National Product Manager-Audio

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process. National Product Manager-Audio Full-time Regular Chicago, Bensenville, IL, US 5 days ago Requisition ID: 1110 Salary Range: $70,000.00 To $100,000.00 Annually Why this role exists (and why it is a good one) At Rentex, audio gear goes out show-ready and comes back cared for, and someone has to own that at national scale. The National Product Manager (Audio) is that person. You decide our best product choices, set the standard for how it is QC'd, packed, and repaired, and lead the Audio Product Coordinators who help make it happen every day. You are the audio voice in the room with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and leadership, and the person branches call when a signal path or an RF plan is not behaving. If you like turning a category into a system that just works, and building a team along the way, this is your seat. Where you fit (reporting and where this goes next) You report to theDirector of Innovation and Growth and lead the National Product Coordinators, Audio. This is the step up from the Coordinator role: a Coordinator who has shown real ownership of repairs, inventory readiness, and support is the natural candidate. From here, the path runs toward Sr. Product Manager, earned through results in category strategy, vendor management, capital planning, and team leadership. What you will own (Duties & Responsibilities) Own the audio roadmap: identify, evaluate, and select consoles, DSP, loudspeaker systems, wireless/RF, intercom, playback, networked audio, cabling, and accessories. Build the business case (TCO, utilization, market trends) and bring recommendations to leadership for capital planning and process improvements. Manage purchases and guide Purchasing, Inventory, and Operations on timelines and integration plans for new gear. Source new vendors, negotiate with existing ones, and manage service partner and RMA relationships so parts, pricing, and support are never the bottleneck. Set clear expectations for warranty and post-warranty repairs with vendors and internal teams. Own the national damaged equipment pipeline: set priorities with order requirements in mind and get assets back into circulation fast. Own QC standards and packaging and handling standards for every Audio SKU. Keep advanced spares and plans in place for high-risk SKUs; manage firmware baselines and obsolescence. Make sure new inventory is fully onboarded (asset IDs, kits, barcodes, photos, documentation, substitutions, accessories) before its first show. Team & training Lead the Audio Product Coordinator team: set priorities, coach, develop, and make sure they are working shoulder-to-shoulder with operations and QC teams. Own the training curriculum and lead sessions for branch QC managers, leads, and technicians on setup, signal flow, RF coordination, and common gotchas. Support & communication Be the audio subject matter expert for Sales and Operations and the escalation point for the 24/7 support system, including after-hours help for customers when needed. Provide curated, accurate product information to Sales and Marketing. Track utilization, failure modes, repair turnaround, and repair costs, and turn that into decisions. You vs. your Coordinators (who owns what) Short version: you own outcomes, standards, and decisions; your Coordinators own the day-to-day execution inside those standards. Here is where the line sits. Inventory readiness: You decide what we buy, where it lives, and when it retires. Coordinators run new inventory assimilation and keep substitutions and accessories current. Repairs: You set priorities, approve parts and vendor sourcing, and own the pipeline and its aging. Coordinators triage, allocate parts, coordinate RMAs, and write test and return-to-service notes. Quality control: You own the standards and pass/fail criteria. Coordinators write and maintain the individual QC guides to those standards and flag gaps back to you; you are final editor and approver of QC guides. Training and documentation: You are the subject matter expert. Identify and create training required to deploy new systems. Coordinators assist with product-level training and keep quick-start guides, signal flow diagrams, and firmware/known issues notes current. Support: You are the escalation point and own the outcome, including after-hours customer guidance. Branches handle the first touch, Coordinators handle first escalation and elevate when risk goes up. Vendors and purchasing: You own relationships, negotiation, purchasing recommendations, and warranty expectations. Coordinators source economical parts from approved suppliers and coordinate repairs and accessories with vendors. Communication: You represent Audio to leadership, Sales, Marketing, and branch management. Coordinators keep warehouse techs, sales support, and operations in the loop and keep tickets and chats current. What great looks like (Success Metrics) Uptime and reliability: repeat failures and repair time trend down through standardized processes, smart spares, and prioritized maintenance. Speed to ready: new SKUs are fully onboarded before first deployment, and the repair pipeline keeps moving. The right gear: purchases are backed by data and market insight and line up with what customers actually book. Vendor leverage: pricing, parts availability, and service improve because the relationships are strong. Support that lands: customer and branch issues get resolved fast, with strong first-contact resolution. Team excellence: Coordinators are gaining technical and process skill and taking on more ownership over time. Minimum Qualifications 5 - 7+ years in live events/equipment rental with a focus on professional audio. Demonstrated experience making purchasing/vendor decisions and setting technical standards. Advanced troubleshooting across live sound: digital consoles, DSP, networked audio (Dante), wireless microphone and RF coordination, intercom, and loudspeaker systems. Experience managing repair workflows, including parts allocation, RMA coordination, and return-to-service. Strong project management, communication, and written documentation skills. Comfortable with inventory/repair systems and Microsoft 365. Preferred Experience leading a team with broad scale. Relevant certifications such as Dante Level 2+, manufacturer trainings, or CTS/CTS-I. Proven savings via vendor negotiation and packaging/case standardization. Experience authoring QC documentation and training programs. Work Style & Tools Decisive with a service mindset; comfortable owning a call and explaining it clearly to leadership, a branch, or a customer. Turns messy inputs (failure data, vendor quotes, branch feedback) into clean standards, plans, and business cases. Builds people up: gives Coordinators room to own their work and the coaching to grow into more. The practical stuff (Work Environment, Physical Demands & Hours) Warehouse and office mix; hands-on with equipment and case builds, with travel to branches, trade shows, and vendors as needed. You will stand, sit, walk, climb stairs, handle tools and equipment, and lift or move up to 50 pounds. This is a full-time position; days and hours may change or rotate, high-demand periods can mean long days and weekends, and you participate in the Rentex 24/7 support system as the apex Audio escalation point. Other Duties This job description is not intended to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. #J-18808-Ljbffr Rentex