Senior Product Developer

Description

Based in Austin, Texas, Four Hands is the leading global designer and wholesaler of trendsetting lifestyle home furnishings. Four Hands manufactures and distributes our products, serving as design leader for some of the most highly regarded home and lifestyle brands. The award-winning product development team has proven itself as a disruptor business, challenging the status quo of the furniture industry through a variety of groundbreaking approaches.  

 

With a vision to furnish the entire home, Four Hands introduces more than 2,000 styles annually across bedroom, living, dining, outdoor, office, and more. Our product development team has established a cohesive, elevated design aesthetic and consistently introduces products that deliver thoughtful style, livability, and endless inspiration. 

Four Hands is looking to hire an experienced Senior Product Developer responsible for the strategic development of products within the Upholstery category. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of product construction paired with a stylistic vantage point to be able to bring concepts to completion in answer to category needs.  This person should have the ability to identify buyer behavior and sales trends to develop new designs and materials that enhance the Upholstery product assortment. 

IN THIS ROLE

• Develop new product designs by integrating a clear design perspective and current fashion trends with direction of Product Development Leadership
• Utilize in-depth knowledge of product sales at both category and item levels to inform and drive new product development
• Drive strategic planning to achieve category goals, adapting quickly to market changes
• Understand Four Hands buyer behavior to develop tailored concepts and products
• Commit to launching superior products, leveraging external partnerships when beneficial
• Assess vendors' capabilities in technical expertise, material availability, and production capacity to deliver trend-driven products efficiently
• Partner with Merchant team to identify brand-right expansions to the current product portfolio and Softline cover assortment, and execute against timelines to bring to market 
• Partner with Product Development leadership and Supply Chain to implement innovative product strategies
• Demonstrate strong communication and analytical skills to collaborate effectively with international teams, supply chain, and vendors
• Develop and maintain fabric mill and leather tannery partnerships to create exclusive fabrics and leathers for future development and use across all product categories 
• Travel to Mexico, China and Vietnam for sample work and inspirational travel for design shows
• Visualize and enhance the entire product development process to improve quality and efficiency
• Collaborate with Product Development and Key Accounts on customer-specific designs
• Drive solutions and collaborate cross-functionally to execute projects independently
• Present concepts and developments clearly to diverse audiences, considering context and impact
• Lead, manage, and develop a team, including regular mentorship of junior members
• Embrace feedback positively, defending viewpoints constructively to promote collaboration
• Proactively apply value engineering techniques to maintain high design standards in product development
• Ensure optimal sourcing by understanding Four Hands' organization and vendor capabilities, aligning production with technical expertise and capacity constraints
• Proactively value engineer products without compromising design integrity
• Uphold our Core Values and be a valuable member of the Four Hands Team

THE IDEAL PERSON

• 6+ years of experience in upholstery product development
• 4+ years of experience with a CAD rendering software (Adobe, SketchUp, Rhino, 3DMax, Keyshot or similar) 
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Merchandising, International Business or related fields preferred
• Strong understanding of furniture construction, knowledge of proactive costing and product engineering techniques and in-depth knowledge of textiles and leathers
• Travel for up to 2 weeks internationally at a time to factories for sample work 
• Understanding of international product development and vendor capabilities by country 
• Excellent time and calendar management skills with the ability to hit deadlines 
• Knowledge of industry standards and compliance requirements specific to upholstered products