Vice President of Product Development and Business Planning

Vice President, Product Expansion & Business Planning
Location: United States | Full-Time | Remote / Hybrid / On-site
Reports To: Chief Strategy Officer / Chief Executive Officer
Role Purpose
The Vice President, Product Expansion & Business Planning will identify new avenues for product growth, evaluate business opportunities, and develop practical plans for expanding the organization's product offerings into new markets and customer segments.
This role is designed for an executive with a background in corporate planning, portfolio expansion, commercial feasibility, and business investment decisions. Rather than concentrating exclusively on product design or sales management, the VP will determine where the organization should expand, how opportunities should be prioritized, and what resources are required to turn promising concepts into sustainable business activities.
The successful candidate will bring a combination of strategic judgment, financial discipline, market awareness, and implementation experience.
The Business Expansion Process
Opportunity Discovery
Identify potential growth opportunities across existing product lines, new customer segments, distribution channels, and geographic markets.
Evaluate customer demand, competitive positioning, market accessibility, and the commercial potential of proposed product extensions.
Develop criteria for screening opportunities according to strategic fit, expected returns, implementation complexity, and organizational capacity.
Maintain a prioritized pipeline of product expansion opportunities for executive review.
Recommend where the organization should invest, conduct further research, pursue partnerships, or discontinue unpromising initiatives.
Business Case Development
Prepare business cases that outline commercial objectives, market assumptions, projected revenue, costs, investment requirements, and anticipated returns.
Work with Finance to develop financial forecasts and assess the economic feasibility of proposed initiatives.
Compare alternative expansion strategies and identify the trade-offs associated with different investment scenarios.
Assess staffing, technology, distribution, customer support, and operational requirements before recommending major commitments.
Establish measurable assumptions and review points so leadership can evaluate whether an initiative remains commercially viable.
Expansion Planning
Convert approved opportunities into structured business plans with clear objectives, timelines, milestones, budgets, and accountable owners.
Coordinate with Product and Technology to assess development requirements and delivery capacity.
Partner with Marketing and Sales to determine customer targeting, market positioning, launch sequencing, and adoption priorities.
Work with Operations to ensure that service delivery, internal processes, and support capabilities can accommodate planned growth.
Identify dependencies and execution risks early, and develop contingency plans for material changes in market conditions or project assumptions.
Portfolio Development
Evaluate the performance and strategic relevance of existing products to identify opportunities for expansion, repositioning, consolidation, or retirement.
Recommend complementary products and services that address unmet customer needs or improve the value of existing offerings.
Assess opportunities for partnerships, distribution agreements, licensing, and other commercial arrangements that can accelerate product expansion.
Establish periodic portfolio reviews to ensure that investment decisions remain aligned with business priorities.
Incorporate actual market performance and customer feedback into future planning cycles.
Executive Planning Responsibilities
The VP will establish a consistent process for turning business opportunities into well-supported investment and expansion decisions.
Key responsibilities include:
Maintaining a forward-looking product expansion roadmap.
Preparing annual and quarterly business plans for approved initiatives.
Developing revenue projections, investment scenarios, and resource allocation recommendations.
Establishing reporting standards for expansion progress, budget utilization, commercial adoption, and expected returns.
Presenting executive recommendations that clearly explain the opportunity, investment required, principal risks, and proposed course of action.
Coordinating planning reviews across business units and resolving competing priorities.
Ensuring that approved initiatives have defined ownership, realistic milestones, and measurable outcomes.
How Performance Will Be Evaluated
Performance will be assessed through the quality of business planning and the results of approved expansion initiatives.
Key measures may include:
Commercial viability and quality of product expansion proposals.
Progress against approved expansion roadmaps and milestones.
Accuracy of revenue forecasts and investment assumptions.
Commercial adoption and business contribution of expanded products.
Effectiveness of resource allocation and investment prioritization.
Identification and mitigation of material execution risks.
Timeliness and usefulness of executive reporting.
Sustainable growth generated by successful product expansion initiatives.
Targets will be established according to the organization's portfolio, financial objectives, and operating capacity.
Candidate Profile
We are seeking a senior business planning executive who has experience evaluating investment opportunities, developing expansion strategies, and guiding complex initiatives from initial assessment through implementation.
Professional Experience
20+ years of progressive experience in corporate planning, product portfolio expansion, commercial feasibility, business strategy, investment planning, or related fields.
Significant leadership experience overseeing business plans, portfolio decisions, market expansion initiatives, or strategic investment proposals.
Demonstrated ability to evaluate opportunities using financial analysis, market evidence, operational requirements, and strategic considerations.
Experience preparing business cases, revenue forecasts, investment assessments, and executive-level recommendations.
Strong understanding of product lifecycle management, market entry considerations, commercial models, and resource planning.
Proven ability to coordinate initiatives across finance, product, commercial, and operational teams.
Experience establishing planning frameworks, governance processes, performance measures, and decision-making standards.
Excellent analytical reasoning, business writing, presentation, and executive stakeholder management skills.
Relevant Career Backgrounds
Candidates may come from corporate planning departments, portfolio strategy teams, commercial finance organizations, management consulting firms, business transformation groups, or companies that regularly evaluate new products and expansion investments.
Relevant previous positions may include:
Vice President of Corporate Planning
Head of Portfolio Strategy
Vice President of Business Planning
Director of Strategic Investments
Head of Commercial Feasibility
Senior Business Unit Planning Executive
Principal or Partner in a growth strategy consulting practice
Candidates whose careers have focused exclusively on product design, brand marketing, or quota-carrying sales may be less suited unless they also possess substantial business planning and investment evaluation experience.
Education
A bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Management, or a related discipline is required. An MBA or advanced degree in Finance, Strategy, or Management is preferred.
Experience in product-driven businesses such as enterprise software, telecommunications, payments, consumer technology, industrial technology, or financial services is valuable. Specific industry experience should align with the organization's actual products and expansion plans.
Working Relationships
The VP will report to the Chief Strategy Officer or Chief Executive Officer and work closely with Product, Finance, Sales, Marketing, Technology, and Operations leadership.
The role requires the ability to challenge assumptions constructively, communicate complex assessments clearly, and influence investment decisions without relying solely on direct reporting authority.
Employment Details
Work arrangement: United States-based, with remote, hybrid, or on-site options depending on business requirements.
Travel: As required for strategic planning sessions, ma

Work arrangement
Yes