Product Design Manager

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  • Product Design Manager

Product Design Manager

  • Bridgeport, WV, US

  • Emp Type: Full time / Direct Hire

Industry: BUILDING MATERIALS

Salary: 125,000 - 145,000 Annual

23 weeks ago

Position Overview

Own the end-to-end success of assigned OEM product lines and their related non-OEM counterparts-from competitive research and design requirements to sourcing, pricing, merchandising, and lifecycle management. This role ensures the product portfolio is technically differentiated, cost-effective, and commercially competitive.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy & Competitive Analysis

  • Define target customers, use cases, and competitive benchmarks

  • Identify product differentiation across features, quality, cost, compliance, and sustainability

Product Lifecycle Management

  • Drive full lifecycle strategy across product introduction, growth, and optimization phases

  • Analyze product performance and user feedback to identify improvement opportunities

  • Prioritize enhancements and guide cross-functional teams to increase adoption and long-term value

Design Ownership & Requirements

  • Develop product requirements documents (PRDs) and specifications

  • Manage design trade-offs and oversee prototype validation

  • Collaborate with quality teams to meet performance and certification standards

Sourcing & Costing

  • Partner with sourcing teams on supplier selection, RFQs, and cost negotiations

  • Establish target cost and margin expectations

  • Track purchase price variance (PPV) and landed cost drivers

Merchandising & Pricing

  • Own pricing strategies and value positioning across channels and segments

  • Guide packaging, product presentation, and assortment strategy with marketing teams

Lifecycle & Portfolio Management

  • Manage product roadmaps, end-of-life (EOL), and refresh cycles

  • Lead change management processes in coordination with commercialization teams

  • Monitor performance metrics such as gross margin, inventory turns, returns, and warranty

  • Optimize or phase out underperforming SKUs

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

  • Profitability: Gross margin %, cost-to-target achievement, PPV

  • Competitiveness: Win rate in target segments, pricing vs. competitors

  • Quality & Reliability: Defect/return rates, warranty claims, compliance metrics

  • Timeliness: On-time approvals and product launches within budget

  • Lifecycle Health: SKU productivity, portfolio GMROI, successful EOL execution

Required Experience

  • 6-10+ years in product management or product design, preferably with OEM or hardware products

  • Experience with compliance, quality testing, and lifecycle processes (ECR/ECO)

  • Strong analytical skills with proficiency in PLM/ERP systems, roadmap tools, and Excel/BI tools

  • Familiarity with CAD and Design for Excellence (DFx) principles

  • Experience managing international suppliers

  • Exposure to sustainability and regulatory frameworks

Education

  • High school diploma required

  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or related field preferred
    (or equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience)

Work Environment

  • May require travel based on business needs

  • Ability to work on a computer for extended periods

Core Skills

  • Strong expertise in specification writing, cost modeling, and supplier collaboration

  • Excellent cross-functional leadership and decision-making using data