Product Category Manager; Smart Homes and Underfloor Heating

IMI plc

We are a global specialist engineering company that creates breakthrough solutions. We are curious and like to solve problems, partnering with our customers to solve the demands of today and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. We embrace innovation and care about outcomes that are good for business, everyday life and making a better world – creating lasting impact for everyone.

We design, build and service highly engineered products in fluid and motion control applications. We focus on five market sectors:
Industrial Automation, Process Automation, Climate Control, Life Science and Fluid Control, and Transport.

We are seeking an experienced Smart Home and Underfloor Heating Product Category Manager to join our team. As a Product Category Manager, you will be responsible for defining and executing the global strategy for the Smart Home and Underfloor Heating Product Category, within the overall Residential Portfolio strategy. This includes managing the entire product lifecycle, driving innovation based on market and customer insights, and ensuring alignment with business objectives and market trends.

The Product Category Manager works cross‑functionally to optimise portfolio performance, margin, and market share.

• Develop and execute the category strategy aligned with the Residential Portfolio objectives. Identify market opportunities, assess the competitive landscape, and define target customer segments.

• Own the product lifecycle from early‑stage ideation to phase‑out; determine the product offering within the category to meet customer needs and maximise sales growth and profitability.
• Monitor portfolio performance (revenue, margin, market share) and drive improvement actions.
• Define and optimise the SKU structure to reduce complexity.

• Monitor industry trends and competitive landscape, conduct market research, gather customer feedback, and collaborate with cross‑functional teams to identify new product opportunities and improve existing offerings.
• Source customer‑ and market challenges as material for customer‑led innovation, to identify high‑quality problems to solve and develop differentiated and high‑value solutions.
• Establish and nurture relationships with sales teams and customers to achieve the customer intimacy required for successful roadmap and solution development, and to maintain a deep understanding of current and emerging market needs and requirements.
• Translate insights into concrete product or feature development.
• Support customer interactions and key account initiatives.

• Define and support value‑based pricing strategies in collaboration with the Pricing Manager.
• Develop clear value propositions and messaging for both products and solutions within the category.
• Collaborate with Marketing to develop effective marketing campaigns and product launches, providing guidance on product positioning, messaging, and target audience.

• Work closely with Engineering, Operations, Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams.
• Collaborate with R&D teams during product development to ensure outcomes match requirements.
• Support forecasting and planning activities by providing market intelligence and volume projections.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Minimum five years of experience in Product Management, Portfolio Management, Technical Sales, or Design/Planning within the HVAC or fluid control industries.
• In‑depth knowledge of smart home technologies and hydronic systems.
• Solid grasp of product lifecycle management.
• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex datasets and drive decisions based on insights.
• Proven ability to develop and implement data‑driven strategies.
• Proficient in English (spoken and written).
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally (approx. 25–35%, depending on the season).

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Proactive, results‑oriented mindset with a strong focus on…