Position Overview:The Category Manager is a hybrid position, requiring the candidate to be in the office 2-3 days a week. The specific number of hours in the office will depend on ongoing projects, team meetings, and necessary sample reviews or shipping requirements.
Essential Job Functions:New Product Development
- Attend kick-off meetings with teams to understand product briefs and goals for the customer.
- Owner of the entire lifecycle of the product, --keeping an eye on identified key features throughout the entire process and providing value-add feedback to Sales, Design and ENG teams.
- Manage the development process through Asana product management tool
- Lead weekly Private Label status meetings (2-3 a week)
- Address/callout product features/functionality that you foresee hitting potential roadblocks and how we can proactively address based on supplier capability, cost, etc.
- Own costing
- Help facilitate conversations between Engineers and Merchandisers/Engineers/Factory where necessary
- Compile all necessary documentation to send to Merchandisers/Vendor to ensure product development runs smoothly with expectations set forth upon initial request for development.
- Communicate with Merchandisers/Vendors throughout development (weekly calls, email) to ensure that expectations for execution are being met by the suppliers
- Initiate CMF for all products
- Reviews sampling alongside Engineer to align on feedback to merchandiser/vendor and the customer
- Product expert --If/when issues arise, identify options to push sample/project forward
- Proactively addresses quality concerns with Compliance Lead and Quality Engineer to ensure that insights are gathered.
- Partner closely with DSM/PM's/ Product Q&C on projects as timelines are typically accelerated
- Item Setup and data base management
- Coordinate between sales and demand planning to ensure POs are written in a timely manner
- Proactively engage with sales team if delays are occurring with development/fulfillment, so there is time to approach the customer
- Complete customer specific forms (varies by account) with all relevant product information
- Field/respond to customer service questions from customers.
- Maintains product inventory in office
- Manages all sample shipments to customer, printer, vendor, etc...
- Takes photos, for own records and store/email accordingly, and save/email tracking information to recipients.
Packaging
- Acts as the main point of contact for Sales/Graphics and Printers/Vendors
- Discusses packaging type early on in product development cycle to kickoff die line development
- Coordinate shipment of physical product to the printer for dieline creation. Share dieline to Sales Team or Graphic Designer for packaging artwork creation
- Obtain initial quotes and own costing through packaging development.
- Supports Compliance Associate to track Drop-Test Confirmation and product testing, assists factory as needed with failures
- Own sending print proof samples to customer or vendors, and review product fit.
- Reviews Product related information on packaging routing before sending to supplier for proofs
RequirementsEducation: Bachelor's degree required.
Experience:
2-4 years of experience in product management, category management, merchandising,
sourcing, or related field.
Skills and Abilities:- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent organizational and time-management abilities.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
- Effective communication and presentation skills.
- Detail-oriented with the ability to understand both detailed information and overall
business objectives.
Preferred Experience:- Basic understanding of product development and production timelines.
- Experience working with large retail customers such as Walmart, Costco, Target, Williams-Sonoma is a plus.
- Familiarity with cost analysis and supplier coordination.
- Systems Knowledge:
Windows, MS Office, SAP, QlikView, PPM, Robohead, NPD (or similar tools).
Salary Range: $80,000 - $84,000
Location: Seattle/Hybrid
