Director of New Launch Management

Reports To: VP, Product Development Location: Hybrid: LA Area based; in Venice office 2 days per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) Employment Type: Full-time/Salary-exempt Compensation: $140,000 - $150,000 per year, plus benefits and bonus eligibility

POSITION SUMMARY The Director of New Launch Management will own how new products come to life at A-Frame Brands, from initial concept through commercialization and launch. Sitting at the center of product development, operations, supply chain, and client services, this role is responsible for shepherding every new product from brief to shelf on time, on spec, and within budget. This is a senior leadership role for someone with deep roots in CPG or beauty who understands the full arc of product development: production process development, packaging sourcing, vendor management, quality control, and tracking multiple SKUs across different stages at once. The right candidate has done this before and knows where projects break down. This role has a seat at the leadership table, contributes to company-wide decisions about how we work, and will help build a growing team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES New Product Tracking & Management

• Own the new product pipeline from intake to launch, maintaining visibility across all active projects at every stage of development.
• Build and manage detailed project trackers that give cross-functional teams and clients a clear, real-time picture of where each product stands.
• Lead stage-gate reviews and keep stakeholders aligned on priorities, risks, and go/no-go decisions.

Production Process Development

• Define and continuously refine the end-to-end production process for new product launches, from formula brief through bulk production and quality release.
• Partner with Product Development, Marketing, Project Management, and Creative to build workflows that scale as the portfolio grows.
• Document processes clearly enough that the team can execute consistently without this role in every room.
• Lead the creation and maintenance of new item documentation across the portfolio, including BOMs, assembly instructions, and product standards, partnering with Product Development and third-party vendors to ensure specs are accurate and production-ready.

Packaging Sourcing & Vendor Management

• Lead packaging sourcing across primary, secondary, and tertiary components, identifying suppliers that meet quality, cost, and lead time requirements.
• Own relationships with packaging suppliers, contract manufacturers, and third-party labs, managing timelines, resolving issues, and holding partners accountable.
• Evaluate and onboard new vendors as the business requires, including capability assessments and oversight of sampling cycles.

Product Quality

• Establish quality checkpoints throughout development, from initial prototype review through pre-production and finished goods inspection.
• Partner with QA and regulatory agents to ensure all products meet safety, compliance, and brand standards before launch.
• Track and resolve quality issues quickly, escalating when timelines or specs are at risk.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Run weekly project status meetings across Development, Creative, Marketing, and Operations.
• Manage one direct report, providing clear direction and building their production expertise.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 7+ years of experience in product development or project management within CPG, beauty, or personal care.
• Hands-on experience with production process development, packaging sourcing, and vendor management across both domestic and overseas suppliers.
• Strong track record managing new product launches across a portfolio of 10+ concurrent SKUs.
• Deep understanding of product quality standards in beauty, including what good looks like at prototype, at pilot, and at scale.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers, filling operations, and third-party testing labs.
• Financial fluency in COGS, packaging costs, and development budgets.
• Clear, direct communication style, with the ability to hold vendors and internal teams accountable without creating unnecessary friction.
• Proficiency with project management tools such as Smartsheet, Asana, or similar.

WORK ENVIRONMENT Professional office environment involving routine use of computers and standard office equipment, periods of sitting, standing, walking, and bending, and occasional lifting of up to 20 pounds. On-site presence at our Venice, CA office two days per week, currently Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am to 3pm at minimum. Limited domestic and international travel to onboard new suppliers and provide on-site troubleshooting or production oversight.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY A-Frame Brands is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit, competence, and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.