Product Line Manager

ViaPhoton; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

401k match

Flexible PTO

Holidays including floating

Job summary

viaPhoton is seeking a PLM-focused professional to bridge innovative concepts with market-ready products in Chicago. You will own day-to-day PLM operations, grow into broader ownership, and help evolve PLM processes from reactive to proactive while pursuing leadership opportunities.

You will serve Sales, Engineering, and Operations as the go-to resource, create part numbers, build BOMs in ERP, and shape product development with supply chain considerations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience; MBA a plus.
• Direct customer-facing experience and ability to build strong internal relationships across teams.
• Clear communication; translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences.
• Willingness to grow into a leadership role within PLM.

Responsibilities

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

Skills

Customer-facing experience

Cross-functional collaboration

Clear communication

Leadership potential

Product knowledge

PLM familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

MBA a plus

Tools

PLM software

ERP systems

Job description

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
• 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

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

We're building something big, and we want good people along for the ride. If that sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you.

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.