Product Manager

Location:

Traverse City, Michigan (On-site)
Job Type:Direct Hire, Full Time
* Must be US citizen or green card holder*
Salary: $75,000 - $95,000

We are a fast-growing food and beverage consumer products company based in northern Michigan. We develop and distribute a portfolio of products, and retail merchandise through a growing national distribution network. Our commitment to innovation, quality, and customer experience drives everything we do.

The Product Manager is responsible for leading cross-functional coordination and execution of new product development from concept approval through launch. This role serves as the central point of alignment between R&D, Marketing, and Operations to ensure that new products and retail merchandise, are designed, packaged, positioned, and operationally ready for successful release.

This position ensures that once a product concept and recipe are finalized, all downstream activities are executed efficiently, on time, and in alignment with brand, operational, and commercial goals.

• Serve as the primary liaison between R&D, Marketing, and Operations for all new product initiatives.
• Lead cross-departmental timelines, meetings, and communication to ensure alignment and accountability.
• Translate finalized R&D outputs (e.g., recipes, formulations, specifications) into executable operational and marketing plans.

• Coordinate the design and development of new product packaging, including:
  • Bottles, cans, closures, labels, cartons, and secondary packaging
  • Retail and point-of-sale packaging
• Manage vendor coordination for packaging components, samples, and approvals.
• Ensure packaging meets regulatory, operational, and brand standards.
• Manage the full active product portfolio, including product setup information, formulation changes, and packaging changes.

• Develop and maintain comprehensive product briefs that align:
  • Product positioning and brand messaging
  • Operational requirements and production readiness
  • Pricing, margins, and SKU setup considerations
• Ensure Marketing and Operations are aligned on timelines, specifications, and launch requirements for new innovations.
• Support launch planning and internal communication for new products.
• Coordinate with marketing and external partners to ensure all marketing materials are executed on time, including sell sheets, product photography, and lifestyle imagery.

• Create and maintain standardized product development processes, documentation, and stage-gate procedures.
• Track project status, risks, and dependencies across all product initiatives.
• Ensure clean handoffs to Operations for production and fulfillment readiness.
• Perform other duties as assigned; responsibilities may change based on workload or seasonal demands.

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Operations, Food & Beverage, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 3+ years of experience in product management, product development, operations, or cross-functional project management.
• Strong ability to manage timelines and coordinate across multiple departments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High attention to detail and strong organizational skills.

• Experience in beverage, food & beverage, consumer packaged goods (CPG), or manufacturing environments.
• Experience working with eCommerce products and platforms.
• Familiarity with packaging development and vendor coordination.
• Understanding of regulatory and compliance considerations in alcoholic and non-alcoholic products.
• Experience working with ERP systems…