Product Manager

KONG Company; Golden (CO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

12 paid holidays

Personal leave accrual

Pet insurance

Tuition reimbursement

Dog toys and more

Job summary

KONG Company in Golden, Colorado, is seeking a Product Development Lead to collaborate with vendor partners, develop new product lines, and launch them into the global Pet Specialty retail channel. You will manage in-market product lines and coordinate with internal teams to optimize revenue and margins.

The role requires strong project management, excellent communication, and the ability to mobilize cross-functional support.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with 3–4 years related experience.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook).
• Experience with CAD or generative AI tools is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven track record of managing long and short-term projects.
• Experience mobilizing cross-functional support.

Responsibilities

• Lead collaboration with vendor partners to identify, design, and develop new product lines.
• Negotiate cost of goods and analyze break-even points for ROI.
• Form pricing recommendations using cost/margin analysis.
• Coordinate with all departments to bring new products to market.
• Forecast demand for new product lines and manage POs.
• Review sales data and market trends to identify opportunities.
• Manage product data in internal systems and support project management tools.
• Provide product expertise for internal and external stakeholders.

Skills

MS Office proficiency

Written & verbal communication

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Detail oriented

Independent judgment

Problem solving

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

CAD

Generative AI tools

Job description

Description

This position is responsible for leading the collaboration with vendor partners in the development and launch new product lines into the global Pet Specialty retail channel, as well as managing successful in-market product lines which contribute to KONG’s brand impact, revenue, and margin.

• Lead the collaborative relationship with vendor partners to identify, design, and develop new product lines and product line extensions.
• Negotiate with vendor partner for product cost of goods.
• Analyze and establish break even points for ROI analysis.
• Utilize cost/margin-based analysis to form pricing recommendations.
• Work across all departments to successfully bring new products to market.
• Facilitate new product line purchase order logistics of quantity and timing.
• Determine and enter forecast demands for all new product lines.
• Perform competitive assessments and research trends to identify future opportunities.
• Review monthly sales and penetration numbers.
• Analyze new products, sales trends and goals.
• Provide product expertise for internal and external requirements. Develop product expansion strategies for successful product lines.
• Develop plans for discontinued products that retain shelf space and minimize customer impact.
• Collaborate and communicate with brand team in project management tool (Wrike).
• Manage product data within internal systems.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and 3-4 years related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Excellent proficiency in MS Office suite: Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook.
• Experience with CAD or generative AI tools is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven track record of successfully managing long and short-term projects.
• Experience with mobilizing cross functional support.
• Ability to research, assess and solve problems.
• Must be detail oriented.
• Ability to use independent judgment, analyze information and formulate recommendations.
• Strong project management and multi-tasking skills.
• Ability to provide outstanding customer service.
• Organized and proactive approach to managing and executing projects.
• Effectively communicate ideas and activities across departments.
• Creative, enthusiastic, and efficient.
• Work well with tight deadlines, be flexible as priorities change.
• Ability to self-motivate and prioritize simultaneous tasks.
• Experience working with China is a plus.
• Must be able to lift 25-50 pounds and occasionally up to 100 pounds with assistance.

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities or qualifications associated with the job.

Compensation

• From $100,000 annually

Work Location

• KONG Headquarters - Golden, Colorado
• Onsite Monday through Friday

Benefits

• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance with low-cost premiums
• Access to voluntary benefits
• Employer paid short-term/long term disability and life insurance
• 401k with employer matching
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Personal Leave Accrual
• Pet Insurance, Tuition reimbursement, dog toys, and more!