Director, Product Development

About Our Company

Working at Columbia Threadneedle Investments you'll find growth and career opportunities across all of our businesses.

We're intentionally built to help you succeed. Our reach is expansive with a Columbia Threadneedle Investments global team of 2,300 people working together. Our capability is diverse with more than 550 investment professionals sharing global perspectives across all major asset classes and markets. Our clients have access to a broad array of investment strategies, and we have the capability to create bespoke solutions matched to clients' specific requirements. Our unwavering focus on our clients and strong financial foundation connects each of our enterprise businesses — Ameriprise Financial, Columbia Threadneedle Investments and RiverSource Insurance and Annuities.

Job Description

The Product Development Director is responsible for the development of new products and the enhancement of existing products and services for Columbia Threadneedle’s Intermediary (principally U.S. wealth management) clients. Successful execution of this position requires strong research and analysis skills, as well as deep industry expertise, to build product advocacy relating to new products, new lines of business, and changes to existing products. Strong project management skills and the ability to develop solid relationships with key business partners across the Columbia Threadneedle organization will also be integral to the individual’s success in this role. Candidates with previous strong experience in developing/commercializing model portfolios and/or ETFs will be viewed as particularly strong candidates for this open role.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform Intermediary market research and analysis (including the ability to work with commercial databases with scale and speed) to identify future product development opportunities.
• Ensure that Intermediary investors can efficiently access Columbia Threadneedle capabilities across a wide array of vehicles, including ETFs, model portfolios, SMAs, and alternative structures.
• Leverage industry knowledge and experience to best position Columbia Threadneedle’s existing asset management capabilities and solutions to meet the needs of Intermediary investors.
• Conduct fee and profitability analysis, to ensure competitive pricing for clients, at levels that are also attractive for the business.
• Manage the approval process for Intermediary new product development initiatives, including a summary of the business opportunity, product design, customer experience, operational impact, and project resources required.
• Communicate the product development status concisely and effectively throughout lifecycle of the project.
• Support the implementation of new products, including coordination with key internal partners across the organization (i.e., portfolio management, trading, investment oversight, legal, compliance, investment operations, account operations, performance and reporting) to ensure key functions are aligned internally and are consistent with best practices.
• Perform other duties as required, which may include activities such as supporting sales training and education relating to product development initiatives, providing input into other product team projects and initiatives, and contributing to Thought Leadership pieces.

Required Qualifications

• 5-10 years' relevant experience
• Series 7 (or SIE and Series 7 top off exam) and 66 (or 63 & 65 combined) or the ability to obtain within 180 days

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills using data to identify trends, issues and potential solutions
• Prior experience developing/commercializing new products for the Intermediary marketplace
• Ability to collaborate, influence and build relationships across an organization to drive results
• Strong project management skills and communication skills including the ability to write a business case, facilitate project meetings, and present new proposals for committee approvals

Visa Sponsorship

Applicants must have a valid work authorization that does not now, or in the future, require visa sponsorship for employment in the United States (e.g., H-1B, F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, TN).

In-Office Collaboration

We are a client-centric, relationship-based business. Working together, in-person, is foundational to how we achieve results. By fostering a culture of face-to-face collaboration, idea sharing, productivity and personal connection, we deliv