Product Manager – Category Strategy & Growth

Sterling Kohler; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 113,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Day 1 benefits

Performance bonus

Job summary

Kohler Co. is seeking an experienced Product Manager to lead a category within the Category Strategy organization.

You will own the strategic direction, define the roadmap, and drive the commercial outcomes, collaborating with sourcing, engineering, design, channel marketing, sales, and finance to bring Kohler's signature design and luxury to life. The ideal candidate has 5+ years in product management or related roles, strong analytical and presentation skills, and a proven ability to deliver

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in any field.
• Five or more years of product management, product marketing, or category management experience with strong analytical and presentation skills.
• Track record of owning and successfully driving strategies, completing projects, and meeting objectives.
• Demonstrated understanding of new product development, manufacturing, forecasting, and production planning.
• Proficiency in Excel and data visualization tools as well as AI tools.
• Hands-on, detail oriented, energetic, and results-driven, with the judgment to make decisions and the accountability to own the outcome.

Responsibilities

• Own the strategic direction of the category, translating business objectives into a product portfolio that wins with customers and consumers.
• Develop and own the five-year product and innovation roadmap, along with the product attribute framework that defines how the portfolio is positioned and tiered.
• Scope complex projects and multi-product programs independently, setting clear customer requirements, specifications, price positioning, and cost targets.
• Decide what to create, sustain, invest in, and discontinue, managing manufacturing efficiency by leveraging platforms and common architecture.
• Proactively manage the full portfolio and product lifecycle for the category, including line transitions, running changes, and rationalization.
• Write and submit the documentation required to initiate and fund new product efforts.
• Manage a portfolio of new product development projects, fostering a culture of collaboration, communication, and accountability across the team.
• Partner with new product development, engineering, industrial design, and operations to deliver products that live on the leading edge in design and technology, on time and on target.
• Provide voice of the customer input throughout the development process and own the trade-off decisions between customer need, cost, timing, and feasibility.
• Ensure robust go-to-market execution for your launches, working with Channel Marketing and Sales on positioning, pricing, merchandising, and launch readiness.
• Serve as the internal and external focal point for resolution of product issues in the category, including quality, cost, warranty, and performance.
• Gather customer insights and conduct competitive benchmarking to drive the innovation pipeline, using consumer insights tools and incorporating what you learn into decisions.
• Maintain a complete understanding of the customer and competitive landscape, including innovation, products, pricing, market trends, and share position.
• Serve as the category lead for key customer presentations, line reviews, training, and customer conversion efforts.
• Lead editorial visits and interviews, trade shows, and industry events to promote the category.
• Create and lead engaging presentations for internal and external audiences at all levels that clearly articulate product information, business strategy, data, and insights.
• Develop relationships with customers, sales, new product development, and other stakeholders that contribute to new product and business ideas.

Skills

Product management

Data analysis

Excel

Data visualization

AI tools

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

AI tools

Data visualization tools

Forecasting tools

Job description

Kohler Co. is seeking an experienced Product Manager to lead a category within the Category Strategy organization.

You will own the strategic direction, define the roadmap, and drive the commercial outcomes, collaborating with sourcing, engineering, design, channel marketing, sales, and finance to bring Kohler's signature design and luxury to life. The ideal candidate has 5+ years in product management or related roles, strong analytical and presentation skills, and a proven ability to deliver