YouCopia is looking for a Project Manager to join our Product Development team as we scale our business in 2021. This person will be responsible for organizing and executing an improved development process to ensure products are moved from concept to launch in an efficient manner. They will create project plans, gather product data, manage costing details, and track progress throughout the process. Excellent communication of relevant information to cross-functional teams - sales, marketing, engineering, design, and Asia sourcing- will be critical for success. This position reports to the VP of Product Development.
What will you do at YouCopia?
- Formalize our product development process for higher efficiency and output.
- Maintain a detailed project work-plan (PD Tracker) so the team stays informed and organized. Lead on each products’ defined objectives, project scope, and delivery schedule.
- Organize all relevant cost information including piece quotes, development and tooling investments.
- Work with the PD team and Chinese factories/brokers to ensure project timelines are fully communicated and deliverables are met.
- Manage rounds of product revision samples, from first shots to final product approval.
- Initiate product testing to meet internal and/or specific vendor requirements. Drive improved QC reporting.
- Work closely with Operations to onboard products in YouCopia’s internal systems, taking them from development to ready-to-launch.
- Communicate Product Development activities and gather feedback from Sales and Marketing during monthly team meetings. Prepare presentation decks for Greenlight approval meetings.
- Work with Product Marketing to conduct regular discovery cycles that maximize customer insight, sales data, industry trends, and the resources of the team.
- Provide updates including project performance metrics, suggested areas for improvement, and overall progress against objectives on a consistent basis to YouCopia’s management team.
Desired Skills and Experience
- 5-8 years of CPG product development and/or related experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, business, or a related field, Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred
- Strong familiarity with project management software tools, methodologies, and best practices
- Experience seeing projects through the full PD life cycle
- Efficient with communication tools such as Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
- Proven ability to creatively solve problems while being passionate about product
- Responsive, organized, hard-working and positive at your core
- Strong interpersonal skills and entrepreneurial mindset
Benefits
- Being a part of a team that is growing and having fun while doing it
- Competitive salary with bonus program tied to growth
- Three weeks (15 days) annual paid vacation/personal time
- Health (BCBS of IL), Vision, & Dental Insurance
- 401K with up to 4% match
About Us
YouCopia is a growing housewares brand in the storage & organization category. Since its founding in 2009, our private company has established itself as a source for innovative products selling in major retail accounts such as Amazon, Target, Walmart and The Container Store. We're a small team that works closely together to deliver a “woo hoo” brand experience that reaches millions of consumers each year.
YouCopia is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any classification protected by federal, state, or local law.