Product Manager - Othermotive

Walker Products Inc.•Wildwood, MO

23d•Onsite

About The Position

The Product Manager - Othermotive® is responsible for developing and executing product strategies for Walker Products' non-automotive categories, with a primary focus on motorcycles and powersports applications. This position manages assigned product lines throughout the full product lifecycle, including market research, opportunity identification, product development, competitive analysis, pricing, catalog coverage, product launches, and ongoing performance. The ideal candidate brings direct professional experience in the motorcycle industry and a strong understanding of motorcycle components, applications, brands, distribution channels, and customer needs.

Requirements

Minimum of three years of experience in product management, category management, product development, merchandising, sales, or a related commercial role.
Direct professional experience within the motorcycle industry is required. Experience may come from a motorcycle or powersports manufacturer, aftermarket parts supplier, distributor, dealership group, retailer, catalog organization, or related business.
Strong knowledge of motorcycles, motorcycle components, major manufacturers, model applications, and the motorcycle aftermarket.
Demonstrated ability to research markets, identify product opportunities, analyze data, and translate findings into actionable product plans.
Experience managing new products from initial concept through development and commercial launch.
Strong business judgment with an understanding of pricing, cost, margin, inventory, and product profitability.
Excellent project-management, organizational, analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a deadline-driven, cross-functional environment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and other business software; experience with ERP, product-information, catalog, or business-intelligence systems is preferred.
Ability to travel periodically for customer meetings, supplier visits, trade shows, industry events, and company business.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, engineering, automotive technology, powersports management, or a related field preferred.
Familiarity with scooters, ATVs, UTVs, snowmobiles, personal watercraft, marine, small engines, commercial lawn, agricultural, or industrial applications is preferred.
Knowledge of engine-management, fuel-delivery, ignition, emissions, electronic sensor, or related products is preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute product strategies for Walker Products' Othermotive® categories, with a primary emphasis on motorcycles and powersports.
Manage assigned products throughout their lifecycle, from market research and product identification through launch, growth, maturity, and discontinuation.
Identify new product opportunities by analyzing market trends, competitive coverage, customer requests, industry developments, and gaps within the existing portfolio.
Maintain a strong understanding of motorcycle and powersports brands, models, engine platforms, components, applications, and aftermarket distribution channels.
Create and maintain product roadmaps that align new-product priorities with company goals, customer demand, and market potential.
Prepare business cases for new products, including market potential, competitive positioning, target cost, pricing, margin, and anticipated return on investment.
Partner with Engineering, Purchasing, Quality, Catalog, Sales, Marketing, and Operations to move new products from concept through development and commercial launch.
Establish product requirements and ensure new products meet application, performance, quality, packaging, and market expectations.
Monitor assigned-category performance using sales, margin, inventory, customer, and market data, and recommend actions to improve results.
Conduct competitive product reviews, including coverage comparisons, pricing analysis, feature evaluation, and market positioning.
Work with the Catalog team to ensure application data, interchange information, attributes, images, technical specifications, and supporting content are accurate and complete.
Coordinate with Marketing to develop launch materials, sales tools, digital content, technical information, buyer's guides, and promotional campaigns.
Provide product training and technical support to Sales, Customer Service, Marketing, and other internal teams.
Support customer presentations, line reviews, sales meetings, trade shows, industry events, and new-business opportunities.
Develop relationships with customers, distributors, dealers, technicians, and other industry contacts to gather market feedback and identify opportunities.
Monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, regulatory developments, and changes in consumer demand affecting assigned categories.
Recommend product additions, improvements, repositioning, consolidation, or discontinuation based on performance and market conditions.
Perform other duties and support additional product categories as assigned.