Associate Product Manager

ABOUT PETMATE

Petmate is a global leader in pet supply products, with trusted brands including Petmate®, Chuckit!®, Quirky Kitty ®, Vittles Vault®, Wild Eats® and Arm & Hammer®. Over 60 years ago, Petmate began with a focus on safe pet transportation, leading to the creation of the first dog kennel. Today, Petmate develops products that improve quality of life and strengthen the bond between people and their pets. From environmentally responsible manufacturing to rigorous product testing, safety remains central to what we make and how we make it. Our portfolio of trusted brands features innovative solutions across several pet supplies categories including toys, feeding and watering, food storage, kennels, shelters, bedding, treats and more.

OUR WHY: To enrich families’ lives by cultivating the bond between people and their pets.

OUR VISION: Families everywhere trust us to enhance their pets’ well-being at every step of the adventure.

PETMATE CORE VALUES

OWN IT! We take responsibility for our actions, decisions, and outcomes.

STEADFAST DETERMINATION: We pursue what’s next with commitment and enthusiasm.

DO THE RIGHT THING: We align our actions with our values in every situation.

SAFETY WITHOUT COMPROMISE: We prioritize the safety of employees, consumers, and pets without compromise.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Associate Product Manager supports the development, execution, and optimization of assigned product lines. Working closely with the Product Manager and cross‑functional partners (e.g. Design, Engineering, Sourcing, Marketing, Sales), this role contributes to category growth, and drives key product initiatives through gathering consumer insights, competitive analysis, and new product development activities. The Associate Product Manager helps manage the product portfolio, assists with pricing and strategy work, and ensures projects move smoothly through the product lifecycle. This role is ideal for someone eager to grow into full product ownership by building analytical expertise, cross-functional leadership skills, and the foundational capabilities of successful product management.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Key Responsibilities:

Category Support & Strategy

• Assist in maintaining expertise on assigned product categories including consumer profiles, key market trends, and competitive activity by leveraging research data to stay informed.

• Support the development of annual product line roadmaps and long‑term category strategies.

• Conduct and summarize competitive research to identify market opportunities and potential product enhancements.

• Participate in internal planning meetings and external customer discussions as needed to support category plans and gather feedback.

• Assist in coordinating consumer research tests and surveys with marketing and insights team to gather user feedback to inform product strategy.

New Product Development

• Coordinate cross‑functional activities in partnership with cross-functional teams throughout the product development lifecycle, ensuring all milestones are met.

• Partner with sourcing and manufacturing teams to collect product specifications, samples, and costing information.

• Assist in researching new materials, technologies, and industry innovations.

• Prepare launch materials such as selling stories, product presentations, pricing proposals, and timelines for internal milestones and customer-facing presentations to support successful product launches.

• Assist in developing business cases and Stage Gate deliverables under manager guidance to support each phase of new product development.

Product Portfolio & Pricing Management

• Support SKU lifecycle management, including tracking performance, identifying low performers, and contributing to annual SKU rationalization decisions by recommending changes and managing throughput of decisions.

• Assist in establishing pricing recommendations that balance profit goals with market competitiveness.

• Work with the Product Manager to review product line performance and identify cost reduction or quality‑improvement opportunities.

Analytics & Reporting

• Leverage enterprise dashboards and systems to monitor key product metrics including sales, margins, inventory levels, and market performance.

• Prepare data and insights for quarterly business reviews or internal updates.

• Conduct basic financial analysis under the guidance of the Product Manager.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Requirements:

• Strong critical thinking skills with the ability to analyze data and draw meaningful insights.

• Creative problem-solver with an interest in understanding consumer needs.

• Highly organized with strong attention to detail, accuracy, and follow‑through.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; high proficiency in PowerPoint and Excel, familiarity with data analysis tools or BI dashboards.

• A team-oriented collaborator with strong interpersonal skills, able to work effectively across different cross functional teams.

• Comfortable with modern productivity tools and able to quickly learn new technologies to improve efficiencies.

• Genuine enthusiasm for creating products that enhance the lives of pets and their families.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field required.

• 1–3 years of experience in product management, marketing, merchandising, or a related role (CPG or durable goods preferred).

• Experience supporting cross-functional teams and exposure to product development processes is strongly preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee is frequently required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to talk and listen.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position is based at our corporate office, which offers a professional, climate-controlled setting and fosters a collaborative and supportive atmosphere where teamwork and professional growth are highly valued. The office is also pet-friendly, and employees should be comfortable working around dogs and other pets in shared spaces. While the primary work location is the corporate office, the role may occasionally require visits to manufacturing and distribution sites. These environments can be loud, are not climate-controlled, and require strict adherence to safety protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as closed-toe shoes, safety glasses, and hearing protection as needed.

Petmate is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.