Kimball International · 5 hours ago
Category Team Manager- Jasper, IN
Jasper, IN
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
3+ years expKimball International is seeking a Category Team Manager who will be responsible for owning an identified product category with a focus on new product development and overall category management. The role includes managing a team of Category Managers and collaborating with various departments to ensure successful product commercialization and strategy alignment.
Building MaterialFurnitureInterior DesignManufacturing
Hiring Manager
Erin Altman
Responsibilities
Manage, Coach and mentor Category Manager(s) and/or Product Specialists
Resource Allocation of Category Managers to support the Product Team Projects
Partner with Director of Product Strategy on product roadmap and commercialization activities for new and existing products
Provide inputs to the development and management of the multi brand three-year product roadmap
Create strategy for identified product category(s) that align with organizational strategies
Partner with brand marketing to ensure commercialization activities are identified and activated on new product launches and ongoing activities to increase sales
Responsible for overall category marginal profit
Partner and collaborate with internal and/or outside design firms for new product development projects
Participates in and observes consumer research that links research findings into product innovation within projects
Lead cross functional team to execution of identified projects utilizing the product development process
Partner with engineering, sourcing, operations and insights and design team on product development projects
Own and provide competitive intelligence to internal/external sales team on identified product categories
Establishes recommended pricing and sales projections forecast on identified product category development projects
Ensure product development projects meet margin expectations of organization
Must adhere to the guidelines set by the Regulatory, Safety & Compliance Committee
Ensure the Dfe is followed within the product development process
Partner with Training Manager and Brand Marketing to identify and develop training materials for field sales/internal and customer on product development projects
Participate and deliver new product training
Responsible for ensuring product accuracy on marketing materials
Collaborate with Existing Category Manager on lifecycle management of identified category ownership
Participates and supports PMO office in value engineering projects within identified category responsibility
Participate in product presentations to customer, designers and internal teams
Identify and manage within project budget forecast
As needed, travel to support new product development initiatives
Qualification
Required
The ideal candidate will be located near Jasper, IN and work primarily from our headquarters (1600 Royal Street, Jasper, IN 47546)
Manage, Coach and mentor Category Manager(s) and/or Product Specialists
Resource Allocation of Category Managers to support the Product Team Projects
Partner with Director of Product Strategy on product roadmap and commercialization activities for new and existing products
Provide inputs to the development and management of the multi brand three-year product roadmap
Create strategy for identified product category(s) that align with organizational strategies
Partner with brand marketing to ensure commercialization activities are identified and activated on new product launches and ongoing activities to increase sales
Responsible for overall category marginal profit
Partner and collaborate with internal and/or outside design firms for new product development projects
Participates in and observes consumer research that links research findings into product innovation within projects
Lead cross functional team to execution of identified projects utilizing the product development process
Partner with engineering, sourcing, operations and insights and design team on product development projects
Own and provide competitive intelligence to internal/external sales team on identified product categories
Establishes recommended pricing and sales projections forecast on identified product category development projects
Ensure product development projects meet margin expectations of organization
Must adhere to the guidelines set by the Regulatory, Safety & Compliance Committee
Ensure the Dfe is followed within the product development process
Partner with Training Manager and Brand Marketing to identify and develop training materials for field sales/internal and customer on product development projects
Participate and deliver new product training
Responsible for ensuring product accuracy on marketing materials
Collaborate with Existing Category Manager on lifecycle management of identified category ownership
Participates and supports PMO office in value engineering projects within identified category responsibility
Participate in product presentations to customer, designers and internal teams
Identify and manage within project budget forecast
As needed, travel to support new product development initiatives
Self-motivated
Exceptional organizational skills
Trust-worthy
People Skills
Create team unity with diverse personalities
Ability to give constructive feedback when needed
Relationship builder
Ability to communicate with all levels within the organization
Ability to present from small to large settings
Ability to present via face to face or virtually
Ability to develop team for succession planning
Be a leader by example
Take initiative
Continuous improvement mentality
Knowledge of the PDP Process
Must be able to see the broader scope and think outside of the box
Ability to work with a cross-functional team
Extensive market knowledge
Ability and willingness to take risks
Ability to make decisions quickly and proficiently
Must be proficient in Microsoft Office applications
3-5 years experience working in the furniture industry, preferred
Experience successfully managing and/or working with a cross functional team of individuals
Bachelor's degree preferred or sufficient work experience
Preferred
3-5 years experience working in the furniture industry, preferred
Bachelor's degree preferred or sufficient work experience
Company
Kimball International
Kimball International is a commercial furnishings company.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Bob Schneider
Retired Chairman & CEO
Jessica Barrios
Education Sales Manager & Strategic Partnerships
Recent News
The Business Journal
2025-10-31
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