Head of Product

Head of Product

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About Paperlike

In 2017, Jan Sapper, Paperlike's founder and CEO, developed and launched a screen protector for the iPad that became an instant hit with digital artists and notetakers.

Since then, we've come a long way.

Today, we sell professional accessories for iPad users worldwide via our website (Shopify store), Amazon, and in leading retail stores around the world. We've built a global team of 25 amazing people and a brand that is well-respected in our community.

We’re hiring a Head of Product to own our product system end-to-end and to take the day-to-day product trade-offs off the founder’s plate. This role is for a senior product leader who can ship world-class physical products, work directly with factories, and run launches and post-launch improvements with high quality and low drama.

💡

If you love building systems that consistently produce great products, and you’re comfortable making clear trade-offs: this is for you!

Your Opportunity

You’ll own Paperlike’s product system end-to-end: what we build, why we build it, how it’s manufactured, how it launches, and how we improve it post-launch. You’ll work closely with operations/supply chain, marketing, and leadership to ensure we ship great products with a calm, reliable cadence.

What you’ll own

  • Product strategy and portfolio: what we build, why, and what we don’t do
  • Roadmap and prioritization: turning company goals into a focused, realistic plan
  • Factory-facing product execution: working directly with manufacturing partners to turn specs into consistent reality
  • Launch management: planning, coordinating, and executing product launches end-to-end
  • Continuous improvement: owning the post-launch loop (data + feedback → decisions → improvements)
  • Quality as a system: defining what “Paperlike quality” means and building the gates to achieve it consistently
  • Cross-functional alignment: resolving trade-offs between product, ops/supply chain, and marketing

What you’ll do in practice

  • Be the product owner in factory conversations: materials, tolerances, sampling, QA, and production readiness
  • Build clear specs and acceptance criteria that factories can execute against
  • Own sampling and iteration loops (including “what we test, why, and what it means”)
  • Run launch readiness: scope freeze, risk lists, go/no-go criteria, packaging/claim readiness, channel needs, training materials
  • Own post-launch improvements: identify issues early, prioritise fixes, coordinate changes, and prevent repeat issues
  • Create a lightweight cadence for decisions and communication

This role is for you if…

  • You have owned hardware or physical products end to end, not just contributed to them
  • You are comfortable making decisions with incomplete information
  • You understand that pricing is part of the product
  • You respect constraints and know how to work within them
  • You can switch between strategy and detail without losing clarity
  • You care about long-term product integrity more than short-term wins
  • You don't need a large team to feel effective
Experience with physical products, materials, manufacturing, or supply-chain-heavy environments is a strong plus.

This role is NOT…

  • A role measured by output volume, decks, or velocity
  • A purely strategic or abstract position
  • A software PM or feature-roadmap role
  • A people-heavy leadership role

Success in this role

✓ Paperlike's product line becomes clearer, not more complex

✓ Product trade-offs are intentional and well-defended

✓ Pricing and positioning feel coherent across channels

✓ New products launch with conviction and fewer surprises

✓ Product quality and clarity no longer depend on one person

Who will you work with?

  • Jan (CEO & Founder) – Product sparring partner and source of deep historical context & product vision
  • Operations & Supply Chain – Manufacturing feasibility, QA, and execution
  • Marketing & E-Commerce – Positioning, launches, and channel fit
  • External manufacturing partners – When direct involvement is required

This is a highly collaborative role, but with clear ownership.

Compensation & Work Setup

  • 🌍 Fully remote role
  • 🕐 Availability for occasional overlap with CET working hours (At least 4 hours of work-time overlap within 09:00 and 17:00 CET)
  • ⏰ Full-time preferred
  • 📝 Freelance (international) or employment (Germany), depending on location
  • 💰 Compensation is senior-level and aligned with responsibility and scope

Our Products

At Paperlike, we make top-quality iPad accessories designed for creators and doers. When you shop with us, you can trust you’re getting the best tools to help you do your best work.

We started Paperlike as a screen protector brand that accidentally—then deliberately—created a new category in iPad accessories.

Today, the Paperlike Screen Protector is still our flagship product and what we’re best known for. Now in its third iteration, Paperlike helps creatives, students, teachers, and productivity geeks enjoy a better experience while writing and drawing on their iPads.

Our surface technology, Nanodots, gives users more precision, better stroke resistance, and greater endurance when writing or drawing—while maintaining minimal light refraction to keep the display as clear as possible.

We’ve expanded our product line with other accessories that support prosumers and professionals using iPads for work and play.

The Company

Jan founded Paperlike in 2017 as a side project to solve his own need for a better iPad and Apple Pencil experience. Since he loves crowdfunding, he launched a Kickstarter for the Paperlike and was blown away by the response. He soon left his job and made Paperlike a full-time endeavor.

Now in 2026, we're a team of about 25 people. At our core, we still operate the same way: relentlessly focused on what matters, automating whatever we can to free our time and minds.

Our team is 100% remote, spread all over the world: from New York to Turkey, from Germany to China.

Why Paperlike?

Leave your mark on the company

With only 25 people, you'll have a huge impact on Paperlike's future. You'll own significant responsibility and directly influence company growth.

Join an incredible team

You'll work with highly skilled individuals who are experts in their fields. We provide what you need to succeed and get out of your way. Great talent and strict focus create a calm work environment.

Work remotely with flexible schedule

Paperlike is 100% remote with team members worldwide. You'll have freedom to travel, work, and explore your passions whenever and wherever you like.

We're profitable and investment-free

Paperlike has been profitable since 2017, and we've never taken equity investment. No external pressure for unrealistic growth. We focus on products we're good at and enjoy.

FAQ

  • What does the hiring process look like?

    • After submitting your application, qualified candidates will be invited to submit a small assignment relating to the job position, the best fitting submissions will be followed by an initial interview. If we decide to move forward with you, we will follow up with a final interview with Jan, Felix, and Sebastian.

  • Why is this a freelance position outside of Germany?

    • Simply put: We're a German company, and it's much easier to work across borders with the best candidates using a freelance structure. The majority of our team works on a freelance basis. We're still one team and it doesn't feel like internal vs. external. If you NEED an employee contract, please let us know and we'll try to find a way.

  • Any other questions?

    • Write jan+jobs@paperlike.com

Apply

Submit your application below.

You can write jan+jobs@paperlike.com in case you have any questions or issues with the application form.