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Dart Container · 5 hours ago

Product Manager (multiple levels) - Consumer Products

Mason, MI

Full-time

Onsite

Mid, Senior Level

2+ years exp

Dart Container is a family-owned company that specializes in manufacturing everyday products for food and drinks. They are seeking a Product Manager who will manage product lines within the Consumer Products Business Team, focusing on business strategy, execution, and profitability, while also collaborating cross-functionally to drive product innovation and lifecycle management.

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Responsibilities

Proactively manage a portfolio of products, and plan and drive growth through revenue and profit building blocks

Assist his/her leadership to develop and implement multi-year and annual strategies for the assigned product lines through close collaboration with other functions

Collaborate with his/her leadership and Commercial Finance to create annual financial goals and budgets including revenue, gross margin, COGS, price and portfolio mix aligned to strategic priorities

Support his/her leadership in developing and implementing pricing strategy for the assigned product lines and recommend/participate in pricing decisions

Assist and potentially lead (assuming project Sponsor role) cross-functional efforts to discover and execute cost-reduction initiatives that do not negatively impact the customer/consumer experience

Lead all aspects of product life-cycle management for assigned products including the product portfolio strategy, product management, pricing guidelines, product development, product enhancements, and SKU optimization

Identify and then champion and commercialize, through collaboration with other functions, new product development and innovation projects. As needed, assume Sponsor role to ensure projects deliver the predicted business benefits

Develop a deep understanding of our customers and markets, and use these insights to develop, and drive successful implementation of strategies

In collaboration with his/her PLM/Director/VP, partner with Sales to drive relationships with key customers and provide direction on product line focus areas to maximize sales and profitability

Collaborate with Marketing and Sales on product-line marketing including brand strategy, brand standards, channel marketing messaging, and brand activation to achieve desired customer outcomes and financial results

Assist Business Team leadership in building a robust business case to support innovation and capacity expansion efforts within assigned product lines

Collaborate with other business units where needed to ensure the best overall outcome for the business

Continually challenge team to make logical, data-driven decisions incorporating company policies, procedures and philosophies

Model/promote a culture of accountability within the Business team and throughout the organization

Work cross-functionally to develop and execute annual and multi-year product strategies across assigned product portfolio, resulting in year-over-year margin-enhancing revenue growth and cost improvements, while supporting excellent service and quality. Strategies should balance long- and short-term goals to drive results and maximize impact

Assume P&L ownership for assigned product lines and proactively monitor revenue, cost, and profitability metrics to identify opportunities and address risks early

Collaborate with leadership and Finance to develop annual financial goals and deliver results which drive sustainable business growth

Develop and execute pricing strategy and participate in key customer-specific pricing decisions which lead to profitable and expanded market share growth

Align COGS and portfolio mix to strategic priorities, contributing to a reduction in operating costs, by supporting and potentially leading cross-functional efforts to discover and execute cost-reduction initiatives that do not negatively impact the customer/consumer experience

Proactively lead all aspects of product life-cycle management for assigned products, including the product portfolio strategy, product management, pricing guidelines, product development, product enhancements, SKU optimization, and obsolescence

Develop, prioritize, and maintain a robust new product pipeline for assigned product lines to ensure future success and our continuing ability to meet evolving customer needs

Build robust business cases to support efforts, and then champion and commercialize, through collaboration with other functions, these new products. Assume Sponsor role to ensure projects deliver the predicted business benefits, on time and within budget

Develop a deep understanding of our customers, competitors, and markets by diligently listening to customer needs and gathering comprehensive market insights and competitive product knowledge, and use these insights to develop successful strategies to grow the business profitably

Develop a deep understanding of the manufacturing processes and specific manufacturing locations applicable to assigned product lines

Proactively monitor and manage service levels for assigned product lines and, where applicable, urgently address issues to minimize customer impact. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify root causes, implement corrective actions, and communicate details to manage customer expectations

Partner with Sales to build and drive relationships with large customers and provide direction on product line focus areas to maximize sales and profitability. Engage directly with large customers to understand their business needs and align Dart’s product strategy/roadmap with customer objectives to drive profitable growth

Ensure product quality meets or exceeds customer expectations for assigned product lines by proactively monitoring trends, supporting specification development and adjustment, working cross-functionally to address large customer and/or market-wide quality issues, and using insights to make product changes to drive profitable growth and/or reduce cost

Collaborate closely with Sales and Supply Chain Management on demand planning and forecasting to achieve desired financial and customer outcomes (e.g. minimize excess inventory and maximize fill rates for key product lines). Further, proactively monitor capacity utilization and asset health and anticipate future demand for assigned product lines to make data-driven capacity expansion recommendations where applicable

Qualification

Product lifecycle managementP&L ownershipFinancial analysisStrategic thinkingMarket insightsCustomer relationship managementSAP experienceCross-functional collaborationAnalytical skillsCustomer service focusProblem-solving skillsCommunication skillsOrganizational skillsAttention to detail

Required

Bachelor's Degree in Business or related field of study

Requires one of the following: Two (2) years of experience in a general business role supporting decision making in marketing or product management, or Experience successfully meeting performance expectations consistently in all job responsibilities and functions in an Associate Product Manager position

Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills

Ability to blend creative problem solving with data driven, analytical, financial (e.g. NPV, financial statements, DCF), and quantitative skills with a demonstrated ability to analyze complex problems with data, assumptions, and judgment using best practices and analysis to formulate solutions

Proven ability to drive change including the ability to influence all levels, streamline processes, integrate, and associate pieces of information gathered from multiple sources

Ability to recognize and solve challenges and implement solutions

Ability to operate with sense of urgency and focus on providing exceptionally reliable customer service

Organizational skills including the ability to prioritize workload to meet deadlines

Solid knowledge of and experience working with financial concepts such as ROI, net present value, and other related analysis methods

Ability to be composed, adapt, and effectively manage tasks and projects in a dynamic, fast-paced, customer-focused work environment characterized by rapid change, minimal lead times, and multiple competing priorities while meeting all assigned deadlines

Excellent verbal and written communication skills in order to clearly communicate intricate job-related processes that ultimately affect decision making

Strong attention to detail and accuracy

Ability to be assertive, show initiative, demonstrate personal accountability, take ownership of work, and apply learned concepts

Ability to tactfully resolve problems and provide feedback

Ability to think strategically and for the long term

Experience using Microsoft Office, including the ability to create reports, documents, presentations and spreadsheets, in MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint

Ability to maintain confidentiality on sensitive issues

Bachelor's degree with an emphasis in business, engineering, packaging, or related field of study

Requires one of the following: Five (5) years of experience in product management or a closely related role, or Experience successfully meeting performance expectations consistently in all job responsibilities and functions in a Dart Product Manager position

Demonstrated experience managing product lines and delivering results by proactively driving year over year, top and bottom-line growth

Experience in applying a strategic mindset to P&L ownership, product roadmap development, innovation, portfolio optimization, and all aspects of product lifecycle management

Experience as a successful champion of customer satisfaction through aligning product development, pricing, and portfolio decisions with market needs

Ability to maintain a strong focus on delivering value through reliable service, quality standards, and responsiveness to evolving customer expectations to enhance outcomes

Strong strategic and critical thinking along with the ability to blend creative problem solving with data driven, analytical, financial, and quantitative skills to analyze complex challenges, synthesize insights from multiple sources, and implement effective long-term solutions

Proven ability to achieve results by fostering strong cross-functional collaboration and creating a motivational environment which encourages ownership

Ability to build trust and alignment across internal teams and external partners, influencing decision-making and driving consensus, accountability, and continuous improvement at all organizational levels

Ability to operate with a strong sense of urgency and focus on providing exceptionally reliable customer service

Skilled in the interpretation of financial models and analysis (NPV, ROI, DCF), budgets, and financial statements to support data-driven decision-making

Ability to communicate complex product strategies and financial insights with clarity and confidence

Ability to maintain confidentiality on sensitive issues