Product Manager

JOB PURPOSE:

The Product Manager is responsible for the broad set of strategic activities involved in developing and managing a winning product portfolio in their assigned product line(s) while also laying out the pricing and GTM strategy across the organization. This position will develop brand strategy, new product innovation roadmaps, and other initiatives to create sustainable competitive advantage and profitable growth at 10%+ CAGR or 3X market growth (whichever is greater). This position is part of the Product Management team and works in close collaboration with the Product Operations and Project Management functions within that team. This position reports to Director, Product Management (Platform). Our hybrid work environment includes two (2) remote days/week.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Subject Matter Expert on assigned product line(s), with deep understanding of the product, chemistry, users, customer requirements and emerging trends

Drive Strategic Planning Process

• Create the 3-to-5-year strategic product plan that translates into actionable 0-2 year functional, business and marketing plans
• Assist sales and finance functions with annual budget processes
• Perform strategic periodic reviews of the product line analyzing it from a financial, market, competitor and user perspective
• Identify initiatives for revenue growth and margin expansion for the product line(s)
• Coordinate a cross functional team to select initiatives based on P&L impact and financial investment to build into the platform’s 1–3 year action plan

Product Portfolio Management & New Product Development

• Create and manage a competitive winning product portfolio for the product line(s)
• Establish holistic innovation plans to create sustaining and breakthrough new product development. Identify opportunities for growth ideas based on user insight, market opportunities, trends and ideas. Utilize a deep understanding of target audiences to ensure that new products and services solve real user problems and capture opportunities.
• Build business cases including market opportunity, investments, profitability and growth projections.
• Align across the organization with Sales, R&D, Operations, Marketing, etc.

GTM & Pricing Strategy

• Develop and execute a clear, compelling, aligned growth strategy to maximize the potential of Rust-Oleum, including identification of barriers to purchase, projects to be done, brand positioning, visual identity, product & portfolio excellence, and innovation
• Partner with cross-functional teams to develop multi-channel brand strategy and ensure optimal go to market strategy
• Provide strategic direction and influence to ensure brand strategies and plans are effectively executed to ensure delivery of brand plans
• Define Strategic Communications & Demand Generation needs for the product line(s) and help inform marketing channels used along with the size of the budget
• Collaborate with the Pricing team to create and maintain the pricing strategy for the product, aiming at maximizing profitability while staying market competitive

Product Line Branding & Value Proposition

• Drive commercialization and brand activation efforts working cross functionally with other Marketing departments, including Strategic Communications and Trade
• Work closely with Sales team to align Sales, Marketing and Customer strategies
• Direct and support user/market research & insights and competitive activity

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: 4-year BS degree in business or engineering, with an MBA being an advantage
• Experience: 5+ years of experience in product management and marketing functions as well as innovation/new product development; experience in consumer goods preferred
• A successful track record of driving net sales and profit growth
• An entrepreneurial mindset to quickly capitalize on market opportunities
• Insights-driven with the ability to take a spark of an idea and translate it to an unmet user need and/or market opportunity
• Analytic and strategic thinking skills, with ability to digest complex information and make data-driven decisions
• Strong financial skills to utilize the decision support systems to analyze multiple aspects of product line performance
• Leader with the ability to exert formal and informal influence across functions
• Passionate problem solver and creative thinker, with ability to pitch new ideas and be open to feedback
• Dynamic and agile; ability to think in a creative and strategic way but are adept at delivering operationally to ensure tasks are followed through to completion. Ability to work efficiently and flexibly to deliver results
• Strong decision making and prioritization skills, especially when multiple trade-offs are involved, and faster decision are required
• Empathy and good listening skills to understand the needs/pain points of your user/customers/ stakeholders
• Excellent ability to effectively facilitate requirement gathering/elicitation sessions with senior business leaders/ stakeholders

LEADERSHIP TRAITS

• Strategic Planning: Is proactive, forward-looking and can anticipate trends. Has vision and can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans.
• Change Management: Ability to adapt to change, anticipate future needs, is flexible, overcomes resistance to change, and demonstrates managerial courage.
• Problem Solving: Is able to understand and evaluate complex issues and devise and implement successful solutions. Is focused on results, can see hidden problems, and takes logical approach and probes fruitful sources for answers. Is proactive and decisive in nature.
• Communication: Has effective verbal communication and presentation skills, has effective writing abilities (clear and succinct), had executive presence, has active listening abilities, and can convey important or critical messages that have the desired effect.
• Collaboration: Identifies opportunities for shared resources, seeks partnerships, is a team player, and involves others. Builds commitment, fosters open dialogue, and supports diversity and input from all team members. Is open minded and transparent.
• Decision Making: Uses critical thinking skills, has a track record of making high quality decisions, does not hesitate when making decision, is confident, and is action oriented.
• Developing Others: Coaches others and nurtures emerging leaders. Is a keen listener, provides challenging/stretch assignments, encourages development, confronts and deals with. performance issues effectively and delegates tasks effectively in order to develop others.
• Judgment: Adopts strategic, analytical and carefully weighted decision-making process in the evaluations of alternative scenarios.
• Financial Acumen: Has demonstrated financial acumen, can successfully budget and forecast, and understands cost implications of decisions.
• Integrity & Commitment: Demonstrates integrity, has commitment, shows moral courage, demonstrates emotional intelligence, is values-driven, respects the Company culture, and demonstrates responsible entrepreneurship. Has a can-do attitude and the desire to go above and beyond.

Rust-Oleum is an equal opportunity employer. Employment selection and related decisions are made without regard to sex, race, age, disability, religion, national origin, color, or any other protected class

Rust-Oleum Corporation