Product Manager, Connectors

Basic Function: The Product Manager - Connectors owns the profitable growth, market development, and operational performance of assigned connector manufacturers and product families. Acting as the business owner for the portfolio, this position combines supplier capabilities, market intelligence, technical product knowledge, pricing, inventory, sales opportunities, and cross-functional execution to improve revenue, margin, market position, product availability, inventory productivity, supplier performance, and customer value.

The role partners with Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, Quality, Finance, Marketing, Analytics, Information Technology, suppliers, and customers, and is expected to use emerging technologies - including artificial intelligence, workflow automation, advanced analytics, and digital tools - to improve efficiency, accuracy, scalability, and throughput.

Responsibilities:

• Product-Line Strategy and Profitable Growth: Develop and execute product-line strategies and roadmaps that convert market, customer, competitive, and supplier insight into profitable growth, new product and value-added opportunities, market expansion, and effective lifecycle management.

• Pricing, Margin, and Commercial Performance: Establish and manage pricing strategies using cost, market, quote, and sales data to improve competitiveness, price realization, profitability, and quote conversion.

• Inventory Strategy, Availability, and Working-Capital Performance: Develop inventory plans that improve product availability and customer responsiveness while balancing inventory turns, working-capital productivity, supply risk, and excess or obsolete inventory.

• Supplier Strategy and Relationship Management: Build strategic supplier relationships and joint business plans that strengthen growth, pricing, availability, authorizations, technical support, and overall supplier performance.

• Sales Enablement and Customer Development: Equip Sales and internal teams with product expertise, training, tools, and opportunity support while translating customer feedback into portfolio, pricing, inventory, and process improvements.

• Marketing and Market Development: Define target markets, product positioning, technical content, and campaign objectives, partnering with Marketing and suppliers to execute effective product launches and market-development programs.

• Product Information, Systems, and Technical Content: Ensure product data, technical documentation, configurations, lifecycle information, and system records are accurate, complete, compliant, and commercially useful.

• Operational Excellence and Workflow Automation: Apply artificial intelligence, workflow automation, analytics, and other emerging technologies to simplify work, improve accuracy and scalability, and deliver measurable gains in efficiency, cycle time, and throughput.

• Cross-Functional Leadership and Execution: Lead cross-functional initiatives through influence by converting strategy and analysis into clear action plans, communicating risks, maintaining accountability, and delivering results on schedule.

• Travel may be required – up to 25% travel.

• Support WireMasters Core Values; Service, Gratitude, Excellence, Quality, Integrity, Family.

• This list is not to be considered comprehensive, and WireMasters Management retains the right to modify the contents of this document at any time.  Other duties may be assigned by WireMasters Management.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, supply chain, analytics, marketing, or a related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience.

• 5 or more years of experience in product management, product-line or category management, supplier management, technical sales, pricing, or commercial management within aerospace, defense, electronic components, interconnect, industrial distribution, manufacturing, or another technically complex market.

• Demonstrated ability to use data, Microsoft Excel, and business systems such as ERP, CRM, business-intelligence, or project-management platforms to make sound commercial, pricing, inventory, supplier, and market-development decisions and to interpret technical product information.

• Demonstrated success applying artificial intelligence, workflow automation, analytics, or related digital technologies to deliver measurable process improvements, together with strong communication skills.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 5+ years of product management experience, with a focus on electrical components or related industries.
• Proven experience in the aerospace, defense, or space markets, with an understanding of their unique requirements and standards.
• Travel up to 25%.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Expertise in product strategy, pricing models, inventory management, and promotional activities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to influence cross-functional teams, suppliers, and customers.
• Technical knowledge of wires, cables, connectors, and harness protection products.
• Familiarity with industry standards and regulations, such as MIL-SPEC, AS9100, and NASA requirements.
• Proficiency in project management tools, ERP systems, and CRM platforms.