Product Development & Category Manager

Vale Concepts•Seattle, WA

2d•$135,000 - $145,000

About The Position

Vale is on a mission to make exceptional matcha simple. We believe premium matcha shouldn't require complicated preparation or years of experience to enjoy. Through thoughtfully designed products, beautiful packaging, and uncompromising quality, we're redefining how people experience matcha every day. As we continue to grow, we're looking for someone who thrives in bringing products to life—from the first idea through launch and into ongoing optimization. The Product Development & Category Manager will own Vale's end-to-end product development pipeline, serving as the primary bridge between Marketing, Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, and external suppliers. This role is responsible for ensuring new products launch on time, packaging and regulatory deliverables are complete, product information is accurate, and every stakeholder has what they need throughout commercialization. The ideal candidate is equal parts project manager, product developer, food scientist, and operator—someone who enjoys building systems, sweating the details, and turning great ideas into successful products.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Nutrition, or related field
3–6 years of experience in food product development, commercialization, or CPG
Experience working with co-manufacturers or food manufacturing facilities
Experience with packaging development and print production
Knowledge of food regulations, ingredient specifications, and quality systems
Exceptional project management and organizational skills
Ability to manage multiple product launches simultaneously
Excellent communication skills with both technical and creative teams
Strong attention to detail

Responsibilities

Own the Product Development Pipeline: Manage the complete product development lifecycle from concept through commercialization
Build and maintain product development timelines, launch calendars, and project trackers
Coordinate all cross-functional deliverables to ensure launches stay on schedule
Identify project risks early and proactively resolve bottlenecks
Lead recurring cross-functional product development meetings
Product Development: Partner with Marketing to translate product concepts into commercially viable products
Coordinate formulation development with manufacturing partners
Manage product sampling, revisions, testing, approvals, and commercialization
Oversee pilot runs, production trials, and first production approvals
Support continuous improvement of existing products based on customer feedback and manufacturing learnings
Evaluate new ingredients, suppliers, and product opportunities
Product Information Management: Maintain and own all product documentation including: Product specifications, Manage sample requests and approvals, Track ingredient changes and packaging updates, Ingredient lists, Formulas, Packaging specs, Nutrition information, UPCs, Case pack information, Product dimensions, Shipping specifications, Manufacturing documentation, Product launch checklists
Marketing Support: Partner closely with Marketing by providing: Accurate product information, Ingredient education, Claims support, Product launch timelines, Packaging approvals, Product photography samples, Website product specifications, Retailer documentation, Sales sheets and specification documents
Process Improvement: Build scalable systems for product development
Improve documentation processes
Standardize launch workflows
Develop SOPs across commercialization
Continuously optimize cross-functional collaboration