Title                        Product Development Intern

Reports to              Product Development & Supply Chain Director

GENERAL INFORMATION

Location:                 6658 East Paris Ave, Caledonia MI 49316

Hours:                     Part-time - Hours of Operation: 8 AM to 5 PM EST

Schedule:                On-site, Schedule TBD

COMPANY INFORMATION – WHO WE ARE

Howies Hockey is a locally owned, fast-growing business headquartered in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area since 2002, with a secondary distribution facility in Burlington, Ontario (just outside Toronto). We specialize in high-quality hockey tape, accessories, apparel, and performance products. Today, Howies works with every team in the NHL and the AHL, as well as nearly every junior and collegiate program across North America.

In 2015, we launched our sister company, Howies Athletics, expanding beyond hockey into all sports. Through this growth, we now supply sports medicine and performance products to MLB, NFL, MLS, and NBA teams, top Division I football programs (including the University of Michigan, Alabama, and Michigan State), and thousands of high schools nationwide. If an athlete needs tape or sports medicine products, our goal is to be their first call—and to earn lifelong loyalty to the Howies brand.

Across both brands, we pride ourselves on delivering world-class products to pro shops, retailers, teams at every level, and international distributors. We are also rapidly growing our direct-to-consumer business through our website and Amazon. Our team-oriented culture, industry-leading customer service, and fast, accurate order fulfillment set Howies apart.

POSITION INFORMATION

The “One Thing”: Support the development of products for Howies Hockey and Howies Athletics.

We are looking for a driven, smart, and creatively talented individual to join the Howies Hockey Tape team as our new Product Development Intern. This individual will play a pivotal role in our supply chain and product development department and must support the team in the creation, revamping, and execution of launching the world's highest-quality products. The ideal candidate for this internship loves sports, enjoys owning a project from start to finish, and has creative problem-solving abilities to continue Howies legacy of launching high-quality products. If you are interested in working within the world of sports for an internationally recognized brand, this is a great opportunity to thrive in a fast-paced and culture-focused company!

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with the product development team to develop new products and make improvements to existing Howies products
• Complete the discovery process to understand the market, evaluate competitor products, and determine customer need for specific product lines
• Discover, cultivate, and develop meaningful working relationships with suppliers to ensure quality products and competitive pricing
• Create product specifications, evaluate samples, and work closely with suppliers to develop a product that meets said specifications
• Understand and own the business plan creation process by determining landed costs, comparing market pricing, and calculating inventory requirements
• Coordinate with operations to ensure timely deliveries to meet launch windows

QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES

• Pursuing a Bachelor's degree in marketing, supply chain management, logistics, business administration, economics, or a related field
• Proven talent in negotiation and finding solutions to challenging problems
• Highly experienced in collecting, analyzing, and executing data
• Aptitude in decision-making and working with numbers
• Entrepreneurial and growth-oriented mindset
• Strong written and verbal communication

THE PROGRAM AT A GLANCE

• Hands-on training – This will include product roadmapping and design, determining landed costs and MSRPs, market research, formulating a business plan based on forecasting, and coordinating logistics and delivery. These are critical skills and experiences for any future product development or supply chain job, and you will be learning from people who have been doing this for years.
• Top-tier company culture – We employ many current and former athletes who are goal-driven and team-oriented, and our culture is something we are very proud of. We play hockey together on Tuesday mornings, have team cookouts, and talk sports all day long.
• Flexible schedule – We will require a minimum number of hours worked per week; however, we are willing to work around practices, games, and classes to ensure your success in this role. We love our interns around the office, but understand school and sports are equally important.

GENERAL – As a growing business, team members are expected to wear multiple hats. Additional responsibilities may include:

• Data entry, administrative, clerical, and IT projects as needed
• Order fulfillment – know how to process and pack all orders that come into Howies
• Work with the management team to develop new sales and marketing ideas
• Communication and positive relationships with the entire team – top to bottom
• Engage both the operations and sales sides of the business daily
• Anything else required from Howies to be a best-in-class business

OUR COMPANY MANTRA

At Howies, we truly believe in "Work Hard, Play Hard". When we’re not taking care of customers, we’re enjoying time together as a team. That might mean heading to the driving range on a sunny afternoon, playing pickup basketball, throwing a baseball around, throwing a cornhole tournament, or grilling out as a company.

In the winter, you’ll find us watching Red Wings games in the break room—or heading downtown to catch the Griffins game at the Van. We work hard, support one another, and strive to create an office environment people are excited to show up to every day.

If you’re looking for a place where performance, teamwork, and fun all matter, Howies is the place to be.

APPLY NOW