Educational Insights
Product Manager, Hardlines
Power BI
Edtech.com's Summary
Educational Insights is hiring a Product Manager for their Hardlines category to lead the innovation and development of new educational toys and games. The role involves overseeing product lifecycle stages, conducting market and competitive analysis, collaborating across departments, managing vendor relationships, and driving product line strategy to enhance customer satisfaction and drive revenue growth.
Highlights
- Lead ideation, development, and management of new toy lines and games.
- Conduct competitive research and ensure adherence to educational standards.
- Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, QA, E-commerce, Packaging Design, and Analytics teams.
- Manage overseas manufacturer relationships and negotiate contracts to reduce costs.
- Track product performance through sales, feedback, and social engagement data.
- Use rapid prototyping tools such as laser cutters and 3D printers for product testing.
- Launch 10-15 new products annually aiming for a 10% increase in new product revenue.
- Require 5+ years in children’s product development and a relevant Bachelor’s degree.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office; Power BI and Adobe Creative Suite or 3D modeling tools are a plus.
- Compensation ranges from $90,000 to $100,000 annually, including profit sharing, 401k matching, and benefits.
Product Manager, Hardlines Full Description
Product Manager, Hardlines
Regular Full-Time
Educational Insights, Torrance, CA, US
2 days ago
Requisition ID: 1931
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Salary Range:
$90,000.00 To $100,000.00 Annually
About Educational Insights:
We are on a mission to bring learning to life! We have been creating educational toys and games for over 60 years, including fan favorite lines like Kanoodle®, Pluffle®, GeoSafari®, Craft Kits, and more. We are a family-owned company that is committed to our employees’ personal and professional growth; we offer a competitive benefits package, opportunities for training and development, and a supportive, diverse atmosphere. When you work at Educational Insights, you can enjoy perks like Bring Your Dog to Work Day, play-testing toys and games, a snack-filled kitchen, company discounts, and more benefits that make work feel like play! If you’re curious, collaborative, and a kid at heart, you’ll feel right at home here. Join us in shaping the future of learning with our award-winning team!
Team & Position Description:
We are currently seeking a Product Manager to join our dynamic Product Development team! Here’s what makes this team awesome: team-centricity, creativity workshops, blue sky innovation, and mission driven development. In this role, you will have an opportunity to shape our line and work with cross functional leaders to define our brand both today and in the future. Your products will spark curiosity, bring families together, and help children discover a love of learning.
What you’ll do day to day:
- Product Innovation & Development: Spearhead the ideation and development of new toy lines and games in assigned categories. Oversee all stages of development—from research and prototyping to safety testing and manufacturing.
- Market Competitiveness and Trend Analysis: Conduct in-depth competitive research and data analysis to inform product development and positioning. Ensure appropriate educational standards are adhered to.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work collaboratively with Marketing, Sales, Quality Assurance, E-commerce, Packaging Design, and Analytics teams to align product development with market needs and promotional strategies.
- Vendor Management: Develop and manage strong relationships with overseas manufacturers and negotiate high-value contracts with a deep understanding of the manufacturing process and materials in order to reduce costs.
- Line Management: Monitor assigned product lines tracking and reporting on sales, customer feedback, and social engagement, leading to recommendations for drops, revamps, or expansion each year.
- Rapid Prototyping: Create product mock ups for exploration and testing using standard equipment from laser cutters to 3D printers.
What we’re looking for (Key Performance Objectives):
- Launch 10-15 new products annually that contribute to a 10% increase in new product revenue in the first year. Conduct thorough research and market analysis to identify new areas for development appropriate to our brand annually.
- Negotiate and manage vendor agreements and new products with a 90% on-time delivery rate and adherence to designated budgets.
- Enhance overall product performance and customer satisfaction as measured by star reviews, QA feedback, and other metrics.
- Foster high team performance with satisfactory team evaluations in annual reviews and 3rd party surveys.
- Shepard concepts through the stage gate process and successfully present them during line reviews, town halls, and sales presentations.
Requirements/Ideal Attributes:
- 5+ years experience in children’s product development, toy industry preferred.
- Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field.
- Strong storytelling skills and confident presentation ability
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and the ability to analyze financial data, experience in Power BI a plus.
- Experience with Adobe Creative Suite or 3D modeling tools are ideal but not required.
- Strong collaboration skills with a focus on cross-functional teamwork.
- Excellent time and priority management capabilities.
We are a drug-free workplace and an EEO employer.
Please note: This role will be filled by our internal recruitment team, so no assistance is needed from any outside staffing agency at this time.
Salary Range: $90,000 to $100,000 – Actual compensation may vary due to other factors such as: years of experience, skill set or location. Total compensation includes profit sharing bonus potential, 401k matching, and a variety of other benefits (details can be found here).
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