Contract Product Manager

the Opportunity•Grand Rapids, MI

5d•Onsite

About The Position

TalentBridge is partnering with an established manufacturing organization to identify an experienced Product Manager for a short-term contract opportunity. This role is ideal for a hands-on, plug-and-play product management professional who can step in immediately and contribute without extensive onboarding or training. The Product Manager will support the organization’s product portfolio and lead product launches from concept through commercialization using a traditional stage-gate process. The ideal candidate will have experience in manufacturing, OEM, or a related B2B product environment, along with a strong understanding of cross-functional product development.

Requirements

3+ years of experience in B2B product management or product line management.
Strong analytical and project management skills, with the ability to independently drive initiatives.
Proven ability to manage multiple priorities efficiently and effectively.
Strong understanding of product development and commercialization processes.
Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Engineering, or a related field.
Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and Outlook.
Experience with project management and reporting software.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to communicate effectively with customers and internal stakeholders at all levels.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate across diverse, cross-functional teams.

Nice To Haves

5+ years of experience in B2B product management or product line management.
Experience with project management within an OEM or manufacturing environment.
Strong analytical and business case development skills.
Experience leading new product development initiatives through a traditional stage-gate process.
Experience with manufactured and internationally sourced products.
Advanced degree in Marketing, Engineering, or a related field.
Experience with Oracle or similar business systems.

Responsibilities

Maintain a 2–3 year product roadmap aligned with business growth priorities and channel needs.
Build business cases, including market sizing, pricing, margin modeling, and ROI, to prioritize initiatives.
Monitor competitors and adjacent categories to identify gaps, trends, and threats.
Lead projects through the traditional stage-gate process, including Voice of Customer (VOC), requirements, specifications, pilot, launch, and post-launch review.
Manage product lifecycle decisions, including extensions, cost reductions, rationalization, and end-of-life activities.
Partner with Engineering and Operations on manufacturability, quality, timelines, and cost targets.
Define product positioning, messaging, packaging, and merchandising by channel.
Develop sales tools and training materials and support trade shows, key customer meetings, and launch plans.
Track KPIs such as revenue, gross margin percentage, price realization, and product adoption.
Drive continuous improvement based on product and market performance.
Perform other duties as assigned.