Product Development Director

The organsiation

Our client is active in the Direct to Consumer (DTC) market for hearing aids and is looking for a Product Development Director to join their senior management team.

The position

The Product Development Director will be end-responsible for the continuous development of a game changing, state of the art technology platform called MyRange. This platform consists of a set of hearing aids, a communication hub, an app, a website and a cloud based back-end platform and enables customers to be in full control of their hearing solution without the need of a physical store.

The challenge is to use the knock out customer proposition provided by the MyRange platform to create a solid basis in the DTC market for hearing aids in the United States and subsequently roll out the proposition to the rest of the world.

The Product Development Director is an integral part of the senior management team responsible for carrying out this challenge and for continuously developing the MyRange platform via management of the external development partners. This includes both hardware and software development.

The Product Development Director reports to the CEO of the company.

Tasks & responsibilities

• Expertise building and advising
  • Further build expertise on development of apps, websites, hardware/wireless, backbone and how these elements interact and advise the management on this
  • Develop expertise on latest developments of Hearing Aid (HEA) systems in DTC setting and advise its management
• Project management
  • Maintain an integral overview of all hardware, software, wireless etc. developments are being carried out by external partners and manage interfaces
  • Contacting, contracting and managing external development partners
  • Define scope for development partners including deadlines and deliverables
  • Ensure proper certification
  • Ensure proper user testing
• Create and further develop user interfaces (app and website) with partners
  • Invent / discover/ detect potential functionalities and features
  • Translate potential functionalities and features into feasible technical platform solutions taking into account both hardware and software implications
  • Develop and evaluate business cases
  • Ensure efficient development of functionalities and features using external partners
  • Launch new functionalities and features
• Create and further develop hardware elements (HEA and Hub) with partners
  • Ensure that hardware elements support features and functionalities
  • Optimise / keep up to date wireless communication
• Create and further development back end platform with partners
  • Decide on which (of the shelf) software packages to use and how to configure
  • Ensure optimal big data storage and analysis
  • Ensure creation of API’s to integrate with external website e.g. reseller websites 

Candidate profile

For this role we are looking for a bachelor educated candidate with a minimum of 10 years of experience in the area of product development.

You have a proven track record as product development director or senior product development manager in the DTC market.

You have knowledge and experience in product development on wireless communication technology, hardware integration, user interface/app development and back-end development.

Experience with HEA development is considered an advantage but not a necessity. You have experience in managing different development partners and be a credible counterpart for senior level managers.

This role requires frequently (40%-60% of time) travel between the Netherlands (Randstad region) and the United States or potentially relocate to the US.

Terms & conditions

Competitive package (salary indication between € 100.000 and € 140.000 annual) and including a Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP).

Interested?

You can apply to this position by using the link below including an up-to-date copy of your CV. You are urged to apply as soon as possible, as the first interviews are scheduled on very short term.