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Product Development Manager Jobs in San Rafael, CA

Kinder's

Culinary Development Manager

Walnut Creek, CA

$135K - $155K/yr

This role blends hands-on cooking, product testing, recipe development, field execution, and cross ... Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, high variability ...

Kinder's

Culinary Development Manager

Walnut Creek, CA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

With over 100 products sold nationwide, we're now a top-five brand in multiple flavor categories at ... The Culinary Development Manager will be a critical leader in contributing to our culinary ...

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Product Development Manager information

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$47.4K

$141.6K

$161.1K

How much do product development manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for product development manager in San Rafael, CA is $141,554.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $127,600.00 and $159,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges a product development manager might face when balancing stakeholder expectations and project timelines?

A Product Development Manager often navigates the challenge of balancing diverse stakeholder expectations with realistic project timelines. Stakeholders, such as marketing, sales, and engineering teams, may have differing priorities or urgency, which can lead to conflicting demands. Effective communication, setting clear project milestones, and regularly updating all parties are essential strategies. Additionally, managing scope creep and ensuring alignment on product vision help prevent delays and maintain focus on deliverables.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a product development manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Product Development Manager, you need expertise in project management, market analysis, and product lifecycle strategies, usually supported by a degree in business, engineering, or a related field. Familiarity with tools like Agile methodologies, product management software (e.g., Jira, Trello), and certifications such as PMP or Scrum Master are highly beneficial. Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills help you motivate teams and navigate cross-functional collaboration. These competencies are crucial for driving innovation, meeting market demands, and ensuring successful product launches.

Is a product development manager a 9-5 job?

A product development manager typically works standard business hours, but the role can require additional hours to meet project deadlines or address issues. Flexibility may be needed during product launches or critical phases, and some managers may work beyond 9-5 depending on company culture and project demands.

What does a product development manager do?

A product development manager helps a company design new goods and merchandise to increase sales and revenue. As a product development manager, you collaborate with market research and product marketing managers to form development and marketing strategy around new product ideas. You also work with teams in the product development and marketing departments to implement strategies and design new goods or services. You oversee quality assurance testing to ensure that the end user is satisfied with the products your company creates.

What is the difference between Product Development Manager vs Product Manager?

AspectProduct Development ManagerProduct Manager
Primary FocusOversees the development process, managing teams and technical aspectsDefines product vision, strategy, and manages the product lifecycle
Required SkillsTechnical knowledge, project management, team leadershipMarket research, user experience, strategic planning
Work EnvironmentCollaborates with engineering, design, and production teamsWorks closely with marketing, sales, and customer feedback

While both roles are integral to product success, the Product Development Manager primarily focuses on managing the development process and technical teams, whereas the Product Manager concentrates on defining the product vision and strategy. Understanding these distinctions helps organizations assign the right responsibilities and professionals to each role.

What is a product development manager?

A Product Development Manager is a professional responsible for overseeing the process of creating new products or improving existing ones within a company. They coordinate cross-functional teams, manage timelines, and ensure that products meet market needs and business objectives. Their role often includes market research, product design, testing, and working closely with marketing, engineering, and sales teams to bring products to market successfully.
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What are the most commonly searched types of Product Development jobs in San Rafael, CA?

The most popular types of Product Development jobs in San Rafael, CA are:

What job categories do people searching Product Development Manager jobs in San Rafael, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Product Development Manager jobs in San Rafael, CA are:

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Cities near San Rafael, CA with the most Product Development Manager job openings:

Product Development Manager jobs near you

Culinary Development Manager

Kinder's

Walnut Creek, CA

Full-time

Re-posted 17 days ago

Job description

BUILT ON FLAVOR. FUELED BY PEOPLE.

What's it like to work at Kinder's? Well, there's a lot of snacking and geeking out over what we all cooked over the weekend. Beyond that, there's also plenty of hard work. Because we don't just like flavor, we're obsessed with it.

With over 100 products sold nationwide, we're now a top-five brand in multiple flavor categories at Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, and more. We're not your typical CPG company. Privately held and founder-led, we like to think of ourselves as a pirate ship in a sea of cruise ships. Our crew is adventurous and fearless. We chart our own course and chase big ideas to make food unforgettable.

As we expand globally and approach $1 billion in revenue, we need more smart-and-scrappy, flavor-obsessed people to come aboard. If you're looking for a place where you can see the real impact of your work... this is it! Every day, you'll be part of a journey to add flavor to millions of meals and lives.

About the Role:

Kinder's is seeking an experienced and creatively driven Culinary Development Manager to join our team of passionate culinary professionals working hard to bring the future of flavor to consumers everywhere. This role is designed for a culinary leader who wants to grow inside an ambitious, fast-growing organization while representing Kinder's through exceptional food execution and operational excellence.

The Culinary Development Manager will be a critical leader in contributing to our culinary development engine. This is a high-impact role responsible for supporting innovation cycles and driving culinary gold-standard formulation through the creation, testing, and refinement of new products and flavor profiles. This role blends hands-on cooking, product testing, recipe development, field execution, and cross-functional partnership. You will partner regularly with other functions such as Innovation, R&D, Product Development, Commercialization, Brand, Sales, and Operations, to ensure quality and facilitate the scale-up of new flavors.

Key Responsibilities Include:Culinary Development & Innovation
  • Drive culinary development of new flavor profiles and products for assigned segments of the Kinder's portfolio (e.g., sauces, seasonings)
  • Translate consumer insights, market trends, and retailer needs into differentiated, flavor-forward concepts
  • Develop and iterate recipes from bench-top prototypes to culinary gold-standard formulations ready for scale-up and transition to R&D/Product Development
  • Ensure all formulations meet Kinder's standards for flavor, quality, and manufacturability
  • Support internal tastings, cuttings, and competitive benchmarking to inform product direction and refinement
  • Partner with R&D/Product Development to support product evaluation, sensory documentation, and readiness for commercialization
Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration
  • Serve as a culinary partner to Innovation, Product Development, and Commercialization to move products from concept to launch
  • Collaborate with Culinary Operations, Sourcing, and R&D/PD to evaluate and qualify new ingredients
Kitchen Operations & Culinary Excellence
  • Maintain detailed documentation of formulations, processes, and development learnings
  • Ensure adherence to food safety and regulatory requirements throughout development
  • Contribute to a highly organized, efficient culinary environment, including kitchen operations, sample management, and equipment readiness
  • Champion Kinder's culinary standards, brand voice, and commitment to exceptional flavor across all work
Customer/ Field Support (As Required)
  • If needed, support customer-facing culinary initiatives (e.g., onsite innovation sessions, product demos, key buyer presentations)
  • Prepare and execute high-quality samples for internal and external stakeholders
  • Represent Kinder's culinary perspective in interactions with customers, including buyers and other partners
What You Bring To The Table:

Education / Experience

  • 5+ years of professional culinary experience (restaurant, catering, or CPG/product development environments preferred)
  • Bachelor's degree in culinary arts, food science, or related field preferred (or equivalent hands-on experience)
  • Strong understanding of flavor systems, ingredient functionality, and food processing fundamentals
  • Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, high variability environment
  • Experience developing recipes from concept through execution, with attention to consistency and scalability
  • Familiarity with ingredient sourcing, efficient kitchen operations, and inventory management
  • Strong understanding of food safety principals and regulatory basics
  • ServSafe certification required (or ability to obtain within 60 days
  • Strong communication skills with ability to collaborate effectively across functions

Personal Characteristics

  • Growth mindset with an excitement to learn (and teach)
  • Low ego with a strong sense of humility
  • Energized by bringing brands to life through food and creating memorable flavor experiences
  • Collaborative and solutions-oriented, with a creative approach to problem solving
  • Comfortable leading when needed and supporting when it best serves the team
  • Passionate about delivering food experiences that feel authentic, thoughtful, and human
Location and Travel:

The position will be based at our headquarters in Walnut Creek, CA. The position could also require periodic travel to other locations for consumer events and customer meetings, often with advanced notice, but occasionally on short notice when required by business needs. All costs of travel will be reimbursed by the Company consistent with its established travel policies.

Pay Transparency:

The expected starting salary range for this role is $135,000- $155,000 per year. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range based on the location of the role. The amount a particular employee will earn within the salary range will be based on factors such as relevant education, qualifications, performance and business needs.

SEASONED FOR SUCCESS:
  • No two days here are the same.
  • We try to be good team members and good communicators, but we don't live by hierarchy and structure – everyone is a difference maker here.
  • We make a lot of decisions in the face of incomplete information – our team embraces ambiguity and tries to make good decisions fast rather than great decisions slow.
  • We believe our job is to take smart risk, not to eliminate risk.
  • We believe in growing our skills and becoming a better company with more managerial expertise, but we are an entrepreneurial company at heart.
  • We aren't trying to be average – we want to do exceptional things, and we are willing to work hard to achieve them.
BENEFITS THAT BRING MORE TO THE TABLE:

We offer a range of total rewards that may include paid time off, 401k, bonus / incentive eligibility, equity grants, competitive health benefits, and other family-friendly benefits, including parental leave. Kinder's benefits vary based on eligibility and can be reviewed in more detail during the interview process.

OUR RECIPE FOR BALANCE:

We believe great culture starts with people. We're a people-first company built on connection, collaboration, and balance. Most of our work happens in the office to spark creativity and community, but we also offer flexibility so team members have the autonomy to work outside the office when needed to support their work-life balance and personal commitments.

WHERE EVERY INGREDIENT MATTERS:

Kinder's is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, citizenship, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, veteran status, as well as any other legally-protected characteristic. If you have a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar law, and you need any accommodation during the application process or to perform these job requirements, please reach out to us at careers@kinders.com