Sr. Director of Product Management

Role: Sr. Director of Product Management (reports to CEO)

Comp: $125-150k + bonus/incentives

Team: 4 direct reports (mix of technical product engineers + market development managers)

Background we need: engineering + product management, entrepreneurial mindset (not big-corp), strong experience leading product lifecycle management, vendor/manufacturer partnerships, and product roadmaps

Travel: important - especially early on between HQ (WI) and our contract manufacturer in Lincoln, NE

Near-term priority: transitioning and relaunching one of our core solutions through U.S.-based contract manufacturing

Culture is huge for us. We need someone who thrives in a smaller-company environment, is excited to build and lead from the ground up, and can roll up their sleeves while coaching a team. We're looking for an entrepreneurial, go-getter type, not someone who needs layers of process or big-corporate infrastructure to be effective (we don't function that way).

Day to Day Responsibilities

Lead and mentor Technical Product Engineers and Market Development Managers, providing structure, prioritization, and direction.

Serve as the product voice across the organization, owning responsibilities historically managed by finance (part numbers, margins), operations (supplier relations), and sales (enablement, new product development (NPD) direction.

Define and execute product lifecycle management processes, including roadmap development, SKU rationalization, cost analysis, and product end-of-life decisions.

Partner with engineering and manufacturing to ensure successful product roadmap compliance and execution.

Work with Market Development Managers to develop and implement pricing strategies that are value-based, competitive, and margin-enhancing.

Coordinate with the Operations Team to facilitate the onboarding of new products, including setting up SKUs, creating and validating item records in the ERP/CRM system, collaborating with procurement to establish sourcing and lead times, and working with inventory control to ensure accurate stocking levels and timely product availability.

Collaborate with the Marketing Team to develop product literature, datasheets, website content, and promotional materials, ensuring accurate and timely distribution across digital and sales channels.

Support Sales Enablement by training sales teams on new product features, competitive positioning, pricing strategy, and key value propositions to drive adoption and revenue growth.

Conduct market and competitive analysis to guide product development priorities and support business cases.

Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to ensure alignment between product capabilities and market opportunities.

Travel occasionally to manufacturing partners, suppliers, customers and key partners.

Frequent travel is likely to build relationships and learn the business initially, with less travel over time.

Qualifications

Required: Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or related field.

Preferred: MBA or Master's in Engineering.

Experience

15+ years of progressive product management and/or business development leadership in a manufacturing company.

Direct experience with contract manufacturer/vendor partnerships, product lifecycle management, and technology transfer.

Proven ability to stand up cross-functional authority and consolidate product ownership.

Skills & Abilities

Leadership & Management

Entrepreneurial, builder mindset; thrives in small-company environments.

Strong leadership presence, able to coach both technical and market-facing reports.

Business & Financial Acumen

Skilled in market analysis, product road mapping, and value-based pricing.

Ability to interpret cost analysis, margin impact, and product lifecycle metrics.

Technical & Systems Knowledge

Familiarity with ERP/CRM systems (e.g., NetSuite, Salesforce) for SKU setup, inventory management, and pricing updates.

Understanding of DC power systems, batteries, and related electrical products (preferred).

Collaboration & Communication

Proven ability to work cross-functionally with Operations, Marketing, Sales, and Engineering teams.

Strong written and verbal communication skills for developing product literature, training materials, and stakeholder updates.

Marketing & Sales Support

Experience creating product collateral, website content, and datasheets in collaboration with marketing teams.

Ability to conduct sales training sessions and present product roadmaps to internal stakeholders and customers.

Strategic Thinking

Skilled in product roadmap planning, competitive analysis, and market positioning.

Able to balance short-term revenue opportunities with long-term product strategy.

Project Management & Organization

Strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple product initiatives simultaneously and deliver on time.