Category Manager

Description

Pyramex Safety Products is a company that specializes in providing superior quality personal protective equipment (PPE). Pyramex is committed to delivering innovative safety solutions to businesses across the United States and internationally, serving industries that require reliable protection for their workers. Based in Piperton, Tennessee, Pyramex aims to hire talent that will serve with heart in order to build strong, trusted partnerships with customers providing unmatched service and customer care.

The Category Manager will play a critical role in driving our product strategy and lifecycle management. This role will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, sales, product development and supply chain, to create and optimize products that meet market needs and deliver lasting value to our customers.

Key Responsibilities:

Product Strategy:

• • Analyze market to identify market needs, trends, and opportunities for new products.
  • Work with Market Research Manager to define product strategies based on market insights, competitive analysis, and customer feedback.
  • Develop product roadmaps and prioritize features to meet end-user requirements and business objectives.

Product Development:

• • Partner with Product Development to introduce new products that meet quality standards, regulatory requirements and industry certifications.
  • Collaborate with Creative and Product Development for packaging design.
  • Coordinate with Product Development for samples supporting creative, promotional and sales efforts.

Product Launch and Distribution:

• • Work with Marketing and Creative to effectively plan product launches, defining unique selling propositions and target markets.
  • Monitor product performance metrics and gather customer feedback post-launch evaluations to continuously improve product offerings.

Product Lifecycle Management:

• • Work closely with product development teams to align product roadmaps with market needs and ensure timely development and launch of new products.

• • Assess product lifecycle stages, sales performance, and profitability metrics to make data-driven decisions on product enhancements, updates, or discontinuations.
  • Work with Supply Chain to forecast demand, optimize inventory levels, and minimize stockouts and overstock situations.
  • Integrate feedback from operations and warehouse teams into product design and packaging to address practical challenges and improve usability.
  • Collaborate with Marketing and Creative to develop effective product positioning strategies, messaging, and promotional campaigns aligned with market segmentation and customer personas.

• Product Knowledge and Training:

• • Conduct training sessions and workshops to educate sales and customer service teams about product features, benefits, and technical specifications.

• • Provide regular updates on product enhancements, new releases, and upcoming features to keep sales teams informed and prepared.

• Customer Feedback Loop:

• • Collect feedback from sales and customer service teams about customer needs and product performance to inform future product development.
  • Work with sales and customer service teams to address any product-related issues or concerns raised by customers, ensuring quick resolution and maintaining customer satisfaction.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 3-5 years professional experience in product/category management or equivalent required Experience in PPE preferred
• Bachelor's degree in a business-related field required
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (sales, marketing, purchasing, operations, and management) to drive product development.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Some domestic and international travel required (25%)

Skills and Attributes:

• Strategic Market Insight: Ability to analyze market trends, customer needs, and competitive data to define actionable product strategies, roadmaps, and positioning.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Expertise in working with sales, marketing, operations, and product development teams to drive product innovation, ensure effective launches, and align business objectives.
• Customer-Centric Focus: Passion for understanding end-user needs and behaviors to create products that deliver value, exceed expectations, and drive customer satisfaction.
• Project & Lifecycle Management: Strong project management skills to oversee the product lifecycle from conception to discontinuation, ensuring timely delivery, quality standards, and ongoing product improvements.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Proficient in using performance metrics, customer feedback, and sales data to inform product decisions, optimize inventory, and drive continuous product enhancement.