Associate Product Manager

Lube-Tech; Golden Valley (MN); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plan

Fertility coverage

Mental health coverage

Telehealth coverage

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

FSA/HSA options

Parental leave

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Supplemental insurance

401(k) match

Tuition reimbursement

Paid days off

Paid holidays

STIP plan

Casual dress

On-the-job training

Phone provided

Computer provided

Career advancement

Job summary

Ascentek is hiring an Associate Product Manager to drive product strategies for lubricants and fluids across multiple segments. You will analyze performance data, manage pricing, and steer new and existing products through lifecycle stages.

You will collaborate with Sales, Supply Chain and Marketing to maximize revenue and profitability, while leading continuous improvement initiatives within the Product Management team.

Qualifications

• 4-year degree with a focus in marketing, product management or related field.
• 3-5+ years related job experience; emphasis in project/product management a plus.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word and PowerPoint
• Experience with ERP systems preferred

Responsibilities

• Maintain knowledge within lubricants/fluids, equipment/hard parts and services for assigned segment(s). Build relationships with key customers.
• Analyze KPIs, including margin targets and on-time ship goals; manage product lifecycle and pricing.
• Own business cases for new product opportunities and drive go-to-market strategies.
• Collaborate with Sales, Supply Chain and Marketing to manage the product lifecycle and performance.
• Lead cross-functional projects to improve Product Management processes and outcomes.

Skills

Product management

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical skills

Communication

Strategic thinking

Education

4-year degree in marketing/product management

Tools

ERP systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

With a purpose to make tomorrow a little bit better than today for each other, our customers, and our communities, Ascentek provides an environment where you can love what you do and be your best every day.

What you will enjoy by being a part of a 2025 USA Great Place to Work certified company:

A position that is:

Salary, Full time, Mon-Fri

• Medical Plan options, including fertility coverage and free mental health and telehealth coverage
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• FSA/HSA options
• Paid parental leave
• Company-provided short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance
• Supplemental Insurances, including accident, critical illness, hospital, and supplemental life insurance
• 401(k) with a generous company match
• Pet Insurance Benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• 21 Paid Days Off
• 7 Paid Holidays

• Short-term Incentive Plan (STIP), ask your Talent Partner for details
• Dress For Your Day (casual dress environment)
• Paid comprehensive on-the-job training
• Company phone provided
• Company computer provided
• Career advancement opportunities

Ascentek produces high-performance lubricants and fluids for today's world leaders in powersports, outdoor power equipment, industrial, marine and heavy equipment engine manufacturing, as well as customers in automotive, fleet and manufacturing-use settings. At Ascentek, our Product Management team is responsible for the 4Ps (product, price, place, promotion) of the lubricants, fluids, hard parts and services that support those customers, with our products at the center of what we do.

The Associate Product Manager (APM) will drive and influence product strategies directly with their customer(s) based on applicable economic, market and product trends. The APM will perform analysis and follow-up on: account performance (e.g., on-time ship, product line performance) and costing/pricing to maximize company revenue and profitability. The APM is responsible for the commercialization of new products, changes to existing products as well as managing a broad range of both customer-facing and internal continuous improvement projects.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

Segment Performance

• Maintains a high-level of knowledge within the lubricants/fluids, equipment/hard parts and/or services area for their assigned segment(s); potential segment assignments include:
  • Automotive, Fleet, Heavy Duty/Agriculture and Outdoor Power Equipment
  • Industrial, Specialty, Chemicals, Environmental and Hard Parts
  • Powersports and Marine
• Builds/maintains key customer relationships while investigating/facilitating new opportunities within their businesses
• Analyzes and ensures adherence to segment KPIs, including margin targets (via ownership of cost and pricing management), on-time ship goals (while partnering with sales, SIOP and operations), product line performance (through thoughtful product lifecycle management), etc.
• Supports account- and segment-specific projects such as new fluid development, product marketing, training, category management, channel & competitive analysis, etc.

Product Lifecycle Management

• Builds and owns the business case for new product opportunities based on market and customer intel including sales volumes, pricing, profitability and go-to-market strategy
  • Directly owns the development of these opportunities and/or works alongside development with Product Management Specialists
• Works cross-functionally with internal departments (e.g., Sales, Supply Chain, Marketing) to manage the product lifecycle and achieve business objectives
• Makes proposals to national and regional teams and/or customer base to enhance product offerings based on industry/market knowledge and respective customer business models
• Manages slow-moving and obsolete inventory in partnership with National / Regional Sales Teams and Product Management Team, including runout plans and product disposal submissions

Other

• Proposes and implements improvements to Product Management Team processes and procedures
• Leads, influences and/or strategically navigates enterprise-level projects and initiatives that may or may not be directly tied to the operations of the Product Management team
• Acts as the subject matter expert (SME)/owner of select core processes (e.g., commercialization, inventory management, pricing, etc.) and owns their overall performance and continuous improvement
• Must be able to travel to customer and industry specific events via air or ground transportation; travel up to 5% of time
• Other duties as requested

Education

• 4-year degree with a focus in marketing, product management or related field

Experience and Training

• 3-5+ years related job experience; emphasis in project/product management a plus
• Requires the ability to use a personal computer and is proficient in Microsoft Office, including Excel (minimum intermediate), Word and PowerPoint
• Experience with ERP systems preferred

Licenses/Certifications

• Valid driver's license

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated self-starter who can work independently and has the ability to lead without authority
• High degree of self-accountability, punctuality, accuracy and reliability
• Works well in ambiguous situations with the competency to develop and improve processes
• Requires excellent oral and written communication skills to effectively communicate throughout the organization, with customers and with other external business contacts
• Requires comprehensive analytical skills
• Requires strong attention to detail and organizational skills

PHYSICAL and MENTAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, talk and/or hear or use hands, handle, or touch objects, tools or controls. The employee must occasionally lift and and/or move up to 40 pounds while moving actual products, files or small packages.

The employee must have sound mental reasoning and decision making as recommendations of action based on analysis of mathematical data, complex processes & procedures and narratives are an integral element of this position.

ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS

Work is primarily conducted in a hybrid office-remote environment with a minimum of three days per week in office or at customer locations where the noise level is usually moderate. The position requires infrequent travel via air or auto.

The anticipated hiring range for the role you are applying for is between $70,000 $90,000 annually. This anticipated hiring range is based on several factors, and subject to increase based on the below:

1. Experience and qualifications: The depth of relevant experience and specific skills you bring to the position.
2. Education and certifications: Any additional qualifications that enhance your ability to succeed in the role.
3. Market and industry benchmarks: We compare compensation packages with industry standards to ensure we are competitive.
4. Internal equity: We strive to maintain pay equity across the organization to ensure fairness for all teammates performing similar work.

At Ascentek, we are committed to providing accurate and up-to-date information about our career opportunities. For the most accurate job descriptions, salary details, and benefit information, we encourage you to visit our official careers page at https://www.ascentek.com/careers/.

Ascentek is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.