Product Development Manager, Beverages

Product Development Manager

Product Development Manager will help support the development of new products and packaging for the business unit. Will cultivate consumer insights, market data and trends that help the business unit identify opportunities to grow Private Brands, while also owning overall category performance through ongoing sales evaluation, promotion planning, and cross‑functional partnership. As a key member of the business unit, this person will work within their team to understand customer needs, create innovative products, and lead a significant portion of the development process.

• Support the Private Brand Team's vision and strategy into a pipeline of innovation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Analyze and monitor key financial indicators weekly, monthly, and quarterly to achieve portfolio performance targets versus budget; sales, units, gross margins, and profit goals.
• Lead the product development process for a subset of categories, including opportunity identification, consumer testing, establishment of success criteria, packaging development, and post‑launch performance verification.
• Partner with the Sr. Category Manager to develop a strategy that supports the business unit, serving as the key executional contact point with supplier partners and internal stakeholders to gain alignment and bring high‑impact platforms to market.
• Develop, implement, and manage the full product lifecycle of new and existing products, establishing retail and promotional pricing strategy for the Private Brand categories by collaborating with Sr. Product Development Manager, Category Managers, and other internal stakeholders.
• Manage the product development process, providing data related to the opportunity, the marketplace, product positioning, revenue, and unit forecasting.
• Partner and influence cross‑functional teams to gain alignment on objectives and targets to achieve business results.
• Work collaboratively with the Category Team and Category Support Team to provide all critical information to facilitate product execution in‑store.
• Provide input regarding the management of existing private‑brand assortments, including opportunities for expansion, promotion, and rationalization of items.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain on supplier setup, route to market, and inventory management to meet established goals.
• Lead the execution of product sampling and tasting panels with potential consumers as well as in‑house product reviews.
• Provide Operations Team, Franchisees, and stores with consumer and product information that enhances product knowledge to make informed decisions on new platforms, programs, in‑store placement, and how to maximize profitability in Private Brands.
• Develop and maintain strong supplier relationships; hold suppliers accountable to performance agreements and implement course corrections and mitigation strategies as needed.
• Partner with user experience and customer research teams to drive insights into customer segments and shopping behaviors.
• Assist in the development of the Associate Product Development Manager and ensure their activities align with the priorities of the business unit.

• Bachelor's/4‑Year Degree.
• 5 years of category management or product development experience, with private‑brand experience preferred.
• Retail and/or manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Skilled using marketing metrics, consumer insights, and data to drive business decisions.
• Proven problem‑solver.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with attention to detail.
• Time‑management skills.
• The ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment and manage multiple, competing priorities.