Product Development Manager
Location: Austin, Texas
Reports To: President
Key Partner: Director of Manufacturing (China-Based)
Direct Reports:
· Industrial Designer (US-Based)
· Product Researcher (Asia Time Zone, Remote)
Smartish is a 17-year-old, profitable mobile tech accessories brand selling through Amazon and DTC. We design clever products that solve unexpected needs without unnecessary complexity. We are seeking a Product Development Manager to own the full lifecycle of our product portfolio, from idea to launch to lifecycle optimization, while leading and developing our Product team.
The Product Development Manager owns the strategy, roadmap, and commercial success of the Smartish product portfolio. This leader identifies high-potential product opportunities, builds a disciplined product pipeline, and launches profitable products that win on Amazon and DTC channels.
This role is best suited for a commercially-minded product portfolio builder with strong instincts for identifying winning products and scaling successful product lines. It is not an engineering or manufacturing management role. The Head of Product leads the Product team and collaborates closely with our Director of Manufacturing, who owns factory relationships, prototyping, and production engineering. The right candidate is a consumer product leader with experience building and scaling product portfolios in Amazon-driven or e-commerce-first environments.
The Head of Product focuses on product strategy, portfolio building, and commercial success, while manufacturing execution is handled by our manufacturing organization. This role oversees the continued evolution of Smartish’s phone case lineup across device generations while building and expanding the broader portfolio of universal accessories. This role serves as a member of the Leadership Team and plays a key role in shaping Smartish’s future product direction.
We operate on EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) and believe in clear accountability and measurable results.
Measurable Outcomes:
Success in this role is measured by consistently launching products that grow revenue and maintain strong margins.
Key outcomes include:
· 15+ universal product launches annually (in addition to phone cases)
· < 9-month average concept-to-launch cycle
· 90% of product launches meet or exceed revenue and margin targets
· Products meet or exceed target gross margin thresholds
· Majority of launches achieve 4.3+ Amazon rating within first 6 months
· Consistent pipeline of validated product concepts entering development
Core Accountabilities:
· Product Portfolio Strategy & Roadmap Ownership
· Commercial Product Ownership
· Product Development Leadership
· Cross-Functional Product Launch Ownership
· LMA (Lead, Manage, Hold Accountable)
Product Portfolio Strategy & Roadmap Ownership
Own and manage Smartish’s 12–18 month rolling product roadmap.
· Identify product opportunities through:
· Customer insights
· Amazon review mining
· Keyword demand gaps
· Competitive assortment analysis
· Price ladder opportunities
· Develop structured product briefs including:
· Target user
· Price tier
· Target margin
· Product differentiators
· Maintain a disciplined stage-gate process from concept → validation → development → launch
· Prioritize development resources toward highest-impact opportunities
· Kill weak concepts early
Commercial Product Ownership
Accountable for the financial success and competitive positioning of the product portfolio.
· Ensure each product is positioned to win in Amazon and DTC environments
· Define pricing strategy in partnership with Finance and Marketing
· Evaluate competitive positioning across Amazon and DTC
· Factor packaging, freight, and landed costs into early product decisions
· Identify opportunities to expand successful products into product families, including:
· Variants
· Bundles
· Complementary accessories
· Monitor product performance and manage lifecycle adjustments
Product Development Leadership
Lead the internal product team to deliver consistent product launches.
· Manage product development timelines and project execution
· Run weekly product development meetings
· Ensure product concepts translate clearly into design specifications
· Coordinate closely with the Director of Manufacturing during development
· Escalate risks early to maintain project momentum
Note: Factory relationships, prototyping, engineering execution, and manufacturing readiness are owned by the Director of Manufacturing.
Cross-Functional Product Launch Ownership
Ensure seamless product launches across the organization.
· Partner with Marketing on product positioning, naming, and messaging
· Deliver product specifications and differentiators for Amazon listings and DTC
· Align launch cadence with company Rocks and business priorities
· Ensure launch readiness across marketing, operations, and manufacturing teams
LMA (Lead, Manage, Hold Accountable)
Lead and develop the Smartish Product team and vendors/contractors.
Lead
· Set clear direction and priorities for the Product team
· Foster a culture of ownership, experimentation, and accountability
Manage
· Weekly 1:1s
· Quarterly Rocks
· Role clarity and development planning
· Maintain clear project timelines, performance expectations process documentation
Hold Accountable
· Ensure team members deliver high-quality work on schedule
· Maintain disciplined workflows and development documentation
About you:
· 5–10 years experience in consumer product management or product development
· Experience launching physical consumer products
· Strong experience operating in Amazon-driven product environments
· Proven experience managing direct reports
· Experience owning product roadmaps and product portfolios
· Experience identifying customer insights, competitive analysis and/or marketplace data
· Strong commercial and financial acumen
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills
· Experience managing product lifecycle from concept to end-of-life
· Ability (and preference!) to operate in a fast-paced, accountability-driven environment
· Familiarity with EOS-style accountability environments preferred
Cultural Fit
· Extreme ownership mindset
· Direct communicator
· Comfortable with measurable accountability
· Thrives in (mostly) in-office collaborative environment; fast-paced e-commerce start-up-like
· Bias for action and laser-like focus on results
· Comfortable killing ideas that don’t meet financial thresholds
· Lives Smartish core values and spreads good vibes
Benefits
· Health, Dental, Vision
· FSA/HSA
· 401(k) with employer match
· PTO + Holidays
· Paid covered parking in downtown Austin
· Free Smartish products for you and a +1
To apply, please email your resume & cover letter (why are you interested in this role at Smartish?) with the title of the role in the subject line to
recruiting@smartish.com
Smartish makes everyday life a little easier with phone cases and stuff just clever enough to solve unexpected needs. Based in downtown Austin, Texas, our team is a jaunty, down-to-earth, and highly caffeinated group of folks that, since 2009, have taken our products seriously, but ourselves... not so much. Pique your interest? Learn more about Smartish.com