Center (FSC) team means becoming a partner in our shared success. This structure fosters a unique culture driven by collaboration, trust, innovation, and a true ownership mindset.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an innovative, strategically minded Product Development Manager to execute the lifecycle of our proprietary bird food, feeders, and backyard wildlife products from concept through market launch. You will partner closely with various internal departments to design, test, and optimize profitable, consumer-focused products that uphold WBU’s high standards of quality and sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

• Concept to Launch: Execute end-to-end commercialization of backyard wildlife products, ensuring strict quality and production timelines are met.
• Optimize & Innovate: Evaluate and redesign existing WBU brand products using sales data, market trends, and customer feedback to refresh our catalog.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with marketing, training, coaching, and our Chief Naturalist to ensure new products align with company objectives.
• Vendor Management: Work directly with suppliers to oversee manufacturing coordination, quality assurance, costing, materials, and packaging.
• Franchise Rollouts: Coordinate with internal FSC teams on packaging, labeling, visual merchandising, and POS/retail pricing for seamless store execution.
• Measure Success: Track “before and after” financial metrics (units/dollars) and gather store feedback to take true accountability for product outcomes.

The Ideal Candidate

• Cultivates Innovation: Proven ability to turn creative concepts into scalable retail products.
• Customer & Franchise Focus: Balances consumer desires with the business realities of our franchise owners.
• Collaborative Communicator: Effectively bridges the gap between technical suppliers and internal department styles.
• Results-Driven: Manages complexity with ease, navigates margin structures, and meets strict launch deadlines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree OR 5–8 years of experience in product development, category management, or consumer products.
• Strong understanding of the product development lifecycle and manufacturing coordination.
• Experience within the bird feeding, pet, lawn & garden, or outdoor living industries is highly preferred.
• Franchise system knowledge/experience is a plus.
• Exceptional project management, communication, and Microsoft Office skills.

What We Offer

• Competitive Salary aligned with your experience.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance.
• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan options.
• Employee Ownership: Participate in our ESOP and share in our financial success.
• Purpose-Driven Culture: A rewarding environment aligned with a meaningful mission.

How to Apply

Ready to bring people and nature together with us? Please submit your resume and a cover letter to ***email_hidden***.

Wild Birds Unlimited is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employee-owners.