Vice President, Product Development Testing

The Vice President of Product Development Testing is responsible for overseeing the strategy, leadership, and execution of all product testing activities across the product development lifecycle. This role ensures that products meet defined performance, safety, durability, and regulatory requirements before they reach the market. The VP leads a multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists, and technicians, working closely with Product Development, Engineering, Quality, Regulatory, and Marketing to deliver world-class consumer products.

Key Responsibilities:

Testing Strategy & Leadership

• Define and implement a robust product testing strategy that supports innovation, accelerates development, and ensures product quality and compliance.
• Build and scale advanced testing capabilities (mechanical, electrical, software, environmental, usability, etc.) tailored to company product lines.
• Develop test plans and validation protocols aligned with regulatory standards and customer expectations.

Product Development Partnership

• Collaborate with R&D, Industrial Design, and Product Management to ensure testability is considered in product architecture and design.
• Oversee iterative validation during concept, prototype, and pre-production stages.
• Provide data-driven insights and recommendations to support go/no-go decisions.

Compliance & Standards

• Ensure testing programs meet applicable industry standards and regulatory requirements (e.g., UL, CE, FCC, FDA, ASTM, ISO).
• Maintain documentation and traceability of test plans, results, and design validation.

Team Leadership & Operations

• Lead and mentor a high-performing team of testing professionals across multiple locations and disciplines.
• Oversee operation and expansion of internal testing labs and coordination with external testing partners.
• Manage testing budgets, capital equipment, and resource planning.

Continuous Improvement & Innovation

• Drive improvements in test automation, simulation, and predictive analytics to accelerate testing cycles.
• Evaluate and integrate new testing technologies and methodologies to enhance capabilities and efficiency.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Product Development, or a related technical field; Master's degree preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in product development and testing, with 5+ years in a senior leadership role in the consumer goods industry.
• Deep knowledge of test engineering, product validation, and regulatory compliance.
• Proven success in building and scaling testing teams and infrastructure.
• Strong project management, analytical, and leadership skills.

Preferred Attributes:

• Experience with connected, electronic, or high-performance consumer products.
• Expertise in simulation, reliability engineering, HALT/HASS, and test automation.
• Familiarity with Agile, Lean Product Development, and cross-functional development environments.