<p>Job Description</p> <p>The Product Manager - Retail is the champion for assigned product categories and plays a pivotal role managing their portfolio as a business. To this end, the ability to analyze, draw conclusions, create successful strategies, build a narrative around that strategy, and influence multiple departments internally and customers and end-users externally are necessary for success. The Product Manager will lead all activities related to product line management including strategic planning, new product development, competitive intelligence, pricing and profitability, and life cycle management.</p> <p>This individual is a strategic partner to the Commercial Sales Teams in achieving company growth objectives, sales targets, and strategic initiatives. You'll work to identify product opportunities throughout North America and other regions as needed, leveraging market and competitive intelligence to design and execute new products and line extension.</p> <p>You will also work with Brand and Channel Management Teams to develop marketing programs, promotions, and marketing content that actively engages and meets the needs of customers and end users. This role requires a person who is self-motivated and works well in team and matrixed environments. Must be able to interact with and influence leaders and contributors at all organizational levels.</p> <p>This role will be hybrid-based out of one of our corporate locations in Deerfield, IL.</p> <p>Responsibilities</p> <ul> <li>Develop strategic plans identifying product, pricing, distribution and promotional initiatives that align with long range category and corporate objectives. </li><li>Develop new product and service roadmaps intended to grow revenues, profit and market share and to reinforce market leadership position. Initiate and drive the new product development stage gate process by identifying, scoping, and justifying new product opportunities. Work with Brand Marketing Team to plan, develop and manage new product commercialization efforts. </li><li>Manage the full lifecycle for assigned portfolio from NPD through discontinuation and residual inventory disposition. </li><li>Plan product line pricing, pricing strategy and manage profitability to deliver category P&L objectives. </li><li>Utilize voice-of-customer, market research, and input from stakeholders to shape new product definition and to guide general business decisions. </li><li>Capture competitive and market intelligence, including feature set, price positioning, and competitive share position and develop and implement necessary plans to maintain market leadership position. </li><li>Collaborate with Brand and Channel Marketing Teams to develop materials and selling tools that support key marketing initiatives. This includes public relations planning, trade show participation, advertising, promotions, point of purchase promotional, packaging, social media planning, and other marketing communication activities as they relate to the management of assigned product categories. </li><li>Maintain ongoing dialogue with Retal Sales Management on key initiatives to ensure adherence to established timelines and customer expectations. </li><li>Address business challenges by first understanding the facts and available data and then driving solutions that are consistent with the brand, customer needs, and business objectives. </li><li>Train internal and external customers on products and market and business developments. </li><li>Respond to daily customer and field sales inquiries, requests, and concerns, including those related to quality, delivery and cost. </li><li>Assist with other category management efforts as assigned. </li></ul>