Senior Director, Product Development & Improvement - DSMI

Direct Supply•Milwaukee, WI

19h

About The Position

Direct Supply is building the future of healthcare technology with industry-leading products, solutions and platforms to help improve the lives of millions of seniors and those who care for them. In the Senior Director, Product Development & Improvement – DSMI position, you’ll lead a high-performing team of engineers and a program manager to drive innovation, product excellence, and continuous improvement across Direct Supply’s proprietary brands. You’ll oversee the end-to-end product development system—combining technical depth, execution rigor, and business acumen to deliver cost-effective, high-performing solutions that meet market needs and accelerate company growth. Skills Needed: Champions Innovation – Propels teams to unlock value with cutting-edge, tech-enabled innovations. Stays ahead of the tech curve, ready to embrace the next big thing. Leads with an entrepreneurial mindset and takes calculated risks. Drives Accountability & Results – Sets clear goals and ensures team members deliver top-notch results. Uses data and tech to boost accountability, pushing everyone to excel individually and as a team. Thinks Strategically – Anticipates future trends and aligns actions with long-term objectives. Draws on broad knowledge to craft future-focused plans that effectively translate strategy into action. Demonstrates Executive Presence – Ignites enthusiasm and inspires trust and confidence. Effortlessly captivates customers and Executives. Exudes a commanding presence while keeping cool and staying humble. Demonstrated technical expertise in product development, with proven results delivering innovative, cost-effective proprietary products. Excellent ability to lead complex engineering and program execution across innovation, cost-out, and quality initiatives. Strong decision-making grounded in business impact, execution velocity, and customer insight. Experience leveraging AI and automation to improve engineering efficiency and drive consistent outcomes. What You’ll Do and Impact: Lead and develop Engineering and Program Management teams, driving accountability, alignment, and high-quality execution across all DSMI product initiatives. Own and optimize the full product development system, from concept to commercialization, across new products, cost-out, and improvement efforts. Translate business strategies into actionable engineering and execution roadmaps that fuel growth and operational excellence. Champion the use of AI and automation to enhance development efficiency, reduce time-to-market, and ensure delivery consistency. Partner with Category, Supply Chain, and Sales to align product development with customer needs and strategic goals. Oversee program budgets, forecasts, and resource planning to ensure alignment with investment priorities and business outcomes. Proactively manage risk, resolve cross-functional issues, and ensure technical decisions meet both regulatory and commercial requirements. Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Design, Industrial, or related field required); advanced degree a plus 12+ years of experience in engineering and product development, with 10+ years in leadership roles Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams across Engineering, Program Management, and Operations Experience in regulated, consumer product, or healthcare-adjacent industries preferred Track record of delivering customer-centric innovations, margin improvements, and product scaling in complex environments Ability to travel by car and/or plane up to 15% Valid, unexpired driver’s license with satisfactory driving record Additional Items of Interest: Experience in a Stage Gate or PMO-driven innovation system strongly preferred Voice of Customer experience and iterative design methodology highly valued Job to be performed in the location listed. Generous benefit package available. Click here to learn more. Direct Supply, Inc. and its U.S. subsidiaries are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers committed to diverse workforces. © 2013 to 2026 Direct Supply, Inc. All rights reserved. Direct Supply delivers solution-driven platforms, products and services to help solve the toughest challenges facing Senior Living and Healthcare. For more than 35 years, we’ve grown consistently while expanding our offering of innovative solutions for virtually every critical area of senior health across the continuum of care. If you asked our 1,200+ Partners what separates Direct Supply from other applied technology companies, it’s that we are 100% employee owned and driven to work with a purpose. Every day, we strive to honor our mission of enhancing the lives of millions of seniors and healthcare professionals in a results-oriented agile environment that gives our Partners the necessary tools and flexibility to truly bring what’s next to Healthcare. Ready to make a difference?

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Design, Industrial, or related field required); advanced degree a plus
12+ years of experience in engineering and product development, with 10+ years in leadership roles
Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams across Engineering, Program Management, and Operations
Ability to travel by car and/or plane up to 15%
Valid, unexpired driver’s license with satisfactory driving record
Demonstrated technical expertise in product development, with proven results delivering innovative, cost-effective proprietary products.
Excellent ability to lead complex engineering and program execution across innovation, cost-out, and quality initiatives.
Strong decision-making grounded in business impact, execution velocity, and customer insight.
Experience leveraging AI and automation to improve engineering efficiency and drive consistent outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Experience in regulated, consumer product, or healthcare-adjacent industries preferred
Track record of delivering customer-centric innovations, margin improvements, and product scaling in complex environments
Experience in a Stage Gate or PMO-driven innovation system strongly preferred
Voice of Customer experience and iterative design methodology highly valued

Responsibilities

Lead and develop Engineering and Program Management teams, driving accountability, alignment, and high-quality execution across all DSMI product initiatives.
Own and optimize the full product development system, from concept to commercialization, across new products, cost-out, and improvement efforts.
Translate business strategies into actionable engineering and execution roadmaps that fuel growth and operational excellence.
Champion the use of AI and automation to enhance development efficiency, reduce time-to-market, and ensure delivery consistency.
Partner with Category, Supply Chain, and Sales to align product development with customer needs and strategic goals.
Oversee program budgets, forecasts, and resource planning to ensure alignment with investment priorities and business outcomes.
Proactively manage risk, resolve cross-functional issues, and ensure technical decisions meet both regulatory and commercial requirements.