Product Manager

Apex Tool Group; Sparks Corner (MD); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Apex Tool Group's GearWrench Growth & New Categories Product Manager will identify and develop new product categories, markets, and end-user needs to drive meaningful incremental growth for the brand.

Based in Hunt Valley, MD, you will work cross-functionally with Product Development, Engineering, Sourcing, Brand, Sales, Channel Management, Supply Chain, Finance, Quality and external partners to bring opportunities to market.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Engineering, Product Management or related field.
• 3+ years in product management, product marketing, innovation, or new product development.
• Proven success bringing new products from concept through commercialization.
• Experience identifying and developing new categories, markets, or growth opportunities.
• Strong Voice of the Customer, market research, competitive analysis, and analytical skills.
• Strong financial understanding of pricing, revenue, gross margin, and business-case development.
• Proven ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams.
• Excellent communication, presentation, collaboration, and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify and evaluate new categories, markets, technologies, and adjacencies that can drive incremental growth for GEARWRENCH.
• Develop 3–5 year category strategies and product roadmaps for new and emerging businesses.
• Conduct market sizing, competitive analysis, and financial assessments to determine opportunities.
• Lead VOC research to identify unmet end-user needs and translate insights into opportunities.
• Develop go-to-market strategies including positioning, pricing, distribution, channel strategy, and launch plans.
• Partner with Brand, Sales, and Channel Management to commercialize new products and expand distribution.
• Own revenue, gross margin, pricing, and growth objectives for assigned categories.

Skills

VOC

Market research

Cross-functional leadership

Product strategy

Pricing & profitability

Go-to-market planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Engineering, Product Management

Job description

The Blueprint (Role Profile)

Are you ready to help define the next chapter of GEARWRENCH?

GEARWRENCH has built its reputation as a leader in professional mechanics hand tools. The Product Manager - GEARWRENCH Growth & New Categories will help expand that leadership by identifying, developing, and commercializing new product categories that create meaningful incremental growth for the brand.

Reporting to the Director, Product Marketing and based in Hunt Valley, MD, this role will focus on identifying new markets, product categories, technologies, and end-user needs where GEARWRENCH has the opportunity to win.

The Product Manager will combine Voice of the Customer (VOC), market intelligence, competitive analysis, product development, and commercialization to build new businesses for GEARWRENCH. This role will work cross-functionally with Product Development, Engineering, Sourcing, Industrial Design, Brand, Sales, Channel Management, Supply Chain, Finance, Quality, and external partners.

This is an opportunity to help build what is next for GEARWRENCH.

The Build (Responsibilities)

• Identify and evaluate new categories, markets, technologies, and adjacencies that can drive incremental GEARWRENCH growth.
• Develop 3-5 year category strategies and product roadmaps for new and emerging businesses.
• Conduct market sizing, competitive analysis, and financial assessments to determine where GEARWRENCH has the greatest opportunity to win.
• Lead Voice of the Customer (VOC) research to identify unmet end-user needs and translate insights into new product opportunities.
• Monitor market, technology, competitive, pricing, and end-user trends to identify future sources of growth.
• Lead new products from concept through development, commercialization, and in-market success.
• Develop product requirements based on VOC, competitive benchmarking, market opportunity, and financial objectives.
• Partner with Engineering, Industrial Design, Sourcing, Quality, and suppliers to develop differentiated GEARWRENCH products.
• Evaluate new technologies, suppliers, partnerships, and product platforms that can accelerate entry into new categories.
• Develop go-to-market strategies including positioning, pricing, distribution, channel strategy, and launch plans.
• Partner with Brand, Sales, and Channel Management to successfully commercialize new products and expand distribution.
• Support customer presentations and line reviews for new products and growth categories.
• Own revenue, gross margin, pricing, and growth objectives for assigned categories.
• Monitor sales, POS, distribution, margin, and competitive activity and recommend actions to improve performance.
• Manage product portfolio performance, including SKU additions, rationalization, and lifecycle decisions.
• Serve as the business leader for assigned growth initiatives, driving cross-functional alignment and execution.
• Communicate growth strategies, opportunities, project status, risks, and recommendations to leadership.
• Champion end-user-driven innovation, speed-to-market, and continuous improvement across new growth initiatives.

The Toolbox (Qualifications)

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Engineering, Product Management, or related field.
• 3+ years of product management, product marketing, innovation, or new product development experience.
• Demonstrated success taking new products from concept through commercialization.
• Experience identifying and developing new categories, markets, or growth opportunities.
• Strong Voice of the Customer, market research, competitive analysis, and analytical skills.
• Strong financial understanding of pricing, revenue, gross margin, and business-case development.
• Proven ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication, presentation, collaboration, and project management skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in emerging categories where the product, market, and strategy are still being defined.
• Passion for professional tools, innovation, technology, and understanding end-user needs.