OUTER'S MISSION 

Outer is a venture-backed startup based in Santa Monica, California on a mission to get people outside and inspire healthier, happier, and more fulfilling lives by creating innovative outdoor furniture.

THE ROLE

Consumers are bombarded with choice overload. Many brands and manufacturers are taking the approach of “fast (insert category here)” and making incremental changes to what has been seen and done before with little thought into making the product better for humans and the planet.

At Outer, we don’t design for obsolescence. We produce the highest quality products that can withstand all that Mother Nature can throw at it. More importantly, we begin the design process by first asking “Why does the world need another version of this product? It’s what we call the “Seinfeld moments” - pain-points that we have all experienced that are oftentimes hiding in plain sight.

As VP of Product Development, you’ll lead a team of designers, sourcing professionals, and engineers to identify new opportunities in outdoor living and partner with our ninjutsu team of marketing, digital, operations and finance to translate those opportunities into product requirements that expand Outer’s growing portfolio of eco-friendly products that support our mission of getting people outside. You’ll then lead your team to develop best-in-class products that are the perfect solution to meet those requirements, ultimately bringing to market outdoor lifestyle products that delight customers and propel Outer along its path to be the number one brand in outdoor lifestyle.

This position can be located in the Bay Area, or Los Angeles. All Outer employees are currently working remote while COVID-19 restrictions are in place.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

• In collaboration with Outer’s Chief Design Officer, you will lead the creation and oversight of Outer’s product development strategy, ensuring the portfolio of new products meets customer needs as well as the strategic objectives for the business.




• You will manage the merchandising and business planning of products from kick-off through introduction into the market, creating product briefs for major introductions that are grounded in an understanding of consumer behavior and insights, competitive offerings, and market trends.




• This is a high visibility role that will afford you the opportunity to work closely with our executive team to define our product strategy and vision. As a smaller company that is entering a period of hyper-growth, the potential for impact is considerable.




• Your primary KPI’s will be on developing the appropriate quantity and quality of innovative and sellable ideas that align with Outer’s overall design philosophy and business strategy

EXPECTED RESULTS

• Annual catalogs of new products that align with Outer’s overall design philosophy




• Buy in from leadership and other key stakeholders on quarterly and annual strategic plans




• High performance from all individuals within the product development organization




• Tightly managed budgets and timelines to ensure seasonal launch objectives are met




• Development of talent that can continue to grow the organization and create ever more valuable and innovative products




• Growth in market share and key financial metrics due to high demand for new products

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• 10+ years of experience in product development, management consulting and merchandising with success stories and a few hard learnings to share; startup experience is a plus




• Leadership of multiple commercially successful product developments




• Four-year degree, preferably in design, engineering, or marketing




• Left brain/right brain approach to product development and extensive experience in design, merchandising, program management, customer research and manufacturing across DTC and B2B markets.




• Direct-to-consumer experience is a plus

SKILLS, REQUIREMENTS & ABILITIES

• An intentional approach to product development. You aren’t satisfied simply creating an item--you want to understand ‘What to create? Why should we create it? How do we actually do it?’




• Proven ability to manage competing demands, while maintaining focus and meeting deadlines and objectives within product merchandising, marketing and operations




• Track record of successfully building, leading, and developing teams at a Director or executive level, with the ability to navigate an organization and manage cross-functional stakeholders.




• Ability to develop a strategy and lead an organization in to achieving key objectives

WHAT WE VALUE

• Unique perspectives, backgrounds, experiences, and ideas
• Courage to try new things learn and from own mistakes
• A proactive approach to problem solving

If you don’t meet 100% of these requirements but are certain you would do a great job on Day 1, please consider applying anyway!

ABOUT OUTER

Outer started by creating the perfect outdoor sofa: beautiful, durable, comfortable, and innovative. We also invented a new model for retail because we believe that the furniture buying experience can be much better than stale, traditional showrooms with four walls, fluorescent lighting, and pushy salespeople. Our Neighborhood Showroom platform turns our customers' backyards into our physical showrooms where our customers can see, touch, and feel our products in a real backyard alongside a real customer (think: Airbnb meets retail). Our Co-Founder & Chief Design Officer was the former Head Furniture Designer at Pottery Barn, and our founding team brings decades of experience from Casper, IDEO, Nike, Thrive Market, Match.com, and Riot Games. 

 WHAT WE PROVIDE IN RETURN 

Outer provides a robust total rewards package, including competitive compensation packages, unlimited PTO, medical & wellness plans, 401(k) contributions, life insurance, and much more.

Outer is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diverse voices, backgrounds, and perspectives on our team. We don’t discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.