Product Manager

Location: Milwaukee, WI (2 to 3 days a week in office)

About the Role

The Product Manager will work with the Director of Marketing to develop the business and product strategy for existing and new products, ensure alignment across the product portfolio, and collaborate on the necessary deliverables to support commercial and sales team success. Manage the strategic and tactical product lifecycle, including lifecycle strategy, insights, and business plans for multiple products. Responsible for business planning, revenue forecasting, and developing go-to-market strategies for assigned products and services.

Responsibilities

• Work with cross-functional teams to execute new product launch projects from initial concept and business case development through design, build, test, and launch.
• Specify market requirements and opportunities for current and future products by conducting market research, customer visits, and prospect engagement.
• Define and communicate product strategy based on market research, competitive analysis, technology roadmaps, and vendor interaction.
• Develop and manage product lifecycle strategy, including launch, maintenance, enhancements, partnerships, and end-of-life planning.
• Support ongoing refinement and development of business market maps and product roadmaps.
• Identify and evaluate market size and target customers for each stage of the product lifecycle.
• Develop, analyze, and recommend pricing structures for launch, maintenance, and postmortem phases.
• Analyze financial results and take appropriate actions to ensure operational excellence and achievement of annual goals.
• Develop and execute key financial and business targets/metrics.
• Create comprehensive go-to-market plans for product launches and support existing product lines.
• Partner with Marketing Manager to develop product positioning and channel strategies for existing and new products.
• Provide strategy, direction, and goals for sales and marketing communication efforts.
• Collaborate with marketing resources to deliver product collateral, including sell sheets, spec sheets, and selling tools.
• Provide content and direction for training; co-lead development and execution of training programs.
• Enhance brand strategies to align with and reinforce market vision and positioning, enabling cross-selling opportunities for commercial growth.
• Leverage project management skills and tools to keep projects and initiatives on track and well-communicated.

Requirements

• Experience in a consumer or industrial product company (not software-only).
• Proven track record of developing, positioning, and launching new products.
• Demonstrated leadership qualities and ability to lead diverse, cross-functional groups, including outside vendors, regardless of reporting relationships.
• Solid business, marketing, analytical, and financial skills.
• Entrepreneurial, self-driven, self-organized, and passionate.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to think quickly and make sound decisions based on facts and prior experiences.
• Proven project management and analytical skills, including Stage Gate process experience.

Qualifications

• Degree in Marketing, Business, Product Development, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in product management, product development, sales, and/or marketing.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products; knowledge of project management and Stage Gate tools is a plus.
• Ability to travel up to 15%.

Competencies

• Delivering Results: Understands and tenaciously works at meeting or exceeding goals.
• Initiating Action: Takes prompt action to accomplish work goals; proactive in achieving results beyond requirements.
• Driving Execution: Translates strategic priorities into operational reality, aligning communication, resources, internal processes, and measurement systems.
• Innovate the Business: Develops and enables a pipeline of new products/services to sustain long-term business growth and competitive advantage.
• Customer Focus: Ensures the customer’s perspective drives strategic priorities, business decisions, and organizational processes.
• Seizing Market Opportunities: Uses understanding of key market drivers to create and seize business opportunities, expand into new markets, and launch innovative products.
• Collaborating: Works cooperatively with others to help the team achieve its goals.