Director of Product Line Management — Test Instruments & Tools

Tempo Communications•Vista, CA

6d•$180,000 - $220,000•Onsite

About The Position

Tempo Communications is seeking a hands-on product leader to determine what the company builds, in what order, and why. The role directly owns a product category and its P&L while leading four product line managers across a portfolio covering Location & Markers, Fiber Test & Measurement, Copper & PoE, and Tools. The position reports directly to the CEO and is based on-site five days a week at the company’s Vista, California headquarters; remote and hybrid arrangements are not considered. The role is scoped to grow into VP of Product Management as the portfolio expands, based on performance and written criteria. The Director will build and defend a multi-year roadmap, develop and rank financially grounded business cases, and own Tempo’s NP&SI stage-gate process end to end. The role is accountable for launch revenue, margin, and vitality index against plan. It also includes coaching and developing four product line managers, including two new to product management, through development plans, structured reviews, and guidance on business cases and market analysis. This is a physical-products role focused on instruments and tools used by field technicians. Candidates must have direct product-line ownership experience with physical hardware; software or SaaS as the product is not a fit. The successful candidate will understand field workflows through prior field experience or voice-of-customer research and ride-alongs, and will be willing to travel approximately 25–30 percent. Tempo Communications builds test, measurement, and tooling products for installing and maintaining communications networks across copper, fiber, PoE, and underground utility location. It is an independent, closely held, owner-led company of roughly 130 people, headquartered in Vista, with operations in Wales, Hungary, and Australia. The salary range is $180,000–$220,000 base, plus an annual performance bonus. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k), and paid time off.

Requirements

At least eight years of product management or product line management experience, with direct ownership of a product line and its decisions.
Experience with physical products that people hold, carry, mount, or plug in, such as instruments, test and measurement equipment, electrical or electronic hardware, or hand or power tools. Firmware or software accompanying hardware is expected; software as the product is not suitable.
Ownership of a product line P&L, including pricing, margin, and portfolio rationalization.
Ability to build and defend business cases and rank a development funnel on financial merit.
Substantive experience in a formal stage-gate or phase-gate process, including owning gates and building the supporting evidence.
Experience conducting market sizing and segmentation and defending the work to decision-makers.
Ability to interpret SKU-level margin and mix, price realization, and launch performance against plan.
Ability to specify products to engineering teams and overseas contract manufacturers, including requirements, trade-offs, and first article review, with sufficient technical depth for both discussions.
Experience managing or mentoring product managers.
Willingness to travel approximately 25–30 percent.
Ability to work on-site five days a week at Tempo’s Vista, California headquarters; remote and hybrid arrangements are not considered.

Nice To Haves

Experience in communications infrastructure, utility locating, fiber optics, electrical contracting, or professional and industrial tool trades.
Prior field experience as a technician, installer, or field engineer.
Two-step distribution experience or product line integration following an acquisition.
Experience with structured preference and trade-off research, such as conjoint, MaxDiff, Kano, or price sensitivity analysis, and judgment about when formal research is worthwhile versus field interviews.

Responsibilities

Own a product category, including its P&L, while leading four product line managers across the rest of the portfolio.
Build and defend a multi-year roadmap for Location & Markers, Fiber Test & Measurement, Copper & PoE, and Tools, with continuity of technology across the portfolio.
Build business cases and rank development opportunities on financial merit; recommend when projects should be funded or stopped.
Own the NP&SI stage-gate process end to end, defining gate deliverables, presenting supporting evidence, and conducting gates that can fail projects.
Own and report launch revenue, margin, and vitality index against plan.
Develop the product line managers through development plans, structured reviews, and coaching on business cases and market analysis.
Build application knowledge by understanding field workflows and using voice-of-customer work and ride-alongs where needed.
Specify products for engineering and overseas contract manufacturers, including requirements, trade-offs, and first article review.
Travel approximately 25–30 percent.