Product Director

Advanced Drainage Systems•Hilliard, OH

21h•Onsite

About The Position

Advanced Drainage Systems is a leading manufacturer of stormwater and onsite septic wastewater solutions, committed to sustainability and innovation. With a vast manufacturing and distribution network, we deliver high-quality products across multiple industries while recycling over half a billion pounds of plastic annually. At ADS, we foster a culture where diverse perspectives drive better ideas, ensuring every employee feels valued, heard, and empowered to make an impact. We are looking for a Product Director to join our team! In this role, you will serve as a senior business and product leader, accountable for defining category strategy and driving execution across the organization to deliver sustained organic growth, profitability, and market leadership. This role leads the product management function for a defined category, integrates cross‑functional teams, and owns business results across sales, margin, and portfolio performance. If you are passionate about product leadership, market‑back strategy, and building industry‑leading solutions, we would love to hear from you.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree required in Marketing, Product Management, or related field.
MBA or equivalent experience required.
Minimum 10–15 years’ experience in marketing communications, product management, sales, or marketing.
Ability to travel up to 25%.
Proven track record of developing strategies and programs that deliver quantifiable revenue and margin growth with measurable ROI.
Application of marketing principles including segmentation, targeting, and positioning to improve financial results.
New product pipeline management including ideation, business case validation, development, and commercialization; product or category management experience.
Strong business and financial acumen, including increasing margins through management of mix, cost, and price.
Including P&L and financial budget ownership for 5+ years.
Experience leading people or teams for 5+ years with demonstrated success acquiring and developing key talent.
Success working in complex matrix organizations with multiple distribution channels and influencers.
Experience within Durables, CPG, or building materials industries.
Demonstrates perseverance in overcoming obstacles.
Highly motivated, results‑oriented, energetic, and passionate about business, strategy, and marketing.
Strong strategic, analytical, and critical thinking capabilities.
Ability to synthesize diverse viewpoints and provide thought leadership aligned to business goals.
Deep business and financial acumen with strong P&L orientation and ROI focus.
Clear communicator who can explain complex decisions and gain alignment on outcomes.
Comfortable taking calculated risks, learning from experience, and continuously improving approaches.
Strong decision‑making skills with a clear sense of responsibility and accountability.
Forward‑thinking leader who motivates teams, leads by example, and fosters collaboration.
Hands‑on, action‑oriented leadership style with the ability to meet deadlines.
Advanced analytical skills with the ability to derive insights from disparate data sources.
Articulate, approachable, candid, emotionally intelligent, and respectful in interpersonal interactions.
Demonstrates the highest ethical and moral standards in all business dealings.

Responsibilities

Lead category strategy development and execution, translating market, customer, and competitive insights into a clear value proposition and actionable growth plan.
Partner with the EVP of Marketing to define short‑ and long‑term business objectives and ensure alignment across the organization.
Integrate deep understanding of customers, market dynamics, and the competitive landscape to inform strategic priorities and resource allocation.
Act as an integrator and strategic thought partner across Sales, Engineering, Engineering Support, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Marketing to deliver growth initiatives.
Align and prioritize engineering programs and marketing initiatives to ensure strategic delivery and representation in the market, including early‑stage idea and product development.
Lead development of targeted value propositions by market, channel, and end user.
Oversee execution of marketing initiatives in partnership with marketing, including tradeshows, events, associations, advertising, digital, social, outreach programs, and customer programs.
Implement programs to increase contractor and engineer engagement, brand awareness, specification success, quote activity, win rates, and conversion through the funnel.
Own category P&L performance, including revenue, margins, growth rates, forecasting, budgeting, and action planning on monthly, quarterly, and annual bases.
Lead efforts to understand and influence the order funnel; improve spec conversion and win rates through collaboration with sales, manufacturing, and supply chain, supporting a robust S&OP process.
Guide product commercialization, pricing, and promotional strategies for new and enhanced products, clearly defining positioning and messaging across all customer channels.
Build, lead, and develop a diverse, high‑performing product management team through effective coaching, talent development, succession planning, and recruitment.