Product (Category) Manager - Commercial Ice

• We are seeking a results-oriented Product Manager – Commercial Ice to lead the performance, growth, and long-term vision of our Commercial Ice portfolio. This role is ideal for a leader who excels in translating insights into actionable strategies and who thrives at driving cross-functional execution to deliver business results.

• This individual will identify product, service, and customer experience innovations aligned with business objectives, define category-level strategies, and oversee end-to-end execution—from opportunity identification and product development to go-to-market (GTM) rollout and in-market optimization. The leader will not only focus on identifying new opportunities and getting those to market but also ensuring the success of the products that are launched, analyzing results and outputs, and adjusting strategies and GTM to ensure success of the category and the products within the category.

• As the category owner, this person will report to the Director of Category Management, and work closely with leaders and executives across Product, Sales, Marketing, Customer Care, Service, Supply Chain, and IT to deliver sustainable growth and exceptional customer outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Development

• Lead the assessment and identification of new business opportunities across different verticals and channels, focusing on innovative product solutions and user experience enhancements by collecting feedback from customers, prospects, and internal stakeholders.
• Develop comprehensive GTM strategies with business owners and execution plans for product development, positioning, and market entry, collaborating with the VP of Product Marketing and other senior leaders to align on goals and execution.
• Communicate category vision and priorities clearly across the organization to ensure alignment and execution.
• Understand product use cases, customer journeys, business applicability, and impact of each use case, working closely with other Product, Direct and Indirect Sales, Product Management, Care, and Service leaders, as well as our customers.
• Understand Culligan Quench’s products, services, capabilities, and technology to identify our Right to Win and develop optimal solutions tailored to each market segment.
• Define product/solution requirements and roadmaps in combination with business owners including things as feasibility, effort, financial impact (revenue / cost savings) and strategic value.
• Maintain a clear understanding of the competitive landscape, identifying opportunities to differentiate and defend category position.

Operational Management

• Manage entirety of category performance monitoring, identifying key drivers of revenue, margin, and customer satisfaction. Adjust strategy and execution as needed.
• Assist in the general management of the category post-GTM strategy development, contributing to strategic decisions and supporting initiatives that impact category performance and profitability.
• Lead cross-functional teams to ensure seamless and effective market introduction of new products and ongoing management of the Commercial Ice category. This includes driving initiatives across Product, Sales, Marketing, Customer Care, Service, Supply Chain, and IT.

Leadership and Collaboration

• Act as the category’s central point of leadership, owning success of the category and ensuring alignment and accountability across all business functions and customer-facing teams.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for all stakeholders involved in the category management process, from internal teams to external partners and customers.
• Champion a culture of success and continuous improvement, fostering an environment of collaboration and innovation.
• Celebrate team achievements and facilitate shared accountability in the delivery of project outcomes.

Qualifications:

Experience:

• 5 years of experience in Product Management or a related role, preferably in commercial equipment, HVAC, or food service industries
• Demonstrated ability to manage full P&L responsibilities, including budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and driving profitability.
• Proven success leading complex, cross-functional product/program launches, ideally in product-driven consumer or industrial sectors.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree; MBA, advanced degree, or equivalent experience preferred.

Skills:

• Analytical skills and a value-oriented mindset to effectively manage a category strategy and GTM plan.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a proven track record of influencing business or marketing strategies through competitive analysis, market awareness, and product positioning.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication, able to align, influence, and drive execution across cross-functional teams.