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Director of Product Management
- Elkay (Downers Grove, IL)
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Director of Product Management
_The Company_
Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation is a thriving, values-driven company focused on doing the right things. We’re a fast growing, publicly traded company (NYSE: ZWS), with an enduring reputation for integrity, giving back, and providing an engaging, inclusive environment where careers flourish and grow.
Named by Newsweek as One of America’s Most Responsible Companies and an Energage USA Top Workplace, at Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation, we never forget that our people are at the center of what makes us successful. They are the driving force behind our superior quality, product ingenuity, and exceptional customer experience. Our commitment to our people and their professional development is a recipe for success that has fueled our growth for over 100 years, as one of today’s leading international suppliers of plumbing and water delivery solutions.
Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation employs over 2800 employees worldwide, working from 24 locations across the U.S., China, Canada, Dubai, and Mexico, with sales offices available around the globe. We hope you’ll visit our website and learn more about Zurn Elkay at zurnelkay.com.
If you’re ready to join a company where what you do makes a difference and you have pride in the work you are doing, talk to us about joining the Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation family!
If you are a current employee, please navigate** **here (http://www.myworkday.com/elkay/d/inst/13102!CK5mGhIKBggDEMenAhIICgYI1A0Q2AI~*nsH-3y\_ndUM~/cacheable-task/2998$46522.htmld)** **to apply internally.
The Director of Product Management – Drinking Water leads the strategic development and execution of the Expanded Markets strategy for Elkay’s Water Delivery product portfolio, with a focused emphasis on the **Educational** vertical
This high-impact leadership role is responsible for building and executing a long-term product roadmap that drives profitable growth, innovation, and customer relevance in emerging markets. The Director leads a team of 3–5 experienced product and program managers and partners cross-functionally across engineering, marketing, operations, and sales to bring meaningful innovation to market.
Key Focus Areas
Strategic Leadership & Market Expansion
+ Lead the organization in the development of a vision and strategic business plan for our product category or accounts in collaboration with other key cross-functional stakeholders.
+ Serve as holistic organizational business expert and owner for their product category. This includes expert knowledge on Elkay, our competition, end-user insights, channel partner needs, market trends, market pricing, manufacturing methods and costs, our suppliers, etc.
+ Define and lead the Expanded Markets strategy with a focus on educational institutions and emerging channels for Elkay drinking water solutions.
+ Translate market and customer insights into a compelling and actionable product roadmap.
+ Champion voice-of-customer (VOC) insights to influence product design and innovation priorities.
NPD & Program Management
+ Oversee all drinking water-related NPD programs, ensuring timeline, budget, scope, product requirement definitions, and resource alignment.
+ Utilize stage-gate and agile methodologies to drive cross-functional collaboration and timely execution.
+ Partner with sales, marketing, & REP network to develop successful business plans for NPD projects. This includes providing clear guidance on customer persona, target verticals, value propositions, competitive differentiation, pricing strategy, etc.
+ Act as a central point of leadership for program risk management, resource allocation, and cross-functional alignment.
Product Lifecycle Ownership
+ Lead the Product Lifecycle Management Process (PLCM) to define the product strategy and market positioning of the product line. This includes conducting internal product performance review, external market review, competitive review, identifying commercial strategies, and overall development of the overall 3YR product roadmap.
+ Develop and maintain business cases, including financial modeling, ROI, and pricing strategy.
Team Development & Leadership
+ Lead and develop a high-performing team of 3–5 product managers and program leader.
+ Create a culture of accountability, innovation, and customer focus.
+ Provide coaching, mentorship, and career development for direct reports.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
+ Work closely with engineering, supply chain, commercial teams, and senior leadership to ensure alignment with company goals.
+ Collaborate with finance and senior business leaders in establishing financial targets and delivering to those targets.
+ Establish and nurture strong, collaborative relationships with all functional areas within Elkay.
+ Utilize Zurn Elkay Business System (ZEBS) for effective process development, problem solving and countermeasure activities.
Success Measures
+ **Strategic Roadmap Execution:** Achieve key milestones outlined in the 3-year strategic roadmap for the business. Goal of driving >20% new product vitality within the category.
+ **Market Penetration Growth:** Deliver year-over-year growth in revenue and market share within defined expanded markets (e.g., >10% YoY growth).
+ **NPD Pipeline Health:** Maintain a robust, balanced, and gated NPD pipeline with projects aligned to strategic priorities (e.g., >$125M NPD Funnel & >$1M Cost Out Funnel).
+ **On-Time Program Delivery:** Achieve 90%+ of NPD projects delivered on-time and within budget.
+ **Product Profitability:** Meet or exceed product margin targets (e.g., >65% gross margin) within 12–24 months of launch.
+ **Team Development:** Improve team engagement and capability through mentoring, training, and performance management (e.g., internal mobility, high-potential readiness, engagement score improvement).
Candidate Profile
+ Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or related studies is required; MBA preferred.
+ 10+ years product management experience required
+ Prior supervisory experience preferred.
+ Prior channel marketing and / or sales experience a plus.
+ Durable goods experience strongly preferred.
+ Strategic “general manager” mindset essential. The ideal candidate will want to manage a business, not just products.
+ Demonstrated success in leading cross-functional teams in the development launch of new products and other business initiatives a must.
+ Ability to develop and present comprehensive business recommendations and proposals within the organization as well as to customers essential.
+ Excellent verbal and written communication skills required, as well as excellent presentation skills. Ability to confidently and persuasively present to senior leadership team and key customers essential.
+ Strong project management and cross-functional leadership skills required.
+ Ability to collaborate across all levels and functions within the organization a must
Additional Details
+ The compensation range identified below are a good faith estimate of the salary expected to be paid as performed from these locations. Actual salaries may vary based on compensable factors including but not limited to skillset, experience, education and training, and other relevant business and organizational factors. Most candidates will start in the lower half of the range.
+ The Salary Range: $140,000 - $200,000. A comprehensive relocation package is available for out-of-market candidates.
_Total Rewards and Benefits_
+ Competitive Salary
+ Medical, Dental, Vision, STD, LTD, AD&D, and Life Insurance
+ Matching 401(k) Contribution
+ Health Savings Account
+ Up to 3 weeks starting Vacation (may increase with tenure)
+ 12 Paid Holidays
+ Annual Bonus Eligibility
+ Educational Reimbursement
+ Matching Gift Program
+ Employee Stock Purchase Plan – purchase company stock at a discount!
THIRD PARTY AGENCY: Any unsolicited submissions received from recruitment agencies will be considered property of Zurn Elkay, and we will not be liable for any fees or obligations related to those submissions.
Equal Opportunity Employer – Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran
Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation
_What happens when two remarkable sustainability leaders come together as one?_
_A sustainability powerhouse is born, making a splash in the markets they serve and saving the planet one innovative installation at a time._
In early 2022, Zurn Water Solutions Corporation, a market leader in smart, sustainable water solutions, and Elkay Manufacturing, a commercial drinking water solutions leader, agreed to combine their two exceptional firms to become a single water solutions powerhouse.
Together, the combined company offers a comprehensive package of innovative, sustainable, specified, engineered water solutions and sustainable plumbing products that provide water safety, water quality, and water conservation through critical service environments, while delivering total building solutions for new construction and retrofit applications around the globe. Our innovative solutions enable customers to advance their ESG initiatives and reduce operating costs while providing students, patients, patrons, and people within public and private spaces a safe, clean environment and access to fresh, pure, potable water – the essence of life itself.
What makes Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation special is our people and our culture.
While playing a leading role in sustainability and water access are remarkable, what makes Zurn Elkay’s story so compelling is the alignment of the two well-respected companies with powerful legacies and a combined 224-year company history and shared values and cultures where people matter most.
Sustainably inspired, the company has a deep commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, water, and environmental stewardship, and giving back to the communities where we live, work and play. Our powerful legacy of caring and commitment is made possible by the exceptional people that embody Zurn Elkay’s values.
We are looking for innovative, energetic people who want to help solve tomorrow’s challenges today. Our Total Associate Engagement core value means we work hard to ensure our associates have opportunities to grow and an inclusive culture in which to thrive. From formal training to on-the-job development and exposure to new businesses, when you join Zurn Elkay, you will join a collaborative organization that will give you opportunities to thrive and grow.
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