Associate Product Manager- Mirrors & Mirrored CabinetsWork Mode: Onsite
Location: Onsite - Kohler, WI
OpportunityThe Associate Product Manager is the first level of product ownership. In this role you will move from informing decisions to making them, taking accountability for the strategy, roadmap, and commercial results of an assigned sub-category or product line. You will define what we build, why it matters to the customer, and how it earns its place in the portfolio.
This is a highly cross-functional role where you will sit at the center of product creation-partnering with sourcing, supply chain, engineering, industrial design, channel marketing, sales, and finance to turn customer insight into products that elevate everyday experiences for consumers. The work you lead will bring Kohler's legacy of design, innovation, and luxury to life, shaping products that feel distinctive, meaningful, and desirable in the home while strengthening our ability to win in the market.
The ideal candidate leads with curiosity and creative thinking, displays initiative to find solutions, works effectively with all levels of the organization, and sets a strong example through work product, energy, attitude, and technical skill.
What You'll Do Product Ownership and Strategy - Own the strategy, roadmap, and business results for an assigned sub-category or product line, and tie every scope decision back to the broader category strategy.
- Write clear, complete product scopes that define customer requirements, specifications, price positioning, and cost targets.
- Identify and prioritize customer and market needs, and translate them into a prioritized pipeline of new product opportunities.
- Contribute to the five-year product and innovation roadmap for the category, owning the portion tied to your product area.
- Proactively manage the assigned portfolio through its full lifecycle, including line extensions, running changes, and discontinuations.
- Write and submit the documentation required to initiate new product efforts and secure funding.
New Product Development - Lead assigned new product development projects from concept through launch, holding the team to scope, timing, cost, and quality targets.
- Partner with engineering, industrial design, sourcing, and operations to ensure products meet their design, cost, and manufacturability targets and are delivered on time.
- Provide voice of the customer input throughout the development process, and make the trade-off calls when customer needs, cost, and feasibility conflict.
- Ensure robust go-to-market execution for your launches, working with Channel Marketing and Sales on positioning, pricing, merchandising, and launch readiness.
- Act as the focal point for resolution of product issues within your area, including quality, cost, warranty, and performance.
Business and Financial Performance - Accountable for the sales, margin, and vitality performance of your assigned product area, and for explaining variances and the actions to close them.
- Build the business case for new products, including volume, pricing, cost, and investment assumptions, and defend it through the approval process.
- Model the interdependent relationships between items in the portfolio and understand how product decisions ripple into demand, supply, and inventory.
- Partner with Category Analysts on forecast assumptions, pricing actions, and inventory positioning for your product area, and own the resulting decisions.
Customer, Market and Competitive Insight - Develop a complete understanding of the customer and competitive landscape, including innovation, products, pricing, market trends, and share position.
- Use consumer insights tools and research methods, and incorporate what you learn into scoping and roadmap decisions.
- Build relationships with customers, sales partners, and cross-functional stakeholders that generate new product and business ideas.
- Create and deliver engaging presentations that clearly articulate product information, business strategy, data, and insights to internal and external audiences.
- Support key customer presentations, line reviews, trade shows, and industry events for your product area.
Skills/RequirementsWhat You'll Bring - Bachelor's degree in any field.
- 4+ years of experience in product management, category management, marketing, or a closely related commercial role, with strong analytical and presentation skills.
- Demonstrated ability to own a scope of work end to end, make decisions with incomplete information, and deliver results against committed objectives.
- Proficiency in Excel and data visualization tools as well as AI tools.
- Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence across functions and levels of the organization.
- Hands-on, detail oriented, energetic, and results-driven, with curiosity, initiative, and accountability for outcomes.
- Experience leading new product development projects or commercialization efforts preferred.
- Experience with omni-channel product development or marketing preferred.
- Working knowledge of manufacturing, forecasting, production planning, pricing, and category business management preferred.
Travel - Approximately 10% - 20% annually, including travel to Kohler manufacturing locations, customers, trade shows, and the market.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.We believe in supporting you from the moment you join us, which is why Kohler offers day 1 benefits. This means you'll have access to your applicable benefit programs from your first day on the job, with no waiting period. The salary range for this position is $94,350 - $145,350. The specific salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors including the candidate's experience, their education, and the work location. In addition, this position is eligible for a performance bonus/variable incentive compensation.
