For over 50 years, our client has been making the dream of homeownership a reality for families across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. They are a leader in the custom home building industry, offering affordable, high-quality homes that can be personalized to fit our customers’ unique lifestyles. As a company deeply committed to innovation, craftsmanship, and customer satisfaction, they are looking for a Manager of Product Development to help shape the future of home design and enhance their lineup of floor plans and customizable options.
The Manager of Product Development will oversee the design and development of new floor plans, improvements to existing floor plans, retirement of non-performing floor plans, and development of new options, including flooring, cabinets, millwork, and architectural features. This position ensures that floor plans and options meet market demands and reflect contemporary home design trends. The role includes direct management of a team of 3: two drafters and one estimator.
Key Responsibilities- Lead the Product Development team execution, including managing the two drafters and one estimator, and collaborating with department stakeholders (interior design, engineering, purchasing, marketing, and sales) to deliver innovative home designs.
- Lead the development of new floor plans and standard options, ensuring they are aligned with current market trends, ideal customer expectations, and residential architecture standards for constructability and value engineering.
- Manage the product development lifecycle from initial concept to launch, including sourcing and supervising external consultants (e.g., architects, designers, and engineers) for accurate architectural and structural drawings compliant with building codes, schedules, and company standards.
- Continuously update and refine the existing floor plan portfolio to keep it fresh, relevant, and optimized for warranty minimization and prototype performance; maintain a division plan library and evaluate constructability based on business factors.
- Responsible for determining costs for new products in collaboration with the purchasing, data management, regional regional teams. and 3rd-party partners to ensure cost efficiency and alignment with budgets.
- Collaborate with Adair’s drafting team, outside architects, designers, and engineers to create floor plans and options that appeal to the Adair ideal customer, while conducting code research, tracking updates, and preparing scopes of work for compliance.
- Conduct market research to identify emerging trends in home design and construction, integrating those insights into new floor plans and product development charrettes.
- Analyze customer feedback and warranty performance data to continually improve product offerings.
- Stay ahead of industry trends and provide innovative recommendations to improve Adair Homes' product offerings, including plan revisions, change notifications, and identification of product needs.
- Lead regular product development team meetings and create/manage a product roadmap and execution within project management software.
Qualifications- Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Design, Construction Management, Interior Design, or equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of experience in residential architecture, new home design, and/or estimating within the homebuilding industry.
- Experience in product development, architectural design, or project management, preferably within the homebuilding industry.
- Deep understanding of residential construction processes, floor plan design, and AutoCAD/Revit proficiency for creating compliant drawings.
- Proven track record of managing cross-functional teams, delivering projects on time and within budget, and refining plans for constructability and value engineering.
- Creative thinker with a passion for innovation, a customer-first mindset, and strong verbal/written communication skills for collaborative environments.
- Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills with attention to detail; ability to work collaboratively across departments.
- Proficiency in project management software, Google product suite, and design tools (e.g., AutoCAD, Revit) is required.