WasteLAB & Sustainable Product Manager- Marketing
About The Position
Kohler Co. is seeking a, WasteLAB & Sustainable Product Manager - Marketing, to lead the product, category, and commercialization strategy for WasteLAB, while also supporting broader sustainable product strategy across the portfolio, in partnership with the Kohler KBA & KBI businesses. This role operates at the intersection of product management, product marketing, and category strategy with a 70/30 focus: 70% WasteLAB product management, category strategy and marketing, with direct accountability for shaping how WasteLAB products are clearly differentiated, commercially viable, market-relevant, positioned, and brought to market 30% enterprise sustainable product insights and strategy support This role partners closely with the Business Development Manager, Sustainable Living, Product Management, Category Management, Engineering, Operations, Sales, and Marketing teams, to ensure sustainable product insights, competitive intelligence, and market trends inform product decisions and commercialization strategies. This is a high-impact role operating in a startup-like environment within Kohler, requiring strong strategic thinking, hands-on execution, and cross-functional influence. The Sustainable Product & WasteLAB Manager- Marketing, is responsible for: Driving WasteLAB product and category strategy, go-to-market execution, and sales enablement Providing sustainable product insights, competitive intelligence, and market perspective to support enterprise sustainable product strategy Translating sustainable product innovation into clear, market-ready value propositions This role does not own P&L, but is accountable for strategic influence, commercialization effectiveness, and revenue-driving outcomes, particularly for WasteLAB and sustainable products across regions and businesses.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred
- 8+ years of experience across product management, product marketing, category management, or strategy
- Experience working in consumer products, home improvement, or sustainability-driven product innovation
- Strong strategic, analytical, and communication skills
- Ability to operate in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment
- Passion for sustainability, circularity, and innovation
- Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.
Nice To Haves
- Background in sustainable product strategy is desired, but not required
Responsibilities
- Develop and own the multi-year product and category strategy for WasteLAB
- Identify growth opportunities, portfolio gaps, and category expansion ideas
- Partner with the Business Development Manager to align WasteLAB strategy and broader sustainable product priorities
- Support prioritization decisions across new products, distribution partners, merchandising and sales training
- Gather and synthesize competitive intelligence, market trends, and customer insights related to sustainable products
- Identify white-space opportunities, portfolio gaps, and emerging sustainability trends
- Partner with the Business Development Manager, Sustainable Product Strategy to: Bring forward insights to inform enterprise sustainable product strategy Support portfolio and investment discussions
- Collaborate with Category & Product Management and Sustainable Living teams to ensure sustainability insights are integrated into broader product strategy conversations across regions and businesses.
- Define product requirements
- Develop and executive product roadmap for WasteLAB. Partner with regions and businesses to inform sustainable product priorities
- Embed sustainability and circularity principles into WasteLAB products
- Provide voice-of-customer and market insights throughout the NPD process
- Support trade-off decisions related to performance, cost, manufacturability, and sustainability outcomes
- Lead marketing strategy for WasteLAB products (non-plumbing categories), including: Positioning and value propositions Messaging and differentiation Go-to-market and launch planning Distribution partner product training and merchandising
- Partner with Kohler Marketing, Category, Product Management and Sustainable Living teams to ensure WasteLAB launches (plumbing categories) are supported with: Purpose-driven storytelling Credible sustainability claims Clear customer value articulation Product training and merchandising (samples, displays)
- Partner with kitchen and bath marketing team to develop product launch communications and campaign content for WasteLAB, or Sustainable Living initiatives, as needed.
- Monitor and analyze WasteLAB category performance, including: Market trends Competitive landscape Customer and channel feedback
- Partner with sales teams to identify growth opportunities and actions
- Contribute insights to long-range planning and portfolio optimization for enterprise sustainable product development
- Support customer-service on existing and future orders and samples, as needed
- Develop and deliver sales enablement and training for: Field sales teams Kohler Signature Stores and showrooms Key partners
- Architects, Designers (residential/commercial/hospitality), and luxury builders
- Travel to key markets to train architects and designers on CEUs and sustainable products; partner with Kohler sales team on key market initiatives.
- Partner with showrooms to elevate: WasteLAB product knowledge Selling techniques and customer conversations
- Support A&D education to increase awareness, specification, and adoption of WasteLAB products and broader sustainable product knowledge
- Serve as a key connector across: Business Development (Sustainable Product Strategy) Product and Category Management Engineering Marketing and Communications Sales and Showroom teams
- Influence without direct authority in a matrixed environment
Benefits
- We believe in supporting you from the moment you join us, which is why Kohler offers day 1 benefits. This means you’ll have access to your applicable benefit programs from your first day on the job, with no waiting period.
- In addition, this position is eligible for a performance bonus/variable incentive compensation.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
