Key responsibilities
- Own end-to-end product lifecycle: insights, concepting, design, prototyping, validation, test marketing, launch, and post-launch optimization for stationery SKUs (e.g., pens, notebooks, art and office supplies).
- Translate consumer and market insights into clear product briefs that balance functionality, aesthetics, cost, and manufacturability within Kores India's plants or through outsourced vendors.
- Work closely with design, R&D, and manufacturing to define specifications, materials, packaging, and quality standards aligned with brand positioning and margin targets.
- Build robust business cases and P&Ls for new products, including demand sizing, revenue projections, cost structures, and payback/ROI assumptions for focused launches.
- Define pricing and pack-price architecture across online and offline channels, considering consumer willingness to pay, competition, trade margins, and promotions.
- Partner with e-commerce, marketplace, and website teams to drive listing quality, content, ratings/reviews, visibility, and conversion for assigned products.
- Partner with offline sales and trade marketing to develop launch plans, channel-wise targets, planograms, POSM, and promo mechanics, leveraging Kores India's existing sales force reach.
- Define launch goals and dashboards: awareness, trial, repeat, channel-wise sell-in and sell-out, and gross margin, with clear thresholds and corrective playbooks.
- Monitor product performance across regions, channels, and platforms; run cohort and mix analyses to optimize pricing, assortment, and promotions.
- Lead cross-functional reviews (manufacturing, supply chain, finance, marketing, sales) to ensure timely NPD readiness, inventory availability, and quality compliance before and after launch.
- Use consumer research (surveys, in-store feedback, online reviews, usability tests) to iterate packaging, features, and variants, especially for student and office user segments.
- Track competition in the stationery and office products space (SKUs, pricing, claims, packaging, promotions) and identify whitespace for Kores India.
- Support brand building by aligning product storytelling, packaging, ecommerce placement etc.
Required qualifications and experience
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, design, business, or related field; MBA or PGDM preferred for advanced business and financial skills.
- 48 years of experience in product management or category management, preferably in FMCG, consumer durables, or stationery/office products with exposure to both online and offline channels.
- Demonstrated experience building business cases, tracking P&L, and managing pricing and promotions for consumer products.
- Proven track record of launching physical products through cross-functional teams, including manufacturing, supply chain, and field sales.
- Experience working with Trade channels/e-commerce platforms (own website, marketplaces) and understanding of digital merchandising and performance metrics.
Compensation: Candidates with a CTC above 1520 LPA are requested not to apply.
