Category Manager

Job Summary

The Category Manager serves as the business and product leader for one or more assigned product categories. They own category strategy, customer understanding, product portfolio, commercialization, and category P&L while leading their team of engineers and designers. They balance strategic leadership with hands‑on product management and determine what products Benchmade builds—and why. Category Managers are the company's foremost experts in their categories, advocating for customers, translating insight into products, creating demand for future technologies through innovation and prototyping, and being accountable for both business results and product execution.

• Category Leadership
  • Own long‑term category strategy for one or more categories.
  • Develop rolling 3‑year category plans and product roadmaps.
  • Own category P&L, budgets, forecasts, pricing, and investment priorities.
  • Present category strategy and financial performance to leadership.
• Customer & Market Leadership
  • Serve as the primary voice of the customer.
  • Lead customer research, field engagement, and competitive analysis.
  • Translate customer needs into product strategy and validated opportunities.
• Product & Innovation Leadership
  • Lead products from concept through end‑of‑life.
  • Partner with Innovation and Advanced Prototyping to pull future technologies and capabilities into the category.
  • Balance innovation, lifecycle management, and commercial performance.
• People Leadership
  • Directly lead the team of engineers and designers.
  • Coach, develop, recruit, and evaluate team members.
  • Create an accountable, collaborative, high‑performing culture.
• Cross‑Functional Leadership
  • Partner with Brand, Marketing, E‑commerce, Sales, Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain.
  • Ensure successful commercialization and launch execution.

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred.
• 5+ years in Product, Category, or Product Line Management.
• 2+ years of direct people leadership.
• Demonstrated P&L ownership, budgeting, forecasting, and executive presentation skills.

Primarily an on‑site leadership role with hybrid flexibility as business needs allow. Office‑based with regular interaction across Design, Engineering, Operations, Marketing, Sales, and executive leadership. Travel as required (typically less than 10%).

• Commercial performance (revenue, margin, P&L).
• Customer satisfaction and validated customer insight.
• Successful product launches and portfolio health.
• Team development and cross‑functional leadership.

Benchmade Knife Company, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Benchmade complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.

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