Creative Product Manager

Description
Creative Product Manager
Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Employment Type: Full-time
About the Role
Our client is looking for a Creative Product Manager to lead its Creative & Product Development function. You will set the creative and product direction, lead the team that turns ideas into finished products, and make sure every new product is on-brand, high quality, delivered on time, and commercially scalable.
This is a hands-on leadership role. About half of your time goes to running the creative production and product development process and leading your team, so we are looking for someone with a clear aesthetic point of view who can also build the systems and standards to scale the team.
Key Responsibilities
1 - Research & Product Strategy
Translate Business Strategy and Brand Strategy into a creative and product direction for each product line, series, and collection.
Build quarterly Product Development Roadmaps across product lines and business goals.
Define concept, aesthetics, visual storytelling, and a consistent visual language across the whole portfolio.
Monitor market trends, competitors, customer behavior, and market gaps across the US and European markets, including Amazon, TikTok Shop, Walmart, Etsy, and related channels, particularly in Art & Craft, DIY, and Activity Kits.
Identify product opportunities based on commercial value, customer experience, and ability to differentiate.
Research new materials and finishing techniques; build and manage the innovation pipeline.
2 - Creative Production & Product Development Management
Idea & concept development
Lead concept development from insight and ideation to Product Brief, Creative Brief, and detailed design direction.
Define themes, illustration styles, colors, materials, formats, and product experience that fit the target customer.
Build evaluation criteria for concepts and creative output (differentiation, customer experience, aesthetic quality, commercial potential, brand fit, and execution capability).
Make sure concepts meet functionality, quality, cost, timeline, and manufacturability requirements, and can expand into a series or collection.
Creative production & art direction
Review and approve concepts, moodboards, artwork, and visual direction, ensuring quality and consistency with brand positioning.
Provide art direction for product projects, launch campaigns, and commercial content.
End-to-end development process
Own the full process: Research, Ideation, Concept, Design, Prototype, Sampling, Validation, and Launch Readiness.
Set review and approval criteria for each stage, from concept validation and artwork review to sample approval.
Manage roadmap, timeline, milestones, resources, and quality across multiple projects at the same time.
Maintain product specifications, design files, and artwork assets; proactively identify risks and resolve bottlenecks.
Team leadership
Lead, assign work to, and coach the Product Development team: Product Research, Product Idea, Designers, and Artists.
Set goals, output standards, and capability development plans for each team member; give clear, constructive feedback.
Build and standardize SOPs, templates, frameworks, evaluation criteria, and approval processes.
Standardize data, documentation, and creative assets so the team stays consistent as it scales.
Supplier & cross-functional work
Work with Supply Chain and suppliers on sample development, material selection, packaging, manufacturing feasibility, and cost optimization.
Ensure products meet quality, safety, e-commerce platform, intellectual property, and target-market regulatory requirements.
3 - Product Launch & Commercialization
Manage the product lifecycle from development through post-launch.
Partner with Marketing, Brand, and Social Media on Go-to-Market plans and on communicating product value and differentiators consistently.
Prepare artwork, product information, and launch materials.
4 - Evaluation & Optimization
Track post-launch performance: sales, conversion, customer reviews, return rates, and contribution margin.
Analyze customer feedback and business data to assess concept effectiveness, quality, and product experience.
Propose improvements, new versions, bundles, and series or collection extensions based on actual results.
Requirements
Must-have
Strong creativity and a clear aesthetic sense, backed by a portfolio or products you directed.
7+ years of experience in Creative, Art Direction, Product Development, Product Management, or New Product Development (NPD).
3+ years of experience leading a team in a related field, with the ability to give clear feedback and develop people.
Solid understanding of the product development process, including setting evaluation criteria at each stage.
Proven experience developing physical products from concept to commercialization and managing multiple projects at once.
Hands-on experience working with factories, suppliers, or manufacturing partners; working knowledge of materials, manufacturing, and cost optimization.
Proficient in project management methods for schedule and budget control.
English proficiency for working with international partners and reading technical and market research materials.
Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Fashion Design, 2D Graphic Design, Art Direction, Product or Industrial Design, or a related field (Business, Engineering, Supply Chain, or Marketing backgrounds with strong creative experience are also welcome).
Tools
Adobe Creative Suite, 3D tools, prototyping
Microsoft Excel / Google Sheets
Notion / Asana
AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity for research and product development
Compensation & Benefits
Competitive salary, 13th-month salary, and profit-based bonus based on business performance.
Monthly attendance bonus.
Annual performance review and salary adjustment.
Personal health insurance and comprehensive physical and mental health care policy.
Annual health check-up organized by the company.
16 days of annual leave plus additional seniority leave.
3 remote working days per month.
Learning and development budget; internal and external training in professional and soft skills.
Onboarding program and a Buddy throughout the probation period.
Annual team building, plus retreat activities for the management team.
Internal engagement activities: monthly Fridays, Year-End Party, Mid-Autumn Festival, Women's Day (Oct 20, Mar 8), Men's Day, and other celebrations.