Sr. Category & Product Manager - US

Kids2•Rhode Island, RI

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Kids2, we’re really good at what we do. And when we’re great at our jobs, we help parents be great at their jobs. Parenting is demanding, and that’s where we come in. We want to reimagine how brands can make it easier for early-stage parents – not by just selling them products, but by providing holistic solutions that transcend borders, categories and aisles. No matter our title or department, at Kids2, our job is to create more tiny wins for parents, so they can create bright futures for their little ones. That’s a big task! We’re serious about what we do, AND we love to have fun. Our team is hardworking, entrepreneurial, and passionate about helping families create millions, if not billions of tiny wins.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in product, category, or brand management – with direct ownership of business performance.
Must have general knowledge of manufacturing materials, product development processes, and costs.
Candidates should have working knowledge of producing plastic products with electronic components.
Familiarity with the online and brick & mortar retail landscape is strongly preferred.
Prior experience managing a product P&L is required.
Bachelor’s degree in business management, finance or other related field or equivalent work experience is required.
Ability to execute and excel in fast-paced organization
Ability to prioritize amid shifting priorities and a changing business landscape
Outstanding oral and presentation-based communication skills
Must be proficient in PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.
Familiarity with category and retailer data tools (e.g., Circana, Profitero, Scintilla) and POS/shopper data analysis.

Nice To Haves

Preference given to prior toy industry experience

Responsibilities

Sets the standard for how work gets done by modeling Kids2 fundamentals and fostering high-performing teams.
Fosters a culture of continuous improvement by coaching and training CPMs as needed along with other Senior Category & Development Managers
Demonstrates core behaviors in action by setting the tone, modeling expectations, and reinforcing consistent ways of working.
Actively supports onboarding, training, and development of new hires to build strong category, business, and strategic acumen.
Owns the financial performance & strategic direction of their categories. Leverages category expertise and insights to drive long-term product vision, profitable growth, and consumer relevance globally.
Define the Category Vision and maintain a 3 Year Product Roadmap setting strategic direction while prioritizing product introductions.
Leverage consumer insights, analyze category data, and monitor the competitive landscape to identify whitespace opportunities for your category, delivering innovation while capturing share
Lead portfolio reviews to optimize SKU productivity and portfolio rationalization decisions.
Act as the P&L owner for your team’s businesses — establishing forecasts, cost targets, and margin goal for new items while managing portfolio health of total category
Bring a global mindset to ensure product market fits across regions.
Brings strategy to life by influencing, aligning, and leading core teams toward a shared outcome.
Turn strategy into inspiring, actionable briefs that align design, engineering, packaging & digital marketing teams around what to design, why it matters, and how it wins in market.
Lead and influence cross-functional teams — drive clarity around decisions, changes, and shifting priorities.
Foster collaboration, trust, and accountability by building strong working relationships across all functions.
Maintain launch schedules & guide teams toward aligned decisions by navigating obstacles, balancing perspectives, and maintaining forward momentum.
Create clarity and momentum by focusing energy on what moves the business forward with the largest impact.
Ensures item success across the product lifecycle— from sell-in strategy to sell-through performance and portfolio optimization.
Develop compelling sell-in materials and line plans that influence retailer decisions and secure product placement.
Serve as the category expert in key retailer meetings, trade shows, and strategic presentations.
Partner with Sales, Operations, and Demand Planning to ensure launch of readiness, sell-through, and inventory efficiency.
Optimize assets ensuring consumer facing content & packaging clearly communicates consumer value and product features.
Monitor in-market performance to identify opportunities for product refreshes, or recommended add/ drops to retail partners