POSITION – Product Manager

DEPARTMENT: Supply Chain
REPORTS TO: Director, Assembly & Operations

ABOUT THE COMPANY
Hickory Farms, Inc. is a mission and values driven enterprise and is one of North America’s leading specialty food and gift purveyors. The Company was founded in 1951 in the pastoral farm country of Northwest Ohio. Hickory Farms products are a hallmark gift for those who appreciate rich and savory foods. Based in Toledo, OH Hickory Farms brings the best of Midwest values to consumers in North America and the U.S. Armed Forces all over the world. Customers can find Hickory Farms’ savory sausages, favorite cheeses and other gourmet foods online, in catalogs, in leading mass merchants, supermarkets and approximately 750 retail shopping centers throughout the holiday season.

MISSION

• Provide the highest quality products and customer experience.
• Increase brand value by enriching family holiday traditions.
• Promote giving, sustainability and community service.
• Be the best premium specialty food company in North America.

QUALITY AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Hickory Farms believes customer satisfaction and quality are key value drivers which have enabled it to earn EBITDA margins well ahead of the industry. In 2011 its reformulated Signature Summer Sausage earned the Gold Medal from The American Masters of Taste for product Superiority. In 2014, Hickory Farms’ Holiday Market locations received a consumer satisfaction index of 90 from Foresee Results, putting the Company at the Vanguard of the nation’s leading retailers.

POSITION SUMMARY
The Product Manager is responsible for developing and implementing an effective product strategy to include ensuring in-demand products are developed and sourced at competitive costs, then priced and forecasted appropriately to achieve the organization’s gross margin and sales objectives. Additionally responsible for ensuring forecasted units are in-stock during required fiscal periods and all products achieve brand requirements and quality standards.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS    
Reports to:    Director, Product Management
Internal Relationships:     Marketing, Supply Chain and Assembly, Retail, Direct Response, Wholesale, Finance

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for attaining revenue, unit sales and gross margin targets for assigned product line. Provides an annual profit review of product line results, with recommendations for improvement.
• Provides effective and professional communication on rationale of product line strategies, positioning and financial impact to Supply Chain, Finance, Brand Marketing, Customer Service, Sales and other internal departments.
• Attend industry-related trade shows, sales meetings and vendor reviews. Maintain a general understanding of competitive environment of all Hickory Farms business channels.
• Provides sales and product training support to drive product awareness and revenue to achieve company’s sales objectives.
• Support Brand Marketing and all Sales departments with product knowledge, promotional strategies and tactics for all products. Proof content and message of all product related electronic and printed communication materials (including web and catalogs) for accuracy of product offering, description, content and pricing.
• Lead development of assigned new and improved products by effectively team leading Supply Chain, Assembly, Finance and Fulfillment. Develops gift specification sheets to ensure Assembly personnel can pack each gift to company brand and quality standards.
• Responsible for all aspects of product for photo shoots, including managing on-set product, prep and confirming photos accurately depict current offering.
• Ensures accurate product data and BOMs in company systems - BPCS, Ecometry, Retail POS, etc.
• Maintains and tracks the Label Log for all products. Responsible for the annual updates to labels, belly bands, etc.
• Assist with kiosk planogram development and publication, coordinating with Retail field associates and Marketing to ensure kiosk and store representation adheres to brand standards.
• Works with Quality Control, Assembly, and Purchasing to resolve product defects and/or issues. Coordinates problem resolutions with Customer Service, as necessary.
• Other duties as assigned by Director.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree (B.A.) from four-year college or university; or one to two years' related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to analyze reports and draw conclusions/recommendations.
• Strong coordination skills, ability to multi-task and manage to a deadline.
• Ability to work with multiple teams, vendors, partners and management.
• Strong Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint experience.
• Previous Buyer/Retail experience a plus.
• Previous product and/or packaging development a plus
• Prior Budget and/or P&L experience preferred.

CRITICAL COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESS
Focus on growth and results-oriented. The successful candidate has demonstrated personal accountability for delivering stability to an organization while building efficient, “best-of-class” support teams. They will possess a “pioneer” mentality and are willing to wear multiple hats to get results.

Outstanding communications skills. The successful candidate will interact with both frequent and focused dialogue with all members of the senior leadership team; enjoy strong negotiating skills; and be open and candid with peers, subordinates and partners.

A high-energy, team-oriented leader. The successful candidate will have a passion for leading a highly professional team and will instill a strong sense of team spirit with peers and subordinates. This person will lead by example and instill confidence in his/ her staff. We aspire to find an executive with a “fire in the belly” who enjoys rolling up his/ her sleeves, leading from the frontlines, while working in a team-centric environment.

Interested candidates please submit cover letter with salary requirements to:

Resumes may be faxed or e-mailed (as Microsoft Word or PDF attachment)

Fax 419.897.6839
ATTN:
Hickory Farms, Inc.
Human Resource Dept.
human.resources@hickoryfarms.com