Farm Tools & Supplies Senior Product Manager
Onsite - Albion, Maine
Position Summary:
The Farm Tools & Supplies Senior Product Manager plays a pivotal role in shaping, developing, and optimizing Johnny's agricultural tools and supplies portfolio. This position bridges technical product expertise with business strategy, ensuring Johnny's delivers high-quality, cost-effective, grower-centric tools that support small-scale, organic, and market growers.
The Senior Product Manager is responsible for bringing superior farming tools and supplies to the market and advancing Johnny's current product lines. You will own financial performance of the portfolio, product line strategy, advanced product development, vendor collaboration, and cross-functional alignment of internal teams to deliver high-quality, cost-effective solutions that meet the needs of small-scale, organic, and market growers. You will serve as the internal and external spokesperson for the product line. Once established in this role it may be hybrid with 2 days remote and 3 days in office, onsite in Albion ME.
Business Performance:
- Responsible for achieving performance goals for the product category.
- Setting and delivering to multi-year and annual cost, pricing, and profit margin performance targets. Controlling revenue, costs, and expenses to maximize profitability.
- Provide leadership with data-driven insights.
- Prepare materials for business reviews and planning
Product Line Strategy & Market Insight:
- Develop and maintain a multi-year product line strategy aligned with customer needs, competitive insights, and JSS growth objectives.
- Conduct ongoing market trend assessments, engage with grower communities, and identify high-impact opportunities for portfolio expansion.
- Lead and ensure Johnny's representation at industry trade events, grower conferences, and university education/research.
- Set multi-year and annual product sales goals and new product introduction goals.
- Recommend pricing strategies that support margin goals and customer value.
- Evaluate product performance metrics and provide strategic recommendations.
Advanced Product Development:
- Lead end-to-end development for new tools and supplies: concepting, prototyping, field testing, validation, and launch.
- Establish manufacturing relationships with fabrication shops to ensure a steady supply of tools that meet Johnny's product standards.
- Recommend design improvement modifications to existing products.
- Collaborate with Engineering, R&D, and farm operations to ensure products meet quality and usability standards.
- Manage technical specifications, testing protocols, and product documentation.
Portfolio & Lifecycle Management:
- Oversee product lifecycle from introduction through discontinuation.
- Conduct regular portfolio reviews to prioritize high-margin, high-growth opportunities.
- Recommend SKU rationalization or retirement.
- Partner with Purchasing and Planning on inventory availability (forecasting, mitigate supply risks, optimize working capital inventory)
Vendor & Supplier Strategy:
- Identify and cultivate relationships with suppliers, fabricators, and design partners.
- Identify suppliers with the best-in-class products to bring into our trialing program and product offering.
- Negotiate with suppliers to develop dealer agreements, exclusive product agreements, cooperative design, and production agreements.
- Build and strengthen our network of domestic and international production partners to source innovative, superior quality products
- Evaluate the most cost effective inbound and outbound shipping methods for products.
Cross-Functional Leadership & Go-to-Market Enablement:
- Lead and manage the Tools & Supplies product team.
- Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Customer Care, Operations and Quality & Regulatory Affairs, to develop product messaging, and coordinate product launch plans.
- Prepare technical and customer product information for Sales, Marketing, and Customer Support.
- Work directly with the Marketing team on product presentations, promotions, and annual catalog prep.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Product Design, Mechanical Engineering, Agriculture, Horticulture, Industrial Design, Business, or related field.
- 4-7 years of related product management or product leadership experience.
- Strong analytical, decision-making, and project management skills.
- Demonstrated ability to translate customer needs into product solutions.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Passion for sustainable agriculture or small-scale farming.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Familiarity with tools used in greenhouse, field, and market farm environments.
- Experience with prototyping, CAD, or field testing.
- Experience with supplier negotiations or product agreements.
- Experience working on a farm or in field-trial environments.
Physical Requirements:
- Ability to move, test, and evaluate tools and equipment.
- Ability to navigate farm environments.
- Ability to sit for prolonged periods and lift 50 lbs. occasionally.
Benefits:
- Health/Dental/Vision Insurance
- Employee Stock Ownership Plan & Profit Sharing
- 401(k)
- Employee Discount
- Paid Parental Leave
- Company-Paid Life, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Voluntary Life Insurance & Pet Insurance
- Paid Time Off
- Tuition Reimbursement
