Product Line Manager

viaPhoton; Aurora (IL); On-site; USD 64,000 - 86,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with match

Flexible PTO

10 paid holidays

Monthly team events

Benefits overview

Job summary

viaPhoton in Naperville, IL is seeking a Product Line Manager to bridge concepts and market-ready products. You’ll own day-to-day work that keeps the product line running and grow into broader leadership roles, working with Sales, Engineering, and Operations.

With a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience and strong cross-functional skills, you will create part numbers, manage BOMs in ERP, and shape product strategy while aligning with supply chain needs and market demands.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience (MBA a plus)
• Direct customer-facing experience across Sales, Engineering, and Operations
• Clear communication of technical concepts to non-technical audiences
• Self-starter, comfortable with ambiguity
• Technical aptitude with leadership potential for PLM

Responsibilities

• Serve as the go-to resource for product line questions and incoming requests
• Create new part numbers and schemes for new product families and maintain the part-number database
• Build new products and BOMs in the ERP system with cross-functional teams
• Cross-reference competitor solutions and help create spec sheets and product marketing materials
• Partner with Sales and Engineering on new product development with a supply chain focus

Skills

Customer-facing collaboration

Cross-functional teamwork

Leadership potential

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience

MBA a plus

Tools

ERP system

Job description

Who We Are

We are changing the norm by being customer-focused, technology-led. viaPhoton is reimagining fiber optic manufacturing for the AI era. We design and deliver custom-engineered, end-to-end fiber connectivity solutions for the data centers, 5G networks, and AI infrastructure shaping the next decade, and our customers need them in weeks, not months. In five years we've grown to a team of 200+ and 4x'd our revenue in the last year alone, and we're just getting started. We're looking for people who want to do their best work with a team that's moving fast.

About the Role

You’ll be the bridge between innovative concepts and market-ready products, working cross-organizationally with Sales, Engineering, and Operations. In your first 6 to 12 months, you’ll own the day-to-day work that keeps the product line running. As you grow into the role, you’ll take on broader ownership, help evolve PLM from reactive to proactive, and have a clear path into leadership.

• Serve as the go-to resource for Sales, Engineering, and Operations on product line questions and incoming requests
• Create new part numbers and schemes for new product families, and keep the part number database current and accessible
• Build new products and bills of materials in the ERP system, partnering with cross-functional teams
• Cross-reference competitor solutions to viaPhoton's offerings, and help create spec sheets and product marketing materials
• Partner with Sales and Engineering on new product development with a big-picture lens on supply chain, packaging, and downstream needs

What You'll Bring

• Have a bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience (MBA a plus); prior PLM experience is a plus, but we’ll teach you the product
• Have direct customer-facing experience and the ability to build strong internal relationships across Sales, Engineering, and Operations
• Communicate clearly, translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences, and move work through other teams — this is critical to the role
• Are a self-starter comfortable with ambiguity, who figures out what’s needed and finds the best path to a solution
• Have technical aptitude and leadership potential — comfortable in product details, ready to grow into a future leader of the PLM function

Product Line Manager JD

What's in it for you?

• Robust health, dental, and vision coverage that starts on day 1
• 401(k) with 4% match, vests immediately after a 90-day waiting period
• Flexible PTO that grows over time
• 10 paid holidays, including 2 floating holidays
• Monthly team events
• Click here to view our full benefits overview.

Location: Naperville, IL

Schedule: Mon-Fri | Onsite

Compensation: $70,000 - $80,000, plus annual bonus

At viaPhoton, we are committed to furthering our culture of inclusion. We reinforce this through our core values and beliefs as well as our processes and strategic goals. We remind team members to seek various viewpoints, learn and be hungry with curiosity, and gain trust.

We are an equal opportunity employer and make all employment decisions based on merit and qualifications. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, health condition, genetic information, marital or family status, military or veteran status, socioeconomic background, or any other status protected by applicable law.

We provide reasonable accommodations and adjustments throughout the hiring process. If you need one, please let us know. Any personal data you share with us is handled confidentially and in line with applicable data protection law.