Product/ Category Manager

LaSalle Network has partnered with a well-established manufacturing company in the western suburbs of Chicago to find a Product/Category Manager. This role drives product strategy, category growth, and commercialization initiatives across a diverse product portfolio, balancing strategic planning with execution.

About the role

You will leverage customer insights, market trends, and business performance data to identify growth opportunities while partnering cross-functionally with Engineering, Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Customer Support to shape the product roadmap, optimize the portfolio, and drive successful product launches.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute product and category strategies that align with business objectives and customer needs.
• Manage products throughout the full lifecycle, including new product introductions, portfolio optimization, line extensions, enhancements, and end-of-life decisions.
• Identify market opportunities through customer research, competitive analysis, industry trends, and voice-of-customer insights.
• Build business cases for new products, including pricing strategy, positioning, market opportunity, profitability, and commercialization plans.
• Lead multiple cross-functional product development initiatives from concept through launch, partnering closely with Engineering, Operations, Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain.
• Collaborate with Marketing to develop product positioning, messaging, sales enablement tools, and go-to-market strategies that support successful product launches.
• Analyze product performance, sales trends, customer feedback, and financial metrics to recommend pricing, assortment, and portfolio decisions.
• Partner with Sales to understand customer needs, identify whitespace opportunities, and support strategic growth initiatives.
• Coordinate custom product requests and collaborate with internal teams to ensure customer requirements are successfully executed.
• Present product strategies, category insights, and business recommendations to leadership.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in Product Management, Category Management, Product Marketing, or a related role within a manufacturing or durable goods environment.
• Experience managing physical products throughout the full product lifecycle, from concept through commercialization.
• Strong understanding of category strategy, product portfolio management, pricing, and go-to-market planning.
• Experience leveraging market research, customer insights, competitive intelligence, and sales data to drive product decisions.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives across Engineering, Operations, Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain.
• Analytical mindset with experience evaluating business performance, margins, and product profitability.
• Experience within industrial, commercial, building products, home products, furniture, consumer durables, or related manufacturing industries preferred.
• Experience supporting custom or engineered-to-order products is a plus.
• Ability to work onsite at least three days per week.

Pay

• Base salary: $90,000–$100,000, depending on experience
• Eligible for a 10% annual bonus

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and paid time off