Principal, Portfolio Strategy & Product Mgmt

COLE-PARMER INSTRUMENT COMPANY•Vernon Hills, IL

9h•Onsite

About The Position

The Principal, Portfolio Strategy & Product Management – Essentials is responsible for leading the global Essentials product portfolio across the U.S. and international markets. This role drives portfolio strategy, pricing, and lifecycle management to deliver profitable growth, margin expansion, and portfolio simplification. You will partner cross-functionally to ensure products are effectively positioned, competitively priced, and actively managed throughout their lifecycle. Success in this role comes from optimizing an existing portfolio—through data, market insight, and commercial execution—not from new product R&D.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited higher learning program required.
10+ years of experience in product management, portfolio management, or category management
Strong experience managing product lifecycles in a commercial or distribution environment.
Deep understanding of pricing strategy, merchandising, and supplier dynamics
Demonstrated ability to use data and analytics to drive decisions and performance improvements
Experience working across global markets and multiple sales channels
Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills
Ability to translate market insights and data into actionable business strategies
Excellent communication and collaboration skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams
Proven ability to operate effectively in a matrixed organization

Nice To Haves

MBA or equivalent experience preferred
Experience in B2B distribution, life sciences, or industrial products preferred
Familiarity with digital commerce, bundling, and merchandising strategies preferred
Experience with private label product development and strategy preferred

Responsibilities

Lead long-term portfolio strategy across Essentials, defining category roles, assortment structure, and the mix of private label, branded, and sourced products
Drive SKU rationalization and portfolio simplification to improve focus, efficiency, and profitability
Own end-to-end product lifecycle management, including product introduction, performance monitoring, optimization, and end-of-life decisions
Analyze SKU-level performance across revenue, margin, adoption, and lifecycle health, and take action to improve outcomes
Develop and execute pricing strategies across regions and channels, including price architecture, competitive positioning, and margin optimization
Identify pricing inconsistencies, margin leakage, and opportunities through data and market analysis
Partner with Commercial and Finance teams to ensure pricing discipline and execution
Integrate market intelligence into all decisions by analyzing competitive landscapes, customer behavior, supplier dynamics, and regional trends
Translate internal and external insights into actionable strategies that improve positioning, close gaps, and identify growth opportunities
Partner with Digital and Brand Marketing teams to improve product performance through bundling, promotions, cross-sell, and upsell strategies
Optimize digital merchandising, including assortment visibility, value messaging, and conversion performance
Use data to continuously improve conversion rates, average order value, and attach rates
Collaborate with Sourcing to align supplier strategy with portfolio goals, including supplier consolidation, cost optimization, and strategic sourcing decisions
Support make vs. buy decisions and ensure sourcing aligns with pricing, margin, and lifecycle objectives
Drive expansion of private label offerings through specification alignment, supplier coordination, and commercial positioning
Ensure alignment across global and regional teams, adapting assortment, pricing, and positioning to reflect local market dynamics and channel requirements
Analyze financial and operational performance across revenue, margin, SKU productivity, inventory, and channel dynamics
Develop data-driven business cases and partner with Finance on forecasting and performance tracking
Work cross-functionally with Marketing, Commercial, Sourcing, Supply Chain, and Regional teams to drive execution and results
Contribute to portfolio governance processes, including portfolio reviews, SKU rationalization, and pricing effectiveness
Influence decisions through data, insights, and structured recommendations in a matrixed environment