Category Manager – Marine & Commercial Accessories

Polaris•Plymouth, MN

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Polaris Inc., we have fun doing what we love by driving change and innovation. We empower employees to take on challenging assignments and roles with an elevated level of responsibility in our agile working environment. Our people make us who we are, and we create incredible products and experiences that empower us to THINK OUTSIDE. At Polaris, we’re redefining adventure by delivering innovative, high-performance Parts, Garments, and Accessories (PG&A) that enhance every ride. As the Category Manager for Marine, Commercial, and Government & Defense, you will play a critical role in shaping and executing the strategy for a dynamic product portfolio. In this role, you will lead the full product lifecycle—from concept and development through launch, growth, maturity, and end-of-life. You’ll be responsible for product forecasting and demand planning, leveraging market insights, historical data, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure accurate projections and optimized inventory levels. You will also own product marketing strategy, partnering closely with brand, channel, and digital teams to develop compelling go-to-market plans, messaging, and launch campaigns that drive awareness, adoption, and customer loyalty. Additionally, you will have P&L ownership for your category, accountable for driving revenue growth, managing gross margins, and optimizing inventory performance to meet financial targets. This is a highly cross-functional role that requires strong collaboration with engineering, sourcing, sales, and marketing to deliver differentiated, customer-centric products that fuel growth and elevate the Polaris brand in the marine & commercial markets.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or relevant graduate degree strongly preferred.
Minimum of 5–8 years of experience in product development, sales, or marketing, preferably within powersports, automotive, or related industries.
Proven analytical and financial acumen with the ability to interpret data and drive strategic decisions.
Exceptional presentation and communication skills, with the ability to influence diverse audiences—including senior leadership, B2B partners, media, and dealer networks.
Collaborative team player with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust and alignment across cross-functional teams.
Deep customer focus with working knowledge of both quantitative and qualitative market research methodologies.
Hands-on product knowledge required; extensive familiarity with off-road vehicles, powersports, or automotive products is a strong advantage.

Responsibilities

Provide end-to-end category leadership for Marine, Commercial, and Government & Defense PG&A, balancing consumer-driven accessory innovation with B2B, service-level, and fleet-oriented requirements.
Serve as the centralized category owner for Marine and Commercial PG&A, aligning portfolio strategy with customer, channel, and business needs
Define and maintain the category vision, strategic priorities, and Long-Range Product Plan (LRPP) across Polaris and aftermarket brands
Lead product strategy and planning across the full lifecycle: concept, development, launch, growth, maturity, and end-of-life
Balance innovation, line extensions, and rationalization to maintain a healthy, profitable portfolio
Partner with Marine, Commercial, and Gov & Defense business leaders to ensure category roadmaps support platform strategies, lifecycle needs, and customer use cases
Identify whitespace and growth opportunities through market analysis, competitive benchmarking, and customer insights
Drive disciplined product development and lifecycle execution, ensuring timely delivery of differentiated, high-quality solutions that meet both consumer and B2B requirements.
Collaborate with PD&D, Engineering, Industrial Design, and Sourcing to define product requirements, cost targets, and timelines
Champion Voice of Customer insights to inform product design, feature prioritization, and portfolio decisions
Ensure flawless execution of new product launches with on-time, on-quality delivery
Own PLM data accuracy and governance, ensuring centralized, actionable product information
Lead product lifecycle decisions, including strategic discontinuations, supersessions, and refreshes
Track regulatory, technology, and competitive trends impacting Marine, Commercial, and Gov & Defense applications
Develop and execute GTM strategies that support both consumer retail environments and B2B/fleet/service-driven channels.
Own product marketing strategy in partnership with Brand, Channel, and Digital teams
Develop GTM plans, positioning, and messaging tailored to Marine consumers and Commercial/Gov customers
Co-Develop & Support parts and service strategies, including service-level expectations, uptime considerations, and lifecycle support needs
Partner with Sales, Dealer, and Commercial teams to enable effective selling tools, training, and launch readiness
Coordinate accessory and parts bundles that enhance ownership experience, productivity, and total lifecycle value
Support attachment, penetration, and adoption strategies across Marine and Commercial platforms
Own the financial health of the category, driving profitable growth through disciplined planning and execution.
Maintain P&L ownership for the category, including revenue, gross margin, and inventory performance
Develop and manage forecasts for sales volume, attachment rates, pricing, and profitability
Partner with Sourcing to deliver annual cost reduction and margin improvement initiatives
Monitor inventory health and work cross-functionally to optimize turns, obsolescence risk, and availability
Support annual operating plans, strategic planning cycles, and investment prioritization
Act as a leader and connector across the organization while representing the category externally.
Collaborate closely with Engineering, Sourcing, Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Operations teams
Influence without authority to align stakeholders around shared priorities and trade-offs
Represent the category and division at industry events, trade shows, customer visits, and internal leadership forums
Mentor and support junior team members and project teams as appropriate