DescriptionThe Product Manager - Paper is accountable for driving growth, profitability, and share gains for Sabert's paper portfolio within the Foodservice business. In this role, you will develop and execute product and portfolio strategies, lead innovation, optimize the existing product line, and partner closely with Sales, Operations, Finance, and R&D to deliver differentiated solutions for business-to-business customers. You will act as the business owner for your categories, balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
What You Will Do (Day-to-Day)- Develop and own product line marketing plans, including portfolio strategy, positioning, value propositions, and differentiation for Sabert's paper foodservice packaging.
- Integrated marketing activities (launch plans, digital and print collateral, trade shows, product literature, sales tools, and customer-facing presentations) to support growth objectives.
- Serve as the go-to partner for Sales, providing category stories, customer decks, training, trend insights, competitive positioning, and problem-solving support for key accounts.
- Manage product line financials in partnership with Finance: support development of annual operating plans, track performance to targets, and recommend actions to improve volume, margin, and mix.
- Provide pricing strategy and trade investment recommendations, including list price changes, corridor management, and promotional or program structures that support both growth and profitability.
- Oversee forecasting inputs for your portfolio and collaborate with Demand Planning and Supply Chain to support service, inventory health, and capacity decisions.
- Drive and support product line optimization including SKU rationalization, product line expansions, and good/better/best architecture to maximize portfolio productivity.
- Lead innovation projects from concept through commercialization in partnership with R&D, Operations, and Sales, including business cases, stage-gate deliverables, and launch execution.
- Continuously monitor market and competitive activity across channels (distributor, operator, national accounts, processor) and translate insights into actionable portfolio and pricing moves.
- Meet with customers and channel partners to understand needs, validate concepts, and position Sabert's value proposition versus key competitors.
- Identify and champion cost savings, productivity, and sustainability initiatives within the paper portfolio, balancing value, performance, and margin.
- Partner with Operations and Supply Chain on quality, service-level attainment, and issue resolution for paper packaging products.
What Makes Someone Successful In This Role- Acts as an owner of the business: comfortable making data-driven recommendations, trade-offs, and prioritization decisions.
- Balances strategic thinking with strong execution, moving seamlessly from long-term roadmap work to day-to-day issue resolution.
- Builds strong cross-functional relationships and can influence without direct authority across Sales, Operations, Finance, and R&D.
- Demonstrates deep curiosity about customers, end-users, and industry trends, and converts insights into practical actions.
- Communicates clearly and confidently with stakeholders at all levels, including commercial leaders and senior management.
Required Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or related field.
- 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in B2B marketing, product management, or category management, ideally in manufacturing, packaging, or adjacent industries.
- Proven experience managing product line P&Ls or equivalent financial ownership (pricing, mix, margin improvement, and investment decisions).
- Demonstrated track record of successful product development and product launches, from business case through commercialization.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word); experience with SAP or similar ERP/BI tools is a plus.
Preferred Experience- Experience in food packaging, paper packaging, foodservice disposables, or similar B2B industrial categories.
- Familiarity with sustainable materials, regulatory trends, and customer requirements related to packaging, waste reduction, and circularity.
Schedule & Work Environment- Full-time role scheduled for 40 hours per week.
- Core operating hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Hybrid work environment with 3 days onsite and 2 days remote, aligned with team and business needs.
