Senior Product Manager - Service Brass

For more than 165 years, Mueller Water Products, Inc. has been building the future of water infrastructure. From lifesaving fire protection to data intelligence, we develop products and solutions that help cities and utilities deliver clean, safe drinking water to hundreds of millions of people across North America. Our purpose is to connect communities to water, life’s most essential resource, with exceptional, people-focused solutions and products. We champion respect, integrity, trust, inclusion, and safety, and our vision is to be the leader in water infrastructure solutions—solving challenges, enriching lives, and safeguarding the future.

About the role

Mueller Water Products is the nation's leading manufacturer of flow control devices for the water and gas distribution industries. This exempt-level Senior Product Manager position, supporting our Service Brass product line, can be based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. You will hold overall responsibility for the portfolio of Mueller Service Brass products and oversee the entire product lifecycle—from ideation through development, introduction, growth, maturity, decline, and end-of-life—to meet customer needs and business goals.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive product strategies for complex manufactured product lines or strategic initiatives, aligning with overall corporate goals and long-term investment cycles in manufacturing assets.
• Lead the entire product lifecycle for products, from R&D and ideation through mass production, distribution, and end-of-life, with a focus on maximizing business value, profitability, and market share.
• Conduct advanced market research, competitive intelligence, and customer segmentation to identify significant market opportunities, potential disruptions, and areas for innovation in the manufacturing sector.
• Define detailed product roadmaps, multi-year release plans, and prioritize initiatives to achieve strategic objectives for tangible goods, balancing innovation with production scalability.
• Drive product development efforts by collaborating closely with R&D, engineering, operations, and other cross-functional teams, ensuring timely delivery within budget and to stringent quality standards.
• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure product success (e.g., margin, market share, customer satisfaction, quality metrics, supply chain efficiency), identify areas for optimization, and present executive-level insights.
• Develop and execute comprehensive go-to-market plans in partnership with marketing, sales, and distribution teams, including sophisticated pricing strategies, channel readiness, and global market penetration.
• Lead, mentor, and guide Product Managers; act as a subject matter expert and advocate for their product area internally and externally, engaging with key customers, major accounts, and industry partners.
• Oversee the entire product development process, provide direct guidance to Product Managers, and assist in high-level management tasks within the product organization.
• Conduct extensive product and market research, including analyzing user experience and market trends; gather data on potential market and customer reactions to inform strategic decisions.
• Coordinate product needs seamlessly between external clients and various internal teams.
• Assess financial strategies to extract maximum value from current products before initiating the design process for new ones, ensuring profitability and sustainable growth.
• Review and respond to product suggestions that are submitted.
• Collaborate with and advocate for projects with plant, R&D, and engineering groups to ensure adequate resources are allocated for priority business projects.
• Work with product marketing and sales to ensure proper client and sales documentation and training are in place to meet commercialization objectives.
• Develop pricing strategies and ensure product profitability for both new and existing products, setting product pricing and ensuring this is approved and communicated as required.
• Advocate for the product vision and its progress, both internally and externally.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Engineering, Business, Marketing, etc.).
• 8+ years of experience in product management, with a focus on manufactured physical products.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams and managing multiple stakeholders.
• Understanding or experience with quality and manufacturing processes for hardware products.
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills with an ability to assimilate and synthesize large amounts of information.
• Proficient application of product management skills: e.g., segmentation, Jobs-to-be-Done, Voice of Customer evangelism, Portfolio Strategy, Product Roadmap.
• People leadership and development, workload balancing, and team orchestration.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and collaborate effectively.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Proven track record of launching successful hardware and software products.
• Strong project management skills.
• Intermediate computer skills including the use of Office Suite, especially Excel and Outlook.
• Comfortable developing skills in coaching, developing, and holding others accountable.
• Must be willing to travel up to 35% of the year depending on supported location(s).

Physical Requirements

• Ability to remain in stationary position or standing position for prolonged periods and alternate between them.
• Ability to repeat gross or fine manipulation that may include the use of wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in an industrial and/or manufacturing environment, including, but not limited to, safety glasses, steel-toed or metatarsal-guarded shoes, and/or ear plugs.
• Ability to constantly communicate with others to exchange information in person, via phone, or via use of computer.
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, pull, or move objects up to 25 pounds in weight in all directions.
• Ability to occasionally reach overhead or at or below shoulder level.
• Ability to occasionally stoop, crouch, or kneel.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401k plan with 5% Company match.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP).
• Short-term and long-term disability benefits.
• Vacation and 100% paid parental leave.
• Tuition reimbursement program.
• Student debt retirement matching.
• Well-being program.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Company-provided life insurance.
• Supplemental insurance at group rates.

Primary work hours will be Monday through Friday. This position is salaried exempt and does not qualify for overtime pay.