• Director, Product Management

    Cole-Parmer (Vernon Hills, IL)


    Job Title: Director, Product Management

     

    Reports To: SVP/GM, Cole-Parmer & Digital Innovation

     

    Work Type: Hybrid (3 days in office)

     

    FLSA Status: Exempt

    Position Summary:

    Director, Product Management – Cole-Parmer Essentials & Traceable®

     

    The Director of Product Management will lead the strategy, vision, and execution of the product management function across the Cole-Parmer Essentials and Traceable® product portfolios, including laboratory and industrial sensors, measurement instruments, and cloud-connected platforms.

     

    This role is accountable for driving profitable growth through disciplined portfolio strategy, hands-on product leadership, and active supplier engagement across hardware, firmware, and SaaS-enabled products used in laboratory, biopharma, healthcare, industrial, cold storage, and cold-chain environments. The ideal candidate thrives in a customer-centric, execution-oriented environment and has a proven track record of taking sensor-based and regulated products from concept through global commercialization while owning full P&L responsibility.

     

    The Director will operate at the intersection of product strategy, engineering, software development, supply chain, operations, and commercial execution, ensuring product lines are competitively positioned, scalable, compliant, and aligned with long-term growth objectives. This individual will serve as a highly visible, cross-functional leader, adept at influencing within both technical and executive settings.

    Key Responsibilities

    Portfolio Strategy, Sensors & P&L Ownership

     

    + Develop and lead a unified product strategy, vision, and multi-year roadmap for the Cole-Parmer Essentials and Traceable portfolios, with explicit focus on:

    + Industrial and laboratory sensors

    + Calibration-driven, compliance-critical instruments

    + Cloud-connected and SaaS-enabled monitoring platforms

    + Own full P&L responsibility for assigned product lines, driving global revenue growth, margin expansion, cost discipline, and long-term portfolio value creation.

    + Establish clear portfolio priorities, investment theses, and performance metrics to guide product, sourcing, and commercialization decisions.

     

    Product Lifecycle Management & Regulated Innovation

     

    + Lead end-to-end product lifecycle management for sensor-based hardware, embedded systems, firmware, and cloud-connected solutions — from concept and design through development, launch, scale, sustainment, and end-of-life.

    + Partner closely with Engineering and Software Development to define:

    + Sensor architecture and component selection

    + Firmware and data integrity requirements

    + Cloud, alerting, and data-logging platforms supporting continuous monitoring

    + Ensure Traceable products meet regulatory, calibration, and certification requirements (e.g., NIST-traceable calibration, cold-chain and regulated-environment compliance) while advancing usability, reliability, and workflow integration.

     

    Hands-On Supplier Sourcing & Strategic Partnerships

     

    + Play an active, hands-on role in identifying, evaluating, selecting, and onboarding strategic suppliers, OEM/ODM partners, technology providers, and contract manufacturers to advance Cole-Parmer Essentials and Traceable portfolios.

    + Partner directly with Supply Chain, Engineering, and Operations to:

    + Source sensors, components, instruments, and subsystems

    + Balance performance, quality, cost-of-goods, scalability, and compliance requirements

    + Lead supplier and partner engagement models including:

    + Co-development and co-innovation initiatives

    + Licensing and OEM agreements

    + Contract manufacturing and external sourcing strategies

    + Establish and maintain strong relationships with key global suppliers, ensuring alignment on quality standards, capacity planning, regulatory compliance, and product roadmaps.

    + Participate directly in supplier negotiations, technical evaluations, and business reviews, serving as a product-level decision maker — not a passive stakeholder.

     

    Cross-Functional Execution & Commercial Enablement

     

    + Collaborate with Product Marketing, Sales, and Commercial teams to develop:

    + Clear value propositions for sensor-driven and monitoring solutions

    + Pricing strategies aligned to value, compliance, reliability, and total cost of ownership

    + Go-to-market plans for hardware + software offerings

    + Lead efforts to prepare product, technical, and application content, including specifications, documentation, and use-case materials, to support exceptional customer experience, brand differentiation, and customer loyalty.

    + Act as a product subject-matter expert supporting sales enablement, customer engagement, and strategic account discussions.

    + Assess build vs. buy vs. partner decisions for new sensor technologies, monitoring platforms, and data-enabled solutions.

    + Identify and prioritize opportunities to expand market share, penetrate adjacent segments, and improve product-market fit across laboratory, biopharma, healthcare, industrial, and cold-chain markets.

     

    Customer, Market & Data-Driven Insights

     

    + Drive Voice of Customer (VOC) initiatives across laboratory, industrial, cold storage, and regulated environments to inform product strategy and roadmap decisions.

    + Maintain deep understanding of:

    + Customer workflows and use cases

    + Regulatory and compliance requirements

    + Competitive dynamics and emerging technologies

    + Leverage sales, market, and operational data to deliver fact-based insights and recommendations to senior leadership.

    + Balance short-term execution priorities with long-term strategic objectives through disciplined, data-driven decision-making.

     

    Leadership & Influence

     

    + Serve as a trusted product leader and thought partner to senior leadership.

    + Influence across engineering, software, operations, supply chain, and commercial teams to drive alignment, accountability, and results.

    + Perform other duties as assigned.

    Education

    + Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or a scientific discipline required

    + Master’s degree (MBA or technical) preferred

    Experience

    + 7+ years of progressive experience in product management, with increasing scope and responsibility

    + Demonstrated experience managing sensor-based, hardware + software, or monitoring product portfolios

    + Experience with SaaS, cloud-connected, or data-enabled products strongly preferred

    + Experience operating in regulated, compliance-driven, cold storage, or cold-chain environments preferred

    + Proven ownership of multi-product P&L and global portfolios

    Qualifications

    + Hands-on experience with industrial or laboratory sensors, monitoring systems, and instrumentation

    + Strong understanding of hardware, firmware, and SaaS product integration

    + Demonstrated experience leading supplier sourcing, partner negotiations, and OEM/ODM relationships

    + Knowledge of biopharma, healthcare, laboratory, or industrial workflows; hands-on lab or process experience a plus

    + Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and drive business decisions

    + Excellent communication and influence skills across technical teams and executive leadership

    + Ability to balance near-term execution with long-term strategic vision

    + High initiative, creativity, and comfort operating with ambiguity in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment

    + Thrives in a collaborative culture while delivering results under deadlines and pressure

    + Strong work ethic and adaptability within a rapidly evolving organization

    + Approximately 20% travel required

    Compensation & Benefits:

    + Salary Range: $160,000-$200,000 depending on location, experience, and qualifications.

    + Annual-Incentive Plan (AIP): 20%

    + Benefits coverage begins day 1, including the following:

    + Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance

    + Disability Insurance

    + Life Insurance

    + 401(k) company match

    + Paid Time Off (15 days annually)

    + Paid Holiday time (10 company-designated days)

    + Tuition Assistance

    + Additional benefits available with company package

     

    This position has not been approved for Relocation Assistance.

     

    All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.

     

    The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities associated with it.