Senior Director, Innovation & New Product Development, Design Development - 12-month FTC

We are looking for a Design/Product Development leader to manage our highly skilled Innovation and New Product Development team for the Modern Classics & Diamonds portfolio on a 12-month fixed-term contract (maternity cover), based in our Global HQ in Copenhagen. The role is highly visible across our organisation and plays a vital role in driving the end-to-end innovation and development process, working closely with and bridging our Creative Design and Manufacturing teams.

Your role as Senior Director, Innovation & New Product Development, Design Development:

You will lead a team of 8 working under tight timelines to deliver new and innovative products across all categories, from early project ideation through to final production readiness.

Your scope includes innovation projects, product optimisation initiatives, and standard new product development cycles. You will ensure that every product meets Pandora’s high standards for quality, cost, and delivery, while empowering your team to operate effectively across a global stakeholder landscape.

This is a leadership and delivery role ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment where pragmatic problem-solving, agility, and commercial awareness are key to success. You will build relations with end-to-end stakeholders to ensure smooth operational running across new product development.

About the team:

The Design Development team is part of Pandora’s Global Product Organisation, based at our Global HQ in Copenhagen. We bridge Creative Design and Manufacturing, transforming design intent into manufacturable, high-quality products ready for mass production. The team operates across 2 core areas: New Product Development and Innovation, collaborating closely with stakeholders in Thailand and Copenhagen. This position reports to the VP, Product Design Development, and includes occasional international travel.

Your responsibilities include:

Team Empowerment & Leadership

• Inspire and support your team to take full ownership of Design Development’s key pillars: quality, cost, and time.
• Strengthen project management and stakeholder skills within the team.
• Drive proactive information sharing and ensure timely alignment across functions.
• Remove obstacles, set clear priorities, and maintain focus under changing conditions.
• Nurture and develop talent, creating opportunities for growth and succession.

Stakeholder & Pipeline Management

• Maintain a clear overview of all product development activities, both short- and long-term, across all development cycles.
• Manage the innovation pipeline and ensure alignment on deliverables and priorities with cross-functional teams.
• Ensure your team delivers on commitments in accordance with global development milestones.

Commercial & Technical Decision-Making

• Guide and drive decisions on product cost, quality, capacity, and timing, balancing creativity with feasibility.
• Partner with global stakeholders to translate design intent into manufacturable, commercial realities.
• Use data and cost insights to inform trade-offs and recommendations.

Process Optimisation & Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement new processes and strategies to improve speed, efficiency, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Strengthen governance, visibility, and cost transparency across the development process.

What is needed to succeed:

• Significant experience in innovation, product development, or operations within comparable industries (e.g., consumer goods, fashion, accessories, or jewellery)
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to motivate, engage, and drive clarity in a complex global environment
• Strong project management capabilities and commercial mindset
• Skilled in managing cost, time, and quality trade-offs to achieve optimal outcomes
• Highly structured, analytical, and confident using data to inform decisions
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication across cultures and functions
• Thrives in ambiguity, adaptable, decisive, and pragmatic
• Comfortable challenging the status quo and leading change

About Pandora

Pandora is the world's largest jewellery brand, specialising in the design, crafting and marketing of accessible luxury jewellery made from high-quality materials. Each piece is created to inspire self-expression, allowing people to share their stories and passions through meaningful jewellery. Pandora jewellery is sold in more than 100 countries through 6,800 points of sale, including more than 2,700 concept stores. 

Headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, Pandora employs 37,000 people worldwide and crafts its jewellery using only recycled silver and gold. Pandora is committed to leadership in sustainability and has set out to halve greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by 2030. Pandora is listed on the Nasdaq Copenhagen stock exchange and generated revenue of DKK 31.7 billion (EUR 4.2 billion) in 2024. 

At Pandora, we believe that creating an inclusive and diverse workplace and reflecting societal diversity in our customer engagement is essential to delivering on our company purpose: to give a voice to people’s loves. We dedicate ourselves to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and diversity where everyone feels respected and valued.