Job Description

Product Manager – Pet Products

Department: Product Development

Reports to: Director of Product Development

Location: Hauppauge, NY (on-site)

Employment Type: Full-time

Compensation: $80,000

About Penn-Plax

Penn-Plax is a family-owned pet product manufacturer known for innovation in the pet industry. Founded in 1956 as a small pet shop in Brooklyn, New York, the company soon grew into a full-scale manufacturing operation on Pennsylvania Avenue, which gave Penn-Plax its name. Over the decades, Penn-Plax has been first to market with many popular pet products. Today its products are sold in stores around the world, reflecting the company’s continued growth and commitment to quality for pets and their caregivers.

Position Summary

The Product Manager – Pet Products is responsible for the strategy, development, launch, and lifecycle management of pet product lines across multiple categories. This role leads the end-to-end product management process. It ensures products meet consumer needs, deliver strong financial performance, and meet the requirements of major retail customers and ecommerce platforms. The ideal candidate combines market insight, analytical rigor, and cross-functional leadership with a passion for consumer products and the pet industry. Strong knowledge of the aquarium hobby, through professional or personal experience is preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy & Planning

• Develop and execute product strategies and roadmaps for assigned pet product categories in line with company growth objectives.
• Conduct market, consumer, and competitive analysis to identify trends, white-space opportunities, and product differentiation.
• Define product positioning, target consumer segments, and value propositions for brick-and-mortar retail and ecommerce channels.
• Build business cases for new product introductions, including pricing, cost targets, margin expectations, and volume forecasts.

Product Development & Launch

• Lead the end-to-end product development process from concept through commercialization.
• Create product requirements, specifications, and packaging briefs with the design, engineering, quality, and manufacturing teams.
• Coordinate sourcing and supplier engagement, including sample reviews, cost negotiations, and quality assurance.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Operations on demand planning, inventory strategy, and launch readiness.
• Work with Marketing on go-to-market planning, launch materials, and channel-specific content.

Channel & Customer Alignment

• Ensure product assortments, packaging, and configurations meet the needs of major retail accounts and ecommerce platforms.
• Collaborate with Sales and Key Account teams on line reviews, product presentations, and customer-specific requirements.
• Support merchandising initiatives, including planograms, displays, and in-store and online presentation, to drive sell-through.
• Monitor product performance by channel and recommend assortment, pricing, or promotional adjustments to improve results.

Product Lifecycle Management

• Track and analyze product performance metrics, including sales, gross margin, inventory turns, and customer feedback.
• Manage line extensions, product improvements, cost reductions, and end-of-life decisions.
• Maintain accurate product data, specifications, and documentation in ERP and PLM systems.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory, safety, testing, and labeling requirements for pet products.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Act as the internal subject matter expert for assigned pet product categories.
• Lead cross-functional project teams to maintain timelines, resolve issues, and drive execution.
• Communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders across Sales, Marketing, Operations, Quality, and Finance.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of the aquarium hobby, through professional or personal experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Product Development, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. MBA a plus.
• 3+ years of product management experience in consumer products. Pet industry experience preferred but not required.
• Experience developing products for both retail and ecommerce channels.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret market data, financial metrics, and customer insights.
• Excellent project management, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, growing manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel. Experience with PLM, ERP, and analytics tools a plus.
• Ability to work on-site in Hauppauge, NY.

Key Competencies

• Strategic and consumer-focused thinking
• Cross-functional collaboration and influence
• Attention to detail and execution discipline
• Data-driven decision making
• Adaptability and problem solving

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