Director, Category Product Strategy

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

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible & Hybrid Schedules

Extensive Game Discounts

$250 Annually in Game Bucks

Mental Health Programs

Virtual Healthcare Options

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Referral Program

Fertility & Family Building Benefits

Legal & Identity Theft Support

Competitive 401K Match

Job summary

Asmodee is seeking a Director of Product Strategy to lead the US Distribution Unit and publishing partnerships, building a profitable 3P catalog while balancing revenue, margin, inventory, and profitability. You will evaluate opportunities with business cases, set strategic portfolio directions, and collaborate across Finance, Sales, and Operations.

The role requires deep industry knowledge in board games and tabletop gaming, strong financial acumen, and the ability to travel to studios and

Qualifications

• 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.
• Domestic and/or international travel - 25% of the time.
• 22 Days of PTO Annually
• 13 Paid Holidays
• Competitive 401K Match
• Fertility & Family Building Benefits
• Legal & Identity Theft Support
• Flexible & Hybrid Schedules
• Extensive Game Discounts
• $250 Annually in Game Bucks
• Mental Health Programs
• Virtual Healthcare Options
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral Program

Responsibilities

• Build and develop relationships with 3rd party publishers.
• Own the commercial strategy and financial performance of the 3P portfolio.
• Evaluate new 3P opportunities with a full business case.
• Negotiate terms for distribution contracts and lead renegotiations.
• Monitor vendor performance by channel, item and category.
• Collaborate with Finance, Sales, S&OP, Operations & Logistics, Marketing and Product Lifecycle.
• Travel to studios and trade shows.

Skills

Business & Financial Acumen

Analytical Skills

Excel

Power BI

Cross-functional Collaboration

Communication

Strategic Thinking

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Power BI

Microsoft Business Central

Excel

Job description

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

asmodee is a global leader in tabletop games, committed to bringing people together through great games and amazing stories. Listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm, we are headquartered in France, and our team of more than 2,200 people work across the globe throughout our wholly owned creative studios, distribution businesses, and the functions that support them. We offer one of the world’s largest catalogs of tabletop games, featuring iconic titles like CATAN®, Ticket to Ride®, Dobble/Spot it!®, and Exploding Kittens®. With a blend of in-house creations and games from our partners, our portfolio spans hundreds of games across digital and physical platforms.

As an employer of choice, we champion inclusivity, growth, and recognition, fostering a workplace where everyone feels valued. Joining us means shaping unforgettable gaming experiences while contributing to a more sustainable, connected world.

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
• 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.
• 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.

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.
• Domestic and/or international travel - 25% of the time.
• 22 Days of PTO Annually
• 13 Paid Holidays
• Competitive 401K Match
• Fertility & Family Building Benefits
• Legal & Identity Theft Support
• Flexible & Hybrid Schedules
• Extensive Game Discounts
• $250 Annually in Game Bucks
• 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.

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.