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Director Food Product Development Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Crocs

Director, Footwear Product Development

Broomfield, CO · On-site

$165K - $175K/yr

Overview The Director, Footwear Product Development for Crocs Inc. is responsible for driving the strategic direction and execution of product development, ensuring alignment with market trends and ...

Manulife

Director - ETF Product Development

Boston, MA · On-site

$128K - $222K/yr

Director, ETF Product Development The Global Product Development Team is responsible for the ideation, research and development of investment products and strategies across Retail, Retirement, and ...

Chedraui USA

Director, Food Quality Assurance

Commerce, CA · On-site

$140K - $160K/yr

Director, Food Quality Assurance Store Support Center We are searching for an experienced Director ... Provides technical direction in new product development to ensure proper positioning of corporate ...

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$163.7K

$244.5K

How much do director food product development jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for director food product development in the United States is $163,684.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $131,500.00 and $185,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a Director of Food Product Development typically collaborate with other departments to bring new products to market?

As a Director of Food Product Development, you will frequently collaborate with cross-functional teams including marketing, quality assurance, supply chain, and regulatory affairs. Your role involves coordinating product ideation sessions, aligning with marketing on consumer trends, working with R&D on formulations, and ensuring compliance with food safety standards. Regular communication and project management are essential to synchronize timelines and ensure a successful product launch. This collaborative environment fosters innovation while making sure products meet both business goals and industry regulations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Director of Food Product Development, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director of Food Product Development, you need a strong background in food science, product formulation, and project management, typically supported by a related degree and experience in the food industry. Expertise with sensory analysis tools, regulatory compliance systems, and product lifecycle management software is commonly required. Leadership, creativity, and cross-functional communication are essential soft skills that help drive innovation and team collaboration. These skills and qualities are important for successfully developing market-ready products that meet both consumer demands and regulatory standards.

What does a Director of Food Product Development do?

A Director of Food Product Development leads the creation, improvement, and launch of new food products for a company. They oversee teams of food scientists, chefs, and product managers to ensure products meet quality, safety, and market standards. This role involves collaborating with marketing, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to bring innovative food products from concept to shelf. They also monitor food trends, regulatory requirements, and consumer preferences to guide product strategy and ensure the company's offerings remain competitive.
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Director Food Product Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Food Product Development job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 3% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $163,684 per year, or $78.7 per hour.
Director of Product Development

Director of Product Development

The Lumistella Company

Atlanta, GA

Full-time

Posted 10 days ago

Job description

 
Join us in Telling the Stories of Santa’s North Pole!
The Lumistella Company is a global intellectual property company dedicated to bringing Santa’s North Pole to life for children around the world through consumer products, original entertainment and brand experiences. We are home to the most iconic and beloved Christmas brands of this generation including The Elf on the Shelf, Elf Pets, and Elf Mates.
The Director of Product Development will lead the cross-category execution of Lumistella’s physical product portfolio, ensuring that every product and packaging design is translated into a technically feasible, vendor-ready solution that meets cost, quality, safety, and customer expectations. This role manages 2-3 category-specific product development managers and the product engineer to deliver high-fidelity execution for core and licensed products across plush, toys, books, and hybrid formats.
This leader is the bridge between creative vision and manufacturing execution, finalizing tech packs, managing vendor sampling, and coordinating with project management, sourcing, costing, compliance, brand integrity, and design teams to bring Lumistella’s storytelling to life through physical goods.
Projects include, but are not limited to elf dolls, elf clothes and props, plush characters, reading and activity books, plus a variety of toys with varying play patterns for multiple age groups. Each season can have upwards of 50 unique and innovative items for new development, in addition to 100+ products sold globally year after year requiring product and/or packaging updates from previous seasons.
The Director of Product Development will:
  • Leads end-to-end product execution from concept through pre-production across all product categories 
  • Translates design concepts into detailed, production-ready engineering and tech documentation 
  • Oversees sampling, feasibility, iteration, and vendor alignment to meet quality, cost, and performance targets 
  • Manages and mentors a team of Product Development Managers and Product Engineers 
  • Balances workloads, timelines, and supports professional growth and risk mitigation
  • Drives cross-functional alignment with Creative, Packaging, Costing, Sourcing, Legal/Compliance, Marketing, and Program Management
  • Ensures products meet safety, regulatory, durability, and usability standards
  • Owns final tech pack quality, completeness, versioning, and vendor handoff documentation 
If you want to be one of us...
 
The ideal candidate will bring:
  • 8–10 years in product development, engineering, or related roles in consumer 
  • products, toys, or licensing-based organizations.
  • Deep understanding of product development lifecycles including feasibility, sampling, documentation, and factory communication. 
  • Extensive experience with development of product in global manufacturing environments (specifically Asia, including China and Vietnam). 
  • Proven track record leading cross-category development and managing a high volume of concurrent SKUs and timelines. 
  • Familiarity with “busy season” in a highly seasonal business model. 
  • Experience with consumer play-pattern insights and global child safety standards (ASTM, CPSIA, EU regulations, etc.) 
  • Strong technical literacy in materials, packaging forms, CAD software, BOM structuring, and mechanical documentation. 
  • Excellent cross-functional communication and stakeholder management skills. 
Education requirements:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Development, Manufacturing, or related field preferred. 
The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities or requirements. A full and complete copy of the Job Description is available upon request. 
Want to Know More?
To learn more about our company, check out our web site at: www.Lumistella.com.
The Lumistella Company is an equal employment opportunity employer.

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