Product Manager, Food & STT

Vantage•Gurnee, IL

20d•$105,000 - $140,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Product Manager is responsible for leading product strategy and execution for the Vantage Surface Technologies business in Gurnee. This role ensures the product portfolio aligns with market needs, supports customer success, and delivers strong profitability. Core responsibilities include overseeing product mix performance, managing inventory and part‑code optimization, guiding product lifecycle activities, and partnering closely with supply chain, quality, operations, and STT/Food leadership to drive operational excellence.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related field.
Experience: Six (6) years of experience in product management, sales, supply chain, or a related commercial/operational role.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and drive strategic decisions.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to simplify complex information for diverse audiences.
Proven ability to collaborate across functions, influence without authority, and build strong relationships.
Hands‑on operational mindset with experience navigating manufacturing or technical environments.
Ability to travel domestically up to 10%.

Responsibilities

Drive full product lifecycle management, including opportunity identification, product and process improvements, line extensions, and end‑of‑life decisions.
Develop product evolution strategies with consideration for sustainability, risk mitigation, and long-term competitiveness.
Leverage market and competitive intelligence to drive pricing strategy, including daily pricing management, cost analysis, trend monitoring, and competitive benchmarking.
Maintain a comprehensive Product Master List, including HS codes, pricing, packaging types, product dimensions, weights, and product images for internal reference and trade compliance.
Collaborate with supply chain to ensure right‑sized inventory, part‑code optimization, and strong operational performance.
Proactively communicate finished product lead times and risks to sales.
Optimize raw material portfolio in partnership with purchasing, marketing, and laboratory teams.
Partner with sales leadership to optimize product mix and maximize asset utilization at the Gurnee facility.
Coordinate cross‑functional processes to support accurate and timely order fulfillment.
Develop product launch packages and lead execution through the NPQA process.
Manage product, packaging, and specification changes through the PCCR process.
Oversee OEM/DoD requalification timelines to maintain approved product status and compliance requirements.
Provide technical guidance and lead high‑impact customer issue resolution—including complaints, RMAs, and shelf‑life extensions—ensuring swift, transparent outcomes and strong alignment with Sales to elevate the overall customer experience.
Contribute to business forecasting using insights from sales, supply chain, and procurement.
Support broader business needs by leading or participating in special projects for marketing and cross‑functional initiatives.