Product Manager

Buckhorn Inc; Milford (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Buckhorn Inc is seeking a Product Management leader to drive the development and improvement of our product portfolio in an injection-molding environment. The role requires overseeing multiple projects and aligning production costs with strategic goals, collaborating across Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, Manufacturing, and Procurement.

The candidate will chair the Product Review Meetings within Sales & Operations Planning, monitor KPIs and stage-gate metrics, and actively participate in the

Qualifications

• Must understand product development in an injection-molding environment.
• Bachelor-level engineering background or equivalent experience in product management.
• 4+ years in related role; leadership experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Define the product strategy and development roadmap.
• Lead and manage the Product Engineering Team.
• Define optimal product mix with Marketing Manager.
• Lead portfolio reviews and profitability analyses.
• Assess competitive challenges and deliver strategic recommendations.
• Deliver product cost reduction opportunities.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, Manufacturing, and Procurement.
• Scope, design, test and deliver product solutions with internal/external SMEs.
• Support policies aligned with market expectations and business capabilities.

Skills

Product leadership

Project management

Cross-functional teams

Strategic planning

Communication skills

Team motivation

Analytical thinking

Education

BS/BA required

Engineering degree preferred

MBA desired or certifications

Job description

This Product Management role is essential to developing and improving Buckhorn’s product portfolio to support continued growth and success. The candidate must have the technical expertise to understand product development in an injection-molding environment and engineering’s role in the process. Success requires a highly organized, management-focused professional who can manage multiple projects and understand production and manufacturing costs.

This position collaborates across marketing, sales, customer service, branch operations, manufacturing, and procurement. Key responsibilities include leading the product portfolio and/or company-wide commercialization process; chairing the Product Review Meeting within Sales & Operations Planning; managing key Sales & Marketing performance indicators, commercialization stage-gate metrics, and project delivery statistics; and actively participating in the overall Sales & Operations Planning process.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Define the product strategy & development roadmap
• Lead and manage the Product Engineering Team
• Define optimal product mix with Marketing Manager
• Lead periodical product portfolio reviews (ABCxyz and profitability analyses) to determine SKU rationalization
• Assess competitive challenges and deliver clear strategic recommendations
• Deliver product cost reduction opportunities
• Support Marketing with Competitor Intelligence
• Work with internal and external SME’s to scope, design, test and deliver product solutions
• Work with sales, customer service and operations to review and refine customer service policies consistent with market expectation and business capabilities
• Create and maintain the by-SKU Phase-In/Phase-Out plan

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to recognize and envision the future and develop effective plans to get there
• Communication skills to express and gain support for ideas and concepts verbally, visually and in writing
• Team orientation, customer communication, presentation and people skills
• Ability to gather and analyze information quickly to drive decisions in a fast-paced work environment
• Systematic-process approach, analytical skills, problem solving skills and decisiveness
• Comfortable navigating speed, change and ambiguity
• Proven high level of project management using the stage-gate process
• Proven leadership of cross-functional teams delivering sustainable process, financial, and operational results.
• Proactive, results focused, and striving for continuous improvement.
• Planning and organization to set targets, milestones and follow through on commitments.
• Ability to motivate others to a high level of performance without administrative authority (work through others)

Education and Experience

• BS/BA required. Engineering degree preferred. MBA desired or relevant certifications
• Must have the technical expertise in an injection-molding environment
• Prior leadership experience
• 4+ years in related role

Working Conditions

• Typical office and plant environment

Travel

• Must be able to travel 20% percent; more on exception basis.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear and taste or smell. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.