Product Manager
Posted by Cheeky Fishing & Wingo Outdoors on 06/01/2022
Job Basics
Industry Sector: Outdoor
Job Categories: Management - Product -Brand
Company Type: Accessories, Apparel/SoftGoods, HardGoods/Equipment
State:
City:
Country:
Required Experience: 3 - 5 years
Job Type: Full Time
Salary:
Required to Relocate: No
Required to Travel: Yes
Employee May Telecommute: No
Job Seeker Must Live Within: Telecommute
Job Description & Requirements
Company
North Point Brands, LLC, DBA Cheeky Fishing & Wingo Outdoors
Position
Product Manager
Job Location
North Adams, Massachusetts. Willing to consider remote or hybrid opportunity for the right candidate.
Company Profile
Founded in 2009, Cheeky Fishing develops, manufactures, markets and sells high performance fishing reels and equipment. The company is a category innovator and dedicated to pushing the limits of product design to create fly fishing equipment that specifically aligns with the demands of a growing demographic of progressive anglers. To that end, the company launched a second brand in 2014, Wingo Outdoors, a manufacturer of accessories and pet products geared towards outdoor and fishing enthusiasts. Cheeky Fishing and Wingo Outdoors are co-located in North Adams, MA and run side-by-side under the parent entity North Point Brands. The Product Manager contributes to both brands.
Cheeky and Wingo currently distribute product on six continents through a robust dealer network of specialty fishing, outdoor and “big box” retailers, as well as an online direct-to-consumer platform. Our company culture values a professional and responsible “work hard, play hard” mentality and a relentless passion for business growth. If you can’t maintain a great attitude while contributing to the company’s growth in any way you can, this position is not for you.
For more information on Cheeky Fishing and Wingo Outdoors, please visit our websites at http://cheekyfishing.com/ and https://wingooutdoors.com/.
Job Description
North Point Brands is seeking a full-time Product Manager who will lead all product lines for the company’s two current brands. This position is a key position at the company; the right candidate will be charged with managing the product pipeline, including product development. The position is demanding and ideal for an individual who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial work environment and understands the importance of introducing new, innovative products in a small, fast-growing business.
A strong applicant will 1) have a track-record of leading product development for innovative outdoor products, 2) excel in vendor/supply-chain management, and 3) work well with full NPB team for on time, go-to-market product launches. It is critical that the individual is highly motivated, dedicated to their work, and detail oriented. The Product Manager will interface with all functions of the company including sales, marketing, and operations. The Product Manager will work closely with the company’s CEO, as well as the CMO, Director of Operations, and Director of Sales.
The right candidate will be willing to put the time in necessary to get the job done, including working some nights and weekends. Managing global supply-chain across many time zones means that evening work is required. Some international and domestic travel will also be required, particularly as it relates to vendor management and sourcing, but also trade shows and other industry events.
Job Responsibilities:
Product Pipeline Management
- Create, manage, and be accountable to the company’s product development pipeline for both brands. The Product Manager’s main focus is ensuring the company is continuously bringing innovative products to market that address customer needs and solve customer problems.
- Lead annual or bi-annual product ‘go-to-market’ campaigns by coordinating with sales, marketing, and operations for successful product launches.
- Through consumer research, market analysis, and customer feedback, manage product strategy across multiple categories. Identify and assess product opportunities in new categories.
- Liaise with internal team to lead ideation sessions and gather feedback on new product ideas and samples.
- Analyse margins, product costs, and landing fees to develop products with target pricing that is in line with company’s profitability and margin goals.
- Conduct annual line reviews to evaluate performance of all products and optimize SKU productivity and gross margins.
Sourcing and Supply-Chain
- Manage product-related communications with all vendors. The Product Manager is the main point of contact for the company’s vendors.
- Work with vendors to achieve best pricing, terms, and delivery in support of company goals. Coordinate on the same with our Director of Operations, who manages purchasing and inbound logistics.
- Create and manage a 5-year sourcing plan. Diversify risk by developing and managing redundant and/or contingency sourcing opportunities. This is a priority.
- Utilize industry knowledge and vendor relationships to effectively source product opportunities from new vendors around the world.
Product Development
- Actively pursue design, development, prototyping, sampling, pre-launch testing procedures, finalization of all new products for the company, and quality control for go-forward products.
- Create and manage product development timelines/calendars, including milestones, benchmarks and gates, to ensure all products are ready for seasonal launches. This includes managing the timeliness of all product samples in the development process.
- Engage with and manage product development firms, product engineers, and other external design and development resources when necessary.
- Assist in education efforts with the sales and marketing teams to ensure features and benefits are accurately communicated to customers.
Qualifications & Experience:
The Product Manager position requires approximately 2-5 years of product manager experience in the outdoor industry. The company prefers product management experience in general outdoors products as opposed to fishing specific products, although candidates with the latter are welcomed to apply.
If you are applying for this position, you are:
- Well versed in global supply chain
- Creative, analytical and consumer focused
- Keyed into product trends
- Persistent with follow through / have a strong completion principle
- Highly self-motivated with a track record of rolling up your sleeves to “get stuff done”
- Entrepreneurial and willing to think differently
- Extremely dedicated to your work and someone who takes pride in a job well done
- Passionate about the outdoors
Compensation:
This is a salaried position commensurate with experience and includes competitive benefits.
Application Instructions:
Please submit both a resume and cover letter using the link on this page. The company will review all applications promptly and interviews will take place on a rolling basis.
