Product Manager
Posted by LifeStraw on 07/07/2021
Job Basics
Industry Sector: Lifestyle
Job Categories: Product Analyst
Company Type: HardGoods/Equipment
State: MD
City: Baltimore
Country: United States
Required Experience: 3 - 5 years
Job Type: Full Time
Salary:
Required to Relocate: Yes
Required to Travel: Yes
Employee May Telecommute: Yes
Job Seeker Must Live Within: 50+ miles
Job Description & Requirements
About Us
At LifeStraw, we believe everyone deserves equitable access to safe drinking water. We design beautiful, simple, and functional products that provide the highest protection from unsafe water based on where and how they will be used. We also take our responsibility to people and planet seriously. For every product sold, a child in need receives access to safe water for an entire year. We have been partners in the fight for the eradication of Guinea worm for 25 years, and we actively respond to emergencies across the globe. We are Climate Neutral Certified and from product to packaging, we measure and minimize our environmental impact. We strive to support underrepresented communities through our actions, our products, our marketing, and our communications. We live, work, and create with impact in mind. We fight for good and always err on the side of action.
Position Summary
The Product Manager is a core member of the LifeStraw’s product management and development team acting as the bridge from product idea to go to market initiatives and beyond. Constantly reviewing the product line, its details and its strategy while working with nearly every department in the organization, domestically and internationally, as well as external partners. Managing the product line with the consumer always in focus while pushing the envelope of what is possible for the best product performance and user experience.
This position will be based in Baltimore, Maryland and report to the Head/VP of Product Management.
Key Responsibilities
Manage and execute category product roadmap to achieve the strategic vision and 5 year business plan for the category:
- Define the key product development projects to drive growth and market position in the category.
- Manage the product lifecycle from concept and scope to sunset driving product development project schedules from kickoff to shipping, collaborating closely with engineering, design, sales, and marketing teams.
- Build go-to-market strategy for new products consolidating cross functional input from engineering, sales, marketing, and supply chain.
- Build and manage market landscape including consumer needs, competition, product pricing and positioning with a focus on user experience.
- Conduct detailed consumer research and market analysis to determine category growth opportunities and areas for product innovation to help create successful and compelling products.
- Manage communication and schedule with designers and global suppliers to meet budget and launch schedules.
- Manage alpha and beta testing, consolidating feedback and consumer insights to help inform existing and future products, building and presenting data-driven recommendations to the cross functional team.
Driving business growth and profitability:
- Grow the category by adding new products to the category line and refreshing existing products to provide a well-rounded assortment at retail managing product line pricing, costing, and margins supporting a business plan that incorporates targets and forecasts.
- Continually monitor mature business to maintain sales volume and protect the business by refreshing product, packaging, and vendor moves to maintain profitability.
- Strategically develop channel segmentation opportunities through new product development to grow distribution in new and existing channels.
Key Competencies
- Ability to work with multiple and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to work across multiple time-zones and global teams.
- Excellent communication skills, self-motivated, accountable and ability to handle multiple priorities.
- Confident self-starter with competitive drive, initiative, decisiveness, and the ability to stay focused on results despite changing conditions.
- Strong team player who drives results by securing the commitment and buy-in of others.
- Must be motivated and able to work with minimal supervision.
- Have a good sense of humor.
- Pro-active approach to problem solving and accountable.
- A high level of empathy and understanding.
- Strong customer service mind-set
Profiles
- Bachelor’s degree in related field
- Experience in all elements of the product development lifecycle
- Highly effective cross-functional team experience
- Previous experience delivering finely tuned product marketing strategies
- Exceptional writing and editing skills combined with strong presentation and public speaking skills
If you possess the above qualifications and the drive to meet the challenges, please send your resume/CV to jobs@lifestraw.com, including day-time telephone contact and names and email contacts of three references. We will only respond to electronic applications and to shortlisted applicants.
LifeStraw believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical to our success. We are an equal opportunity employer whose team works hard to build respect, dignity, and equity into everything we do. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented, driven, and entrepreneurial minded people from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
