Senior Product Manager - Paint Segment

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Senior Product Manager - Small Project Paints Segment

Location: Vernon Hills, IL

Department: Product Management

Direct Reports/Manages others: Yes

Hybrid Schedule: Our hybrid work environment includes two (2) remote days/week.

Rust-Oleum Corporation is a worldwide leader in protective paints and coatings for both home and industry.We offer a wide range of products including decorative fashion paints and finishes, durable industrial, roof repair, and flooring coatings and, of course, our famous rust-fighting formula that started it all.

Summary:

Are you a passionate brand builder? An innovation leader focused on consumer goods? This is the role for you.As a Senior Product Manager in our Small Project Paints segment, you will be the driving force behind innovation, growth, and brand activation in one of our most creative and consumer-loved categories.

This is more than a product role-it is a strategic leadership opportunity.You will shape the future of the category by developing forward-thinking strategies, identifying white space opportunities, and launching products to create a best-in-class user experience for DIYers and Professionals alike.You will collaborate across functions to bring bold ideas to life, while mentoring and supporting a high-performing product team.

Responsibilities:

• Strategy Development : Develop and execute long-term product strategy plans and roadmaps that align with business growth goals, innovation roadmap, competitive analysis, and market trends.
• Innovation Leadership : Lead the ideation and development of breakthrough products and enhancements that set the standard in the category.
• Growth Acceleration : Identify and capitalize on opportunities to expand market share, drive revenue, and increase brand relevance.
• Brand Activation : Partner with marketing to bring the brand to life through compelling content, storytelling, positioning, packaging, and go-to-market campaigns.
• Team Collaboration : Work cross-functionally with R&D, sales, operations, and customer insights to ensure seamless execution and continuous improvement.
• Partner with sales teams to provide them with the tools and information needed to effectively sell innovative spray paint products.Develop sales materials, presentations, and training programs.
• Direct market research and market intelligence gathering to ensure understanding of applications, users, competition, and market trends.Analyze and leverage data and insights to develop and formulate category and product recommendations.
• Driving new product development activities through Stage-Gate product management and market research.
• Ensuring profitability within the assigned market segments, including supporting the product commercialization process.
• Define and develop product positioning, messaging, feature specifications, unique selling proposition and pricing strategies.
• Travel is approximately 5% annually for customer presentations, trade shows, etc.

Leadership Traits

• Technical Understanding & Business Acumen: Knows the business and the mission-critical technical and functional skills to perform the job at a high level.Understands various types of business propositions and how the business operates.Learn new methods and technologies easily.
• Learning Agility: Learns quickly when facing new problems.Is a relentless and versatile learner and is open to change.Enjoys the challenge of unfamiliar tasks and can quickly discern the underlying structure of anything.
• Strategic Agility: Sees ahead clearly and can anticipate future consequences and trends.Is future oriented and offers broad knowledge and perspective.Can scenario plan possibilities and outcomes.
• Critical Thinking & Judgement: Provides the essential critical thinking to determine the necessary approaches to get things done.Offers good judgement about which creative ideas and suggestions will work; can facilitate effective brainstorming, can project how potential ideas could play out in the marketplace.
• Create New & Different: Ability to recognize the next great breakthrough.Is creative, visionary, and can create and bring exciting ideas to market.
• Action Oriented: Enjoys working hard and is full of energy, steadfastly pushing self and other for results.Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully and is consistently a top performer.
• Excellent communication skills to all levels of the organization.Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.Is clear, concise and persuasive.Experience creating and presenting business proposals, handling objections and overcoming obstacles

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field; MBA a plus
• 8+ years of relevant Product Development or Brand experience (consumer packaged goods preferred).
• Strong new product development experience required.
• Exhibit understanding of the product commercialization process and documentation and information sharing needs and protocols.
• Exhibit understanding of retail, independent paint/hardware, and distribution business models.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Passionate problem solver and creative thinker, with ability to pitch new ideas and be open to feedback.
• Analytic and strategic thinking skills, with ability to digest complex information and make data-driven decisions.
• Team player who will work well on cross-functional teams including Operations, Finance, Sales, Research & Development, Customer Service, etc.
• Confident public speaker with the ability to influence senior level management.

Salary Range: $115,000-$145,000 (bonus eligible)

From big benefits to small, we take care of our associates! After 30 days of employment, you will be eligible for a benefits package that includes medical, dental, life, disability and business travel insurance, flexible spending accounts, EAP, stock purchases and vacation/sick days/parental leave.

We also offer a 401(k) plan after three months of employment and offer a company match. Associates are vested in the RPM Pension plan after completing five years of service. Rust-Oleum offers nine paid holidays and two floating holidays per year. You are also eligible to earn three weeks of vacation on an annualized basis.

Rust-Oleum is an equal opportunity employer. Employment selection and related decisions are made without regard to sex, race, age, disability, religion, national origin, color, or any other protected class.