Product Director

Board-level leadership | Global impact | Safety-critical innovation

Hybrid (3 days onsite) | Wolverhampton, UK

The package is designed for senior leaders: £100,000–£110,000, Halma Director bonus scheme, car allowance, plus strong benefits

What if your product decisions could protect lives, shape industries, and define a company’s future?

At Fortress Safety, product leadership is not a function — it’s a strategic growth engine. We’re now appointing a Product Director to join our Board Team, reporting directly to the Managing Director, and to shape the long-term product strategy of a global, safety-critical business.

This role requires an experienced professional who has a background in manufacturing / engineered products, not software / IT / technology related products or services.

This is a rare opportunity to define what we build, how we compete, and where we invest — while leading teams whose work keeps people safe in hazardous environments worldwide.

Why this role matters

Since 1977, Fortress Safety has been protecting people and equipment through engineered machinery safety and interlocking solutions. As part of Halma plc, a FTSE 100 group of purpose-driven businesses, we operate with autonomy, accountability, and a clear focus on impact.

As Product Director, you will:

• Set the multi‑year global product vision that underpins Fortress’ growth
• Ensure our portfolio delivers customer‑led differentiation, not feature-led delivery
• Balance long-term platform value creation with near-term commercial impact
• Act as a strategic anchor at board level, shaping enterprise decisions

Your leadership will directly influence safety outcomes, commercial performance, and organisational capability.

What you’ll be doing

As a member of the Fortress Board, you will:

• Set and govern the global product and portfolio strategy aligned to growth ambitions
• Lead and develop Product Management, R&D, and Safety Services teams globally
• Provide strategic oversight of Research & Development, from early concept through to production
• Own accountability for the current and future product portfolio, ensuring alignment with customer needs, global safety standards, and regulatory requirements
• Work in close partnership with the Innovation Director, Sales, Operations, and Halma peers
• Translate market trends, regulation, and customer insight into clear strategic choices
• Strengthen portfolio governance across core, adjacent, and future opportunities

You will lead through clarity, collaboration, and influence — not hierarchy.

Who this role is for

This role is designed for a board-level enterprise product leader operating in complex, regulated, engineered environments.

You’ll bring:

• Degree-level education (or equivalent experience)
• Proven success delivering results within complex technical product organisations
• Experience launching products in highly regulated markets
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with board-level credibility
• The ability to communicate complex technical topics simply and persuasively
• A genuinely global mindset, comfortable working across cultures and geographies
• Confidence to challenge the status quo — paired with curiosity and humility

And just as importantly, you’ll be:

• Low ego, high impact
• A developer of people and capability
• Comfortable making decisions in ambiguity
• Purpose-driven, with a bias for action, accountability, and teamwork

What’s in it for you

This is a role with real influence, autonomy, and long-term horizon.

• Board-level appointment with genuine strategic mandate
• Opportunity to shape a global product portfolio in safety-critical markets
• Competitive salary: £100,000 – £110,000
• Participation in the Halma Director Bonus Scheme
• Company car or car allowance
• 25 days holiday plus UK bank holidays
• Competitive pension contributions
• 14 weeks fully paid parental leave
• Group healthcare (medical, dental & vision options)
• Access to wellbeing and employee assistance programmes
• Long-service recognition

Hybrid working with a visible, consistent presence at our Lanesfield site near Wolverhampton. International travel forms part of the role.

Inclusion & belonging

At Fortress Safety, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it. We’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’re here to support you.

Ready to shape the future of safety?

If you’re motivated by purpose, impact, and enterprise-level leadership, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now and help chart the next chapter of Fortress Safety.