Category Manager – Outdoor, Travel & Sports

Rivertex Technical Fabrics Group; Nederland; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive compensation package

International exposure

Collaboration with senior leadership

Job summary

Rivertex Technical Fabrics Group in the Netherlands seeks a Category Manager to lead the Rivercyclon® introduction across outdoor, travel & sports markets. You will co-develop the global category strategy, shape the product roadmap and drive major customer acquisitions with executive leadership.

You will work with CEO/CTO, coordinate with R&D, manufacturing and marketing, and travel internationally to establish Rivercyclon® as a premium material platform with strategic partnerships and category

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years in outdoor, luggage and/or sports industry.
• Strong commercial track record in premium brands or materials.
• Experience introducing new materials or component technologies.
• International business development experience.

Responsibilities

• Co-develop and execute the global category strategy for Outdoor, Travel & Sports.
• Define market positioning and growth plans; identify priority segments and target customers.
• Manage the complete product roadmap and coordinate product launches.
• Support and collaborate with marketing, R&D and manufacturing teams to translate requirements into new developments.
• Lead strategic customer projects and develop pricing strategies; support key negotiations.

Job description

Category Manager – Outdoor, Travel & Sports

Lead the global introduction of Rivercyclon® into the outdoor, travel and sports industries.

Category Manager – Outdoor, Travel & Sports

The Netherlands | Hybrid International travel

The Opportunity

This is a unique opportunity to shape an entirely new product category within one of the most exciting material innovations in the technical textile industry. You will co-develop and execute the global category strategy for Rivercyclon® within the outdoor, sports, luggage and camping markets and become the driving force behind its global market introduction. Working directly with the executive management team, you will define the product roadmap, influence future developments, support major customer acquisitions and help establish Rivercyclon® as a leading material platform for premium outdoor brands. Unlike many traditional product management roles, this position combines strategy, commercial leadership, product development and business development with significant freedom to build the category. You will be working side by side with the CEO/CTO in a very free and challenging role.

Operating Model

The Category Manager is the link between the Customers, the Rivertex sales teams, the China-based sales-execution team, The marketing team, R&D and the Changshu (China) manufacturing operation. The role will directly develop strategic market opportunities while enabling Rivertex’ regional sales teams to retain customer ownership and execute commercial growth.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy

• Co-develop and execute the global category strategy for Outdoor, Travel & Sports.
• Define market positioning and growth plans.
• Identify priority market segments and target customers.
• Develop annual business plans and growth objectives.

Business Development

• Build relationships with leading outdoor, luggage & sports brands.
• Open strategic accounts throughout Europe, North America and Asia.
• Develop partnerships with brand owners, sourcing offices and OEM manufacturers.
• Represent Rivertex at major international trade fairs and industry events.

Product Management

• Translate market requirements into new product developments.
• Define future product collections, specifications and performance requirements.
• Manage the complete product roadmap.
• Coordinate product launches.

Marketing

• Support the Rivertex marketing team in general.
• Push value propositions through webinars, events and conferences.
• Support digital marketing, sustainability communication and customer education.

Technical support

• Work closely with R&D and manufacturing.
• Convert customer feedback into product improvements.
• Support testing, certification and validation programs.
• Translate technical performance into commercial advantages.

Commercial strategy

• Support and assist the international sales organisation.
• Develop pricing strategies.
• Support key negotiations.
• Lead strategic customer projects.

Your Profile

We are looking for a highly experienced commercial and technical executive with deep knowledge of the outdoor and/or luggage and/or sports supply chain. You have spent at least 10 years working within the outdoor, luggage & sports or performance textile industries and have built an extensive international network. You understand not only fabrics, but also how global brands develop products, select materials and manage supply chains.

Preferred Background

We are particularly interested in candidates who have held senior commercial, product or business leadership roles with major companies in the supply chain of the Outdoor, Luggage & Sports markets. Experience at leading brands like YKK, GORE-TEX, Teijin, Invista, Samsonite, Patagonia, Arc'teryx, The North Face, Osprey, Deuter, Vaude, Mammut, Jack Wolfskin, Delsey, Lowe Alpine or similar organizations is considered a big advantage.

Required Experience

• Minimum 10 years in the outdoor, luggage and/or sports industry.
• Strong commercial track record.
• Experience introducing new materials or component technologies.
• Understanding of the wants, needs and trigger points for performance textiles in the outdoor, luggage or sports industry.
• International business development experience.
• Strong strategic capabilities.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Comfortable working across Europe, Asia and North America.
• Willingness to travel internationally.

Personal Characteristics

• Entrepreneurial.
• Passionate about sustainability and innovation.
• Commercially driven.
• Technically curious.
• Highly credible with premium brands.
• Able to influence senior decision makers.
• Comfortable working in an agile organisation.
• Hands-on when required.
• Collaborative across sales, marketing, R&D and operations.

What Makes This Role Unique?

This is not a traditional product management position. You will have the opportunity to build an entirely new global material platform from an early stage, supported by a highly entrepreneurial management team with substantial investment ambitions.

You will influence:

• future product development;
• global market strategy;
• branding and positioning;
• commercial execution;
• customer acquisition;
• sustainability strategy.

What We Offer

• A highly entrepreneurial leadership role.
• Significant strategic influence.
• Direct collaboration with executive management.
• International exposure.
• Freedom to build and execute the category strategy.
• The opportunity to work with some of the world's leading outdoor, luggage & sports brands.
• An excellent executive compensation package including performance incentives.
• Long-term career development within a rapidly growing international organization.

Join Us

If you are an entrepreneurial and experienced executive with a passion for technical innovation, sustainable materials and the outdoor industry—and you want to play a defining role in bringing a breakthrough material platform to the global market we would like to hear from you.