Real Flame® is a market-leading fire feature manufacturer with prominent, growing brands that specialize in enhancing the comfort and livability of indoor & outdoor spaces. Our products include indoor electric fireplaces, outdoor fire tables, wood-burning fire pits, patio furniture and accessories. We sell across North America through outdoor independent retailers, on-line home décor & DIY partners, and high-end specialty retailers. We are a fast-growing business and a leader in the industry. Founded over 25 years ago, Real Flame® products can now be found in hundreds of thousands of homes across North America. We welcome you to join our collaborative team!
Location: 19116 Spring St., Union Grove, WI
This position is onsite Monday - Thursday in Union Grove, WI. On Friday's, employees have the option to work from home after an initial onboarding period.
Who We are Looking For?
We are seeking a dynamic and detail-oriented Assistant Product Manager to join our team. This role will report directly to the Vice President - Strategy and Merchandising to support Product Development, Engineering, Merchandising and Sales teams who are focused on regularly delivering new products while also troubleshooting solutions on existing Real Flame® product lines.
Your primary focus will be to manage projects across multiple product categories and facilitate timely completion of tasks required for successful new product launches. You will be responsible for scheduling, prepping, note taking and email recapping for all key development meetings. Prep work responsibilities will include managing product and swatch samples, creation of documents to support needs of individual meetings, and new item setup. The Assistant Product Manager will work in varying ERP, and PDM environments to assist in these duties. You may also be responsible for project-leading various company cross-functional initiatives as assigned.
Essential Functions
Product Lifecycle Management
Create/Update separate Product Lifecycle Calendars for each of Real Flame's® product classes
Set up and coordinate calendar invites and manage attendee lists and requirements for each key milestone
Hold Engineering, Product Development, Merchandising and Sales teams accountable for their specific tasks and deadlines required to facilitate an on-time project and eventual product launch
Send frequent reminders/updates on key deadlines for key contributors of each task
Reforecast remainder of Product Lifecycle Calendar to understand what actions need to be taken to get project back on track, and elevate/inform Manager and teams involved of your concerns and proposed solutions
Constantly help problem-solve and assist with creating alternative solutions if a project falls behind
Work with sourcing staff and vendors to create and track orders of parts and samples. Organize parts and samples into libraries with accurate lists and tracking status designations
Be liaison between customer service and quality teams to address product-related issues/complaints and assist in troubleshooting solutions
Participate in team product reviews and take detailed meeting notes to share out
Assist in market and trend research at the direction of the Merchandising and Planning Manager to help identify competitive insights and opportunities in product categories
Gather and analyze customer feedback to identify areas for product improvement and enhancement
Contribute to product pitch decks created in Canva for sales account support
Perform miscellaneous other tasks/projects at the direction of Leadership team
New Item Setup
Assist Product Development team by taking lead on Net Suite system data entry of product specifications
Assist in auditing the Item Master information to ensure it matches engineering files using PDM contributor
Technical Design
Work in the Adobe suite to create supporting documentation such as instruction manuals, control panel artwork, package labeling, etc.
Requirements
Detail-oriented with strong organizational and project management skills
Solutions-oriented with ability to identify and navigate obstacles quickly
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and make informed decisions
Education and Experience
Bachelor's degree in business administration, marketing, retail merchandising, or a related field.
2+ years of experience in product management, project management, marketing, or related roles preferred.
Knowledge of the fireplace or outdoor living industry is a plus.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Canva, Air Table, and other project management tools.
Benefits:
Competitive salary and performance-based incentives
Comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and retirement benefits
Paid vacation & sick leave
A supportive and collaborative work environment
Employee discount
Non-Discrimination Statement: Real Flame® a division of KSP Group, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
To all recruitment agencies: Real Flame® & KSP Group, Inc. affiliates does not accept unsolicited agency resumes/CVs or phone calls. Please do not forward resumes/CVs to our careers email addresses, Real Flame® or KSP Group, Inc. affiliates employees or any other company location. Real Flame® & KSP Group, Inc. is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/CVs.