Manager, Product Data Management

Kohler Co.•Kohler, WI

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Global Engineering Manager of Product Data Management plays a pivotal role in enabling innovation by leading a global team responsible for the integrity, structure, and flow of critical product data. This leader shapes and advances best‑in‑class data practices, architectures, and hierarchies that support engineering excellence and business decisions worldwide. As the owner of Product Data Management (PDM) strategy and service delivery, this role ensures product data requests are executed seamlessly and consistently, while driving a forward‑looking vision that strengthens how product information powers the organization from concept through lifecycle.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Engineering, Industrial Engineering or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
6+ years of experience in data engineering or related technical roles, including at least 2 years in a leadership or people management position leading global teams.
Strong technical expertise in SAP
Proven experience in business improvement, change management, and PDM Best Practices
Understanding of Data Governance as it relates to product development.
Strategic agility with a strong pragmatic approach (can define a clear vision and is able to clearly articulate immediate goals/actions).
Has ability to communicate clearly and influence at all levels.
Operates with candor, enthusiasm, commitment and drive to achieve business results.
Must possess a keen analytical mind, be strong on planning, detail, and accuracy, and be a demonstrably creative thinker.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of Product Data Specialists and Analysts, providing coaching, direction, and performance management.
Build a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Recruit, onboard, and develop top engineering talent.
Oversee team workload, prioritization, and capacity planning.
Define and execute the PDM and Data roadmap(s) in alignment with organizational business objectives.
Define and maintain data hierarchy.
Ensure data models, structures, and platforms support scalability, performance, and long-term sustainability.
Partner with data governance and security teams to enforce data standards, quality, and compliance.
Coordinate, load and audit Engineering Data into PDM environment
Implement and validate data rules and business logic related to business processes and new plants.
Act as an SME and consult on the development solutions / tools to allow the effective capture and control of product data.
Manage engineering change process and execution.
Provide guidance and education on business rules and processes relating to Product Data Management.
Provide quality data audits and reports.
Support the creation of new data based on operational teams’ requirements.
Support IT projects relating to SAP implementation and development.
Manage load and publish product engineering and manufacturing data.
Support and Implement Global Projects within ERP
Process Bill of Materials for Product Development
Process and load critical manufacturing information.
Facilitate changes to critical manufacturing information.
Support label printing setup and definition.
Ensure high availability, data quality, and performance across all data engineering systems.
Introduce automation and monitoring to optimize pipeline efficiency and reduce operational overhead.