Lead, Category & Portfolio Strategy

Job Overview:
Search Solution Group is seeking a Lead, Category & Portfolio Strategy (VP Level) on behalf of our client, a company specializing in designing and developing products for infants and toddlers. This highly strategic leadership role is responsible for defining the enterprise product portfolio strategy, leading multi-year roadmap planning, and overseeing all category management functions across the portfolio. The leader ensures that every innovation and product decision aligns with consumer insight, category strategy, and financial performance. This role also oversees the enterprise insights function, ensuring all portfolio decisions are grounded in credible, standardized, decision-grade data. With broad cross-functional visibility, this position partners closely with Sales, Brand Marketing, the VP of eCommerce & Digital Growth, Product Development, and the Executive Leadership Team to align product strategy with commercial and company-wide objectives.

Key Responsibilities:
Portfolio & Roadmap Leadership

• Own the enterprise product portfolio strategy and multi-year roadmap.
• Define category priorities, investment allocation, and launch sequencing.
• Lead SKU rationalization to simplify the portfolio and improve productivity.
• Ensure all innovation aligns with strategic, financial, and consumer-backed objectives.

Innovation Governance

• Evaluate, approve, and prioritize product concepts based on strategic fit, portfolio role, and financial return.
• Lead the stage-gate process to ensure disciplined, high-quality decision-making.
• Prevent duplicative or low-value product development.
• Ensure all concepts are supported by validated consumer and category insights.

Insights, Analytics & Decision Governance

• Own and standardize the enterprise approach to consumer, category, and market insights.
• Validate all insights work to ensure credibility and decision readiness.
• Implement consistent methodologies, frameworks, and quality standards across teams.
• Integrate insights into portfolio strategy, innovation pipelines, and stage-gate processes.
• Eliminate reliance on anecdotal or non-standardized data sources.

Category Leadership

• Lead and develop a team of Category Managers, Directors, and supporting team members.
• Drive a shift toward performance-based category management.
• Establish and track KPIs related to revenue, margin, productivity, and overall performance.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner closely with Sales, the VP of eCommerce & Digital Growth, and executive leadership to align category strategies with revenue goals.
• Collaborate with Product Development to guide prioritization and product direction.
• Work with the CBO to ensure effective positioning and go-to-market alignment.
• Partner with PMO to ensure initiatives are prioritized, resourced, and delivered on schedule.
• Support retail sell-in alongside Category Managers, providing strategic guidance and insights.

Financial & Business Impact

• Drive profitable growth and margin expansion across categories.
• Embed financial rigor into early-stage product and innovation decisions.
• Enhance portfolio performance and return on innovation.

Requirements Include:
Education:

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA preferred.

Experience:

• 10+ years in CPG category management or portfolio strategy.
• Leadership experience managing teams of Category Managers and Directors
• Proven success managing a large-scale SKU portfolio (300+ SKUs).
• Demonstrated experience improving margin and driving profitable growth.
• Deep P&L ownership experience.
• Omni-channel experience (retail + digital); international experience is a plus.
• Experience influencing executive-level stakeholders.

Skills:

• Strategic planning and enterprise-level thinking.
• Strong financial acumen and decision-making rigor.
• Expertise in insights interpretation and data-driven portfolio governance.
• Executive communication and cross-functional leadership.
• Ability to drive organizational change and process improvement.

Certifications:

• No specific certifications required; advanced business or analytics certifications are a plus.

Knowledge:

• Strong understanding of category management, portfolio optimization, and CPG innovation cycles.
• Deep familiarity with consumer insights, research methodologies, and data frameworks.
• Knowledge of omni-channel go-to-market dynamics.

Key Competencies:

• Strategic & Analytical Thinking
• Leadership & Team Development
• Financial & Business Acumen
• Executive Influence & Communication
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Change Leadership
• Innovation Mindset

How to Apply:
To apply for this position, please click the "Apply" button at the top right of your screen. Alternatively, you can email your application to View email address on click.appcast.io . Please ensure to include your resume and any other relevant documents or information that showcase your qualifications and suitability for the role. We appreciate your interest in joining our team and look forward to reviewing your application.

Company Overview:
Company Industry: Consumer Goods/ Retail

Location: Van Nuys, CA

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:
Search Solution Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where diversity is valued and respected. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status in our hiring process or employment practices. We believe that a diverse workforce brings unique perspectives and strengths, driving innovation and growth. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to apply and contribute to our team.

Disclaimer:
Please note that the job description provided is not exhaustive and is subject to change. Additional duties may be assigned as needed to meet the evolving needs of the organization and to ensure the successful completion of projects and objectives.