Product Design Manager

Position Overview

Own the end-to-end success of assigned OEM product lines and their related non-OEM counterparts-from competitive research and design requirements to sourcing, pricing, merchandising, and lifecycle management. This role ensures the product portfolio is technically differentiated, cost-effective, and commercially competitive.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy & Competitive Analysis

• Define target customers, use cases, and competitive benchmarks
• Identify product differentiation across features, quality, cost, compliance, and sustainability

Product Lifecycle Management

• Drive full lifecycle strategy across product introduction, growth, and optimization phases
• Analyze product performance and user feedback to identify improvement opportunities
• Prioritize enhancements and guide cross-functional teams to increase adoption and long-term value

Design Ownership & Requirements

• Develop product requirements documents (PRDs) and specifications
• Manage design trade-offs and oversee prototype validation
• Collaborate with quality teams to meet performance and certification standards

Sourcing & Costing

• Partner with sourcing teams on supplier selection, RFQs, and cost negotiations
• Establish target cost and margin expectations
• Track purchase price variance (PPV) and landed cost drivers

Merchandising & Pricing

• Own pricing strategies and value positioning across channels and segments
• Guide packaging, product presentation, and assortment strategy with marketing teams

Lifecycle & Portfolio Management

• Manage product roadmaps, end-of-life (EOL), and refresh cycles
• Lead change management processes in coordination with commercialization teams
• Monitor performance metrics such as gross margin, inventory turns, returns, and warranty
• Optimize or phase out underperforming SKUs

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Profitability: Gross margin %, cost-to-target achievement, PPV
• Competitiveness: Win rate in target segments, pricing vs. competitors
• Quality & Reliability: Defect/return rates, warranty claims, compliance metrics
• Timeliness: On-time approvals and product launches within budget
• Lifecycle Health: SKU productivity, portfolio GMROI, successful EOL execution

Required Experience

• 6-10+ years in product management or product design, preferably with OEM or hardware products
• Experience with compliance, quality testing, and lifecycle processes (ECR/ECO)
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in PLM/ERP systems, roadmap tools, and Excel/BI tools
• Familiarity with CAD and Design for Excellence (DFx) principles
• Experience managing international suppliers
• Exposure to sustainability and regulatory frameworks

Education

• High school diploma required
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or related field preferred (or equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience)

Work Environment

• May require travel based on business needs
• Ability to work on a computer for extended periods

Core Skills

• Strong expertise in specification writing, cost modeling, and supplier collaboration
• Excellent cross-functional leadership and decision-making using data