Product Manager

AJR Filtration, Inc.; West Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

AJR Filtration, Inc. in the United States seeks a Product Manager to oversee the AJR product portfolio, driving profitable growth, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

You will link Sales, Finance, Customer Service, Operations, Engineering, and Manufacturing to lead product development, pricing, data, and market expansion initiatives. You will identify new products, develop pricing strategies, and maintain accurate product data while collaborating across departments to support

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• 3–5 years in product management, product development, technical sales, or related roles in industrial/manufacturing contexts.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills with data/documentation discipline.
• Proficiency in Excel and Microsoft Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Identify and prioritize new products, line extensions, and portfolio improvements based on customer needs and market trends.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, and Sales to develop, launch, and improve products.
• Develop cross-references and competitive comparisons to support positioning and market expansion.
• Develop pricing strategies and evaluate costs, margins, profitability, and competitive positioning.
• Review product-line performance and advise on SKU expansion, consolidation, or discontinuation.
• Maintain accurate product taxonomy, classifications, specifications, data sheets, and documentation.
• Coordinate with internal teams to validate technical details and improve data integrity and reporting.
• Serve as a product knowledge resource for Sales and Customer Service and support training needs.

Skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Communication

Collaboration

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field

Tools

Excel

Microsoft Office

Job description

About KELTEC and AJR Filtration, a Keltec Company

Powering Reliability. Driving Performance. Building Careers.

At KELTEC & AJR, we are more than a filtration company. We are a team of problem-solvers, innovators, and industry experts dedicated to helping our customers keep their operations running. Since 1982, KELTEC has designed, manufactured, and distributed high-quality filtration and component solutions that support critical industrial systems around the world. Our products serve compressed air, air treatment, hydraulics, refrigeration, gas, and vacuum applications, helping customers maximize uptime and reduce operating costs.

Summary: The Product Manager oversees AJR's product portfolio to drive profitable growth, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Serving as the link among Sales, Finance, Customer Service, Operations, Engineering, and Manufacturing, this role leads product development, pricing, portfolio optimization, product data, and market expansion initiatives.

Duties / Responsibilities:

• Identify and prioritize new products, line extensions, and portfolio improvements using customer needs, market trends, competitive analysis, feasibility, and business impact.
• Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, and Sales to develop, launch, and improve products.
• Develop and validate product cross-references and competitive comparisons to support product positioning, replacement opportunities, and market expansion.
• Develop pricing strategies, including list and MAP pricing where applicable; partner with Finance and Sales to evaluate costs, margins, profitability, and competitive positioning.
• Review product-line performance and recommend SKU expansion, consolidation, or discontinuation to improve profitability and operating efficiency.
• Maintain accurate product taxonomy, classifications, specifications, data sheets, and supporting documentation across company systems.
• Coordinate with internal teams to validate technical details and improve product-data integrity, accessibility, and reporting accuracy.
• Serve as a product knowledge resource for Sales and Customer Service, supporting selection, application, specification, cross-reference, and training needs.
• Provide leadership with recommendations on product strategy, portfolio gaps, market opportunities, and long-term development priorities.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Three to five years of experience in product management, product development, technical sales, or a related function, preferably involving industrial, manufacturing, distribution, or technical products.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and maintain accurate product data and documentation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with industrial filtration, aftermarket replacement parts, ERP or product information systems, SKU rationalization, product lifecycle management, pricing analysis, technical cross-referencing, competitive analysis, and new product launches.

Key Competencies:

Strategic thinking and business acumen; product and market knowledge; analytical problem-solving; cross-functional collaboration; data accuracy; continuous improvement; customer and sales support; project management and prioritization.

Key Performance Indicators:

Revenue and margin growth; portfolio profitability; product-data and documentation accuracy; reduction of obsolete or redundant SKUs; expansion and accuracy of cross-references; timely completion of product initiatives; and effective support of Sales and Customer Service.