Lead, Product Strategy & Marketing Intelligence - PLT Tires

Job Description:

Position Summary:

The Product Strategy & Marketing Intelligence Lead - PLT Tires (PSMIL) is responsible for managing and optimizing the company’s Passenger & Light Truck tire portfolio. This role is pivotal in ensuring that our stores have a complete, competitive, and profitable product lineup that meets the diverse needs of our customers across all tire categories.

This role provides leadership by leading cross-functional people and teams, enabling effective execution of day-to-day product management activities while increasing the team’s overall capacity and efficiency. The PSMIL ensures the right balance between strategic focus and operational execution.

The PSMIL collaborates cross-functionally with teams in Purchasing, Pricing, Inventory Planning, Stores Sales Support, and Store Operations to develop and maintain a strategic product screen tailored to individual markets and customer segments. This includes evaluating market trends, sales data, vehicle applications, and customer needs to recommend the optimal brand, size, and product mix at the store level.

This role identifies market gaps and segment opportunities. Collaborating with the Manager of Product Strategy, builds business cases to drive growth in both Owned Brands and National Brands. Product Screen management includes defining applications and value steps for each tire size, as well as overseeing product lifecycle planning, roadmap development, and transition strategies for all product lines.

The PSMIL will collaborate closely with the Pricing Team to monitor and maintain a competitive retail product landscape, ensuring alignment with the company’s strategic pricing direction. As part of the Purchasing Organization, the PSMIL will guide the PLT Purchasing Manager by identifying segment needs and recommending the appropriate brands and products for each market opportunity.

Additionally, the PSMIL is responsible for the development and execution of New Product Introduction Plans, ensuring successful rollouts through cross-functional coordination. This includes securing appropriate inventory levels with the Planning Team, supporting sell-through of predecessor products, and developing robust communication and training plans in conjunction with Marketing.

Product testing is a key responsibility in managing PLT Tires. The PSMIL oversees product testing initiatives, including planning, evaluation, coordination, and performance monitoring of new and existing product lines.

Market and Sales Performance Monitoring is a critical component of the role. The PSMIL gathers market intelligence from various sources to support decision-making, including GFK data, USTMA, trade publications, macroeconomic indicators, and VIO data, while also tracking relevant legislative and infrastructure developments.

This role is expected to be self-starting and highly analytical, utilizing raw data from various Les Schwab systems to develop market insights, guide product positioning, and support strategic decisions.

Finally, the PSMIL is accountable for prioritizing work and ensuring high-quality execution across all product management activities, while continuously improving processes to enhance team effectiveness and scalability.

This role combines strategic product ownership with cross-functional project leadership, enabling scalable execution and stronger alignment across Product and Operational functions.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES/FUNCTIONS (general % of work time)40% - Product Strategy & Lifecycle Management:

Own the end-to-end product lifecycle for all PLT tire categories, including Commodity categories, as well as On / Off, and Winter Responsible to coordinate new owned brand product developments, product introductions, transitions, and phase outs Define the Product Screen by segment, ensuring optimal coverage by tier, brand, and application

Develop product roadmaps aligned with market trends, customer needs, and fleet requirements
15% - Product Performance Monitoring & Testing:

Coordinate new products performance testing, including the comparison to competitor tires

Collect and analyze performance data to drive continuous improvement and inform…