Category Manager- EPRO

Company: Creative Financial Staffing LLC
Location: Palatine
Posted on: June 16, 2022

Job Description:

Summary: This key member of the Product Development Team will be responsible for driving strategic, profitable growth within the companies fast growing product line. This highly-visible position is responsible for new product development planning, business and competitive analysis, consumer insights, and cross-functional team leadership. The potential candidate will be responsible for identifying trends, product, price point, sales opportunities and long-term business strategy plans and analysis, while leading strategic projects through a stage-gate development process. Strategic Growth:

• Deliver short and long-range business and financial (revenue and profit) goals
• Develop and execute 5-year category growth strategies. Establish and track key metrics across multiple projects reporting out to senior leadership regularly.
• Looking to expand past the current boundaries around Category and have the ability to "think outside of the box" when it comes to product development and go-to-market strategy to transform the user experience.
• Lead business case development for new product, category or channel concepts. Business analysis necessary to make fact-based go/no-go decisions.
• Partner with our global commercial leads to recommend and evaluate product pricing and quantify expected impact on volume and margins.
• Utilize market data analysis and sources to anticipate business trends and competitive activity to understand implications and make sound conclusions and recommendations.
• Assist with department budget development and management as needed. Team Leadership:
  • Partner with Research & Development to drive new product pipeline and regular product line/SKU review and decisions.
  • Work with Finance team lead to ensure project/program/category health considering revenue and profit goals.
  • Lead cross-functional business team to achieve strategic product objectives, and develop contingency plans and responses to changing marketplace conditions.
  • Lead new product launch partnering with the commercialization teams in the development and execution of detailed commercialization product plans.
  • Continuously improve cross-functional planning, team alignment, stage-gate development, and decision-making processes. Marketing Responsibilities:
    • Provide category direction to Marketing team and collaborate on development of go-to market plans.
    • Partner with consumer insights to plan and execute key research initiatives. Synthesize information from market and product research findings to develop insights that guide strategic and tactical plans.
    • Provide input on packaging strategy, branding, packaging change process and planning, claims and product descriptions in collaboration with Product and Marketing. Participate in merchandising and collateral development for point-of-purchase/impact at shelf. Skills:
      • Must be detail oriented but able to present the big picture to all levels of the organization
      • Influential in building positive partnerships with cross functional teams and senior management
      • Strong leadership, change management, and problem solving skills.
      • Excellent communication and presentation skills.
      • Creative, out-of-box thinker with high emotional intelligence
      • Must be able to handle multiple priorities in efficient manner Minimum Requirements and Qualifications:
        • Bachelor's Degree in consumer products or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience. MBA preferred
        • 7+ years of demonstrable successes in global consumer product marketing, brand or product management experience for branded products including cross-functional brand or product team leadership and business management.
        • Experience with advance concept development including IoT integration.
        • Demonstrates high business acumen and has substantive experience with, and, understanding of P&L management including management of a significant consumer brand with P&L responsibility
        • Demonstrated ability to think and act strategically with a general management orientation.
        • Cross-functional understanding and ability to achieve business results through strategic involvement of finance, operations, research & development, marketing, and operations.
        • Well developed leadership skills including the ability to inspire others, set direction/vision, drive innovation, get results through others, manage change, develop an organization/team, coach and develop across the team.
        • Business analysis and planning experience including sound judgment and decision-making. Exceptional analytical thinking skills including the ability to see trends, identify implications and use depth and breadth of experience to focus on what's important.

Keywords: Creative Financial Staffing LLC, Naperville , Category Manager- EPRO, Executive , Palatine, Illinois