Director, Category Product Strategy

asmodee; Lino Lakes (MN); On-site; USD 150,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO 22 days

Paid holidays 13

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

401K Match

Parental Leave

Game Discounts

Game Bucks

Career Growth & Development

Mental Health Programs

Virtual Healthcare

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Referral Program

Job summary

asmodee is seeking a Director of Product Strategy to lead growth and profitability for the US Distribution Unit and publishing partners. You will own the 3P portfolio, build strong publisher relationships, and guide strategic decisions using revenue, margin, inventory and market data.

The role requires deep gaming industry knowledge, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to balance growth with profitability while travelling to studios and shows.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in relevant fields; comparable experience can be considered.
• 6–10 years of experience in sales/marketing, merchandising, purchasing, business development, category management, or other relevant commercial experience.
• Experience in vendor/provider contract negotiation and management of commercial partnerships.
• Experience developing business cases and translating financial and market data into clear commercial recommendations.
• Excellent computer skills (Excel, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint).
• Domestic and/or international travel - 25% of the time.

Responsibilities

• Build and develop relationships with 3rd party publishers.
• Own the commercial strategy and financial performance of the 3P portfolio, balancing revenue with margin and inventory.
• Evaluate new 3P opportunities through full business cases including revenue, gross margin and inventory.
• Research and select products to ensure a relevant, differentiated catalog.
• Negotiate terms for distribution contracts and manage renegotiations.
• Manage vendor portfolio to profitability KPIs.
• Establish standards and procedures for vendors.
• Use financial metrics and market trends to inform portfolio decisions.
• Monitor vendor performance by channel and product category.
• Partner with Finance, Sales, S&OP, Operations & Logistics, Marketing and Product Lifecycle to optimize profitability.
• Lead exit negotiations and inventory management for vendor exits.
• Serve as senior commercial contact for strategic vendors.
• Travel to studios and trade/consumer shows.
• Monitor industry trends and consumer behavior.

Skills

Business & Financial Acumen

Data Analytics

Cross-functional Collaboration

Teamwork

Entrepreneurial Mindset

Problem Solving

Communication Skills

Proactive Management

Strategic Thinking

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Power BI

Microsoft Power BI

Microsoft Business Central

Excel

Job description

Job description:

The Director, Product Strategy is a strategic, commercially minded and financially driven leader responsible for serving the US Distribution Unit and publishing partners by building, optimizing and growing a high-quality, profitable product portfolio. This role leads the development of new and existing 3rd party publisher partnerships, identifies products and partners that expand market opportunity, and ensures portfolio decisions align with revenue, margin, inventory and profitability objectives.

The Director is accountable for balancing growth with profitability through strong business judgement, deep financial acumen, and data-driven decision making. Success requires experience within the board game and tabletop gaming industry, including an understanding of publishers, hobby and mass market channels, consumer trends, product lifecycle, and competitive dynamics.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and develop relationships with 3rd party publishers
• Own the commercial strategy and financial performance of the 3P portfolio, actively managing 3P mix and balancing incremental revenue opportunities with margin, inventory investment and the profitability of the
• overall US Distribution portfolio
• Evaluate new 3P opportunities through a full business case, including expected revenue, gross margin, inventory requirements and turns, channel fit, working capital requirements, opportunity cost and incremental profit contribution
• Work with Sr. Director, Product Lifecycle to research and select quality products and materials to ensure a relevant, differentiated and well-balanced catalog
• Negotiate the best terms for distribution contracts and lead renegotiation processes in a timely and efficient manner, with a strong understanding of the many variables that may affect total partnership economics
• Manage vendor portfolio to profitability KPIs
• Establish clear standards and procedures for vendors
• Use financial metrics, including revenue, gross margin, inventory value and velocity, profitability and other relevant data, together with market trends, to inform strategic buying and portfolio decisions
• Monitor vendor performance by channel, item and product category, identifying opportunities, risks and required actions
• Partner closely with Finance, Sales, S&OP, Operations & Logistics, Marketing and Product Lifecycle to optimize portfolio profitability and ensure vendor and purchasing decisions support broader US business objectives
• Lead exit negotiations and inventory management related to vendor exits or underperforming partnerships
• Serve as senior commercial contact for strategic vendors
• Travel to studios and trade/consumer shows
• Monitor board game industry trends, emerging publishers and consumer behavior

Position Skills & Qualifications

• Strong Business & Financial Acumen required:
  • Demonstrated ability to evaluate commercial opportunities using revenue, gross margin, profitability, inventory investment/turns, and other key financial metrics.
  • Strong understanding of portfolio economics and the ability to balance growth, margin and working capital when making product and vendor decisions.
  • Ability to understand the impact of individual vendors and product decisions on the profitability and strategic composition of a broader portfolio.
  • Comfortable challenging opportunities that may generate topline growth but do not meet company profitability or strategic objectives.
• Strong Data Analytics understanding required:
  • Demonstrated analytical background and Excel skills to allow fast data interpretation and translation into powerful actions.
  • Experience with Microsoft Power BI and Microsoft Business Central are a strong plus.
  • Established record of driving results through effective collaboration with cross-functional partners, including Sales, Marketing, S&OP, Operations & Logistics, Finance and Product Development.
  • Track record of prioritizing and successfully delivering multiple initiatives on time.
• Ability to work within a team as well as independently with limited supervision.
• Entrepreneurship, can-do mindset and high level of attention to detail.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Clear and concise communication style, both written and verbal.
• Proactive management skills.

Experience/Education

• Bachelor's Degree in relevant fields highly preferred; comparable experience can be considered for the right candidate.
• 6-10 years of experience in sales/marketing, merchandising, purchasing, business development, category management, or other relevant commercial experience.
• Experience in vendor/provider contract negotiation and management of commercial partnerships.
• Experience developing business cases and translating financial and market data into clear commercial recommendations.
• Excellent computer skills (Excel, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint).
• Domestic and/or international travel - 25% of the time.

Profile description

Why join us

• 22 Days of PTO Annually
• 13 Paid Holidays
• Medical, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance
• Competitive 401K Match
• Paid Parental Leave
• Fertility & Family Building Benefits
• Legal & Identity Theft Support
• 2 Paid Volunteer Days Off
• Flexible & Hybrid Schedules
• Extensive Game Discounts
• $250 Annually in Game Bucks
• Career Growth & Development
• Mental Health Programs
• Virtual Healthcare Options
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral Program

At asmodee, we care about the health and wellbeing of our employees. Our commitment extends beyond the workplace, offering comprehensive healthcare and 401(k) retirement plans, as well as generous paid time off and hybrid schedules to support our team members in every aspect of their lives. We understand the importance of work-life balance, which is why we are proud to provide a competitive total rewards and compensation package, with several benefits listed below.

Actual compensation for this role is based on several factors, including but not limited to job-related skills, qualifications, experience, market conditions and specific work location. Base Salary Range: $150,000 - $160,000.

We offer

Our Commitment

asmodee’s purpose is Bringing People Together. To us that means all kinds of people, no matter their perceived differences.

We strive to create a workplace where everyone feels empowered to show up as their full and authentic selves. We seek to support our diverse community of players by creating representative gaming experiences that celebrate a variety of backgrounds, skills, and views. Diversity and Inclusion fuels our creativity and promotes internal and external equity which allows us to continue in our efforts to bring people together around the game table. Games are for everyone.