Product Line Manager - Precision Optics

Edmund Optics® is a leading manufacturer and supplier of optics, imaging, and photonics technology. The company’s state‑of‑the‑art manufacturing capabilities combined with its global distribution network have earned it the position of one of the largest suppliers of off‑the‑shelf optical components, as well as a trusted partner when it comes to customized solutions. Supporting numerous markets worldwide—including advanced diagnostics, semiconductor & electronics, machine vision, automation, and R&D—Edmund Optics products are used in a variety of applications ranging from DNA sequencing to retinal eye scanning to high‑speed factory automation.

Edmund Optics Europe, a U.S.‑owned group comprising subsidiaries in Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and France, is responsible for sales, marketing, distribution, engineering and application support for a wide product range throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Europe is one of the main growth markets for Edmund Optics globally, leading to a rapidly expanding and developing local team.

The Product Line Manager for Strategic Optics (PLM) is the product visionary for key and innovative optics in the industry. By developing and executing a product strategy that is consistent with Edmund Optics’ technological vision and core competencies, the PLM improves customer acquisition and retention efforts and ensures the profitable growth of our standard and custom product business. Responsibilities include the strategic and tactical management of optics, including developing and expanding existing standard product families, gathering market and application information from customers, selecting new products and custom capabilities, defining an end‑of‑life strategy for underperforming products, and aligning with the entire Strategic Optics team to determine the future of the market.

The PLM will work closely with other functional areas—including manufacturing, marketing, R&D, sales, applications engineering, and design engineering—to develop objectives, presentations and financial proposals for new product initiatives.

• Responsible for defining and developing overall vision and strategy for select products. Strategy must be supported by realistic returns on investment, marketing data, and corporate strategic plan.
• Identify new domains and applications for products and define target metrics.
• Develop new standard product lines and custom capability offerings for specific product areas.
• Define and communicate the product strategy and plan for specific product areas.
• Develop business cases, business plans, product and capability roadmaps, including forecasts, global competitive landscape, pricing, target customers, applications, markets and end‑of‑life strategies.
• Work and collaborate cross‑functionally with global sales, business development, marketing, R&D, engineering, manufacturing and supply chain teams on establishing necessary plans and technologies for product/capability development and go‑to‑market strategy.
• Direct functional groups without direct reporting authority.
• Work with marketing to define marketing strategies across different channels, geographies, and customer segments.
• Remain up‑to‑date with current scientific literature, travel to trade shows and conferences, and regularly share new and relevant information with the team and key stakeholders.
• Promote products internally and externally by hosting trainings on products and applications, and attending trade shows, conferences, and seminars.
• Maintain relationships with key suppliers, partners, and customers.
• Recognize expertise needed for projects and assemble/lead teams of subject matter experts as required.
• Qualify, screen, assist in hiring, manage and mentor Product Line Engineers and Applications Engineers in their roles while delegating product line responsibilities through the team.
• Comply with company policies, procedures, and regulations.

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential…