Global Product Director

Emma – The Sleep Company has established itself as a dominant force in the direct-to-consumer sleep industry since its inception in 2015. Operating across more than 20 global markets and maintaining an expanding physical retail footprint, the organisation is now seeking a Global Product Director to spearhead its ambitious growth trajectory. Based out of Frankfurt, this role is a pivotal leadership position for a professional who thrives in high-scale, fast-paced international environments.

The organisation prides itself on a diverse, meritocratic culture that brings together talent from over 70 nationalities. For the successful candidate, this means navigating a complex, multicultural landscape where data-driven insights and a passion for sleep innovation are the primary currencies.

About the role

This is a senior-level strategic appointment where you will function as a co-owner of the product category. You will be tasked with transforming Emma’s product portfolio to ensure it remains the global benchmark for sleep comfort. The scope of the role is comprehensive, covering the full lifecycle of physical products—from the initial material sourcing and R&D phases through to manufacturing, pricing architecture, and long-term range strategy.

Success in this position requires a balance of high-level strategic vision and operational rigour. You will be expected to defend profit margins, manage complex product portfolios, and curb range proliferation while simultaneously fostering a culture of accountability. You will be leading a large, cross-functional product organisation, requiring you to mentor senior leaders and build robust internal processes that ensure high performance across multiple regions.

• **Strategic Oversight:** Define and execute the product roadmap, ensuring that Emma’s range architecture aligns with the goal of becoming the undisputed global leader in the sleep category.
• **Operational Excellence:** Lead the physical product development cycle, including supplier relationship management, cost structure optimisation, and the implementation of manufacturing efficiencies.
• **Leadership and Talent Development:** Build, nurture, and scale a high-performing product team, prioritising succession planning and capability-building.
• **P&L Management:** Maintain a strong commercial mindset, balancing innovation with financial discipline to protect margins in a competitive market.
• **Consumer Insights:** Anchor all development decisions in rigorous consumer research to ensure that every product iteration enhances brand preference and customer satisfaction.

What they're looking for

Emma is looking for an experienced leader who has operated at scale. The ideal candidate will have a deep background in branded consumer goods, specifically within organisations that handle proprietary R&D and complex multi-category portfolios.

• **Proven Leadership:** A minimum of 15 years of relevant experience, with at least 3 to 4 years spent in a senior leadership capacity.
• **Operational Depth:** You must be "operationally deep," meaning you are comfortable both with high-level strategy and rolling up your sleeves to manage the mechanics of product manufacturing.
• **Experience at Scale:** A demonstrable track record of working within organisations of 1,000+ employees, ideally with experience managing products across diverse international markets.
• **Strategic Decision Making:** The ability to navigate ambiguity effectively and drive consensus in a cross-functional, global environment.

For South African professionals looking toward an international career path, a role of this magnitude in the European market represents a significant step up into global retail management. Roles of this caliber typically require extensive experience in supply chain, FMCG, or retail product development, often serving as a gateway to executive board-level positions. While the specific salary would be denominated in Euros, such positions in the global retail space are highly lucrative, reflecting the heavy responsibility of managing multi-market profit and loss accounts. Candidates from South Africa applying for such positions should highlight their experience in scaling products across diverse, fragmented markets, as this experience is highly transferable to the global complexity Emma faces.

• 15+ years of relevant experience, with at least 3–4 years in a senior leadership role
• Deep expertise in category management
• Hands-on experience in physical product development
• Background in branded consumer goods with proprietary R&D
• Operationally deep - comfortable leading through doing
• Proven decision-maker under ambiguity
• Experience at scale - 1,000+ people, multi-market, multi-category organisations
• Strong cross-functional collaborator