Lead, Product Strategy & Marketing Intelligence - PLT Tires

Position Summary:

The Product Strategy & Marketing Intelligence Lead - PLT Tires (PSMIL) is responsible for managing and optimizing the company’s Passenger & Light Truck tire portfolio. This role is pivotal in ensuring that our stores have a complete, competitive, and profitable product lineup that meets the diverse needs of our customers across all tire categories.

This role provides leadership by leading cross-functional people and teams, enabling effective execution of day-to-day product management activities while increasing the team’s overall capacity and efficiency. The PSMIL ensures the right balance between strategic focus and operational execution.

The PSMIL collaborates cross-functionally with teams in Purchasing, Pricing, Inventory Planning, Stores Sales Support, and Store Operations to develop and maintain a strategic product screen tailored to individual markets and customer segments. This includes evaluating market trends, sales data, vehicle applications, and customer needs to recommend the optimal brand, size, and product mix at the store level. 

This role identifies market gaps and segment opportunities. Collaborating with the Manager of Product Strategy, builds business cases to drive growth in both Owned Brands and National Brands. Product Screen management includes defining applications and value steps for each tire size, as well as overseeing product lifecycle planning, roadmap development, and transition strategies for all product lines.

The PSMIL will collaborate closely with the Pricing Team to monitor and maintain a competitive retail product landscape, ensuring alignment with the company’s strategic pricing direction. As part of the Purchasing Organization, the PSMIL will guide the PLT Purchasing Manager by identifying segment needs and recommending the appropriate brands and products for each market opportunity.

Additionally, the PSMIL is responsible for the development and execution of New Product Introduction Plans, ensuring successful rollouts through cross-functional coordination. This includes securing appropriate inventory levels with the Planning Team, supporting sell-through of predecessor products, and developing robust communication and training plans in conjunction with Marketing.

Product testing is a key responsibility in managing PLT Tires. The PSMIL oversees product testing initiatives, including planning, evaluation, coordination, and performance monitoring of new and existing product lines.

Market and Sales Performance Monitoring is a critical component of the role. The PSMIL gathers market intelligence from various sources to support decision-making, including GFK data, USTMA, trade publications, macroeconomic indicators, and VIO data, while also tracking relevant legislative and infrastructure developments.

This role is expected to be self-starting and highly analytical, utilizing raw data from various Les Schwab systems to develop market insights, guide product positioning, and support strategic decisions.

Finally, the PSMIL is accountable for prioritizing work and ensuring high-quality execution across all product management activities, while continuously improving processes to enhance team effectiveness and scalability.

This role combines strategic product ownership with cross-functional project leadership, enabling scalable execution and stronger alignment across Product and Operational functions.

40% - Product Strategy & Lifecycle Management:

• Own the end-to-end product lifecycle for all PLT tire categories, including Commodity categories, as well as On / Off, and Winter

• Responsible to coordinate new owned brand product developments, product introductions, transitions, and phase outs

• Define the Product Screen by segment, ensuring optimal coverage by tier, brand, and application

• Develop product roadmaps aligned with market trends, customer needs, and fleet requirements

15% - Product Performance Monitoring & Testing:

• Coordinate new products performance testing, including the comparison to competitor tires

• Collect and analyze performance data to drive continuous improvement and inform product decisions

15% - Market & Application Analysis:

• Analyze market data, including GFK, USTMA, NHTSA , and infrastructure/legislative impact to support the product strategy decision process

• Identify segment growth opportunities and product gaps to support business cases for new product launches

10% - Price Positioning:

• Partner with the Pricing team to ensure competitive positioning across all tire categories

• Monitor industry trends, competitor actions, and market pricing to inform product and pricing strategies

10% - Product Introductions / Transitions:

• Lead the planning and execution of new product introductions, ensuring alignment with stock availability, communication materials, sales store support, and other key areas in the organization

20% - Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams from Purchasing, Planning, Pricing, Marketing, and Operations to drive product strategy and execution

• Work closely with Purchasing to guide brand and product sourcing based on segment needs

• Collaborate with the Planning Team on product introductions / transitions

• Collaborate with Marketing on developing promotions, product communication and training.

Educational/Experience Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, engineering or comparable experience preferred 

• 5-7  years of progressively more responsibility in product management, branding, marketing intelligence preferred

• Automotive and/or Tire industry experience preferred

• Proven successful project management skills

Required Technical Skills/Knowledge:   

• Advanced Excel / Google Sheets and data analysis skills

• Intermediate working experience in Microsoft Powerpoint / Google Slides

• Working knowledge of productivity applications (Google G Suite, MS Office, etc.)

• Business Intelligence tool exposure and experience

• Working knowledge of product management applications

• Product marketing & purchasing experience in a retail tire environment

General Knowledge and Abilities:  

• Adaptability: Must possess the time management and organizational skills necessary to work quickly and effectively under pressure with the flexibility to perform in an ever-changing work environment, concentrating on several areas of work at one time.

• Analytical Skills: Strong analytical and decision-making skills with proven ability to execute high complexity and diversity of work assignments.

• Communication: Ability to communicate technical and non-technical information clearly and professionally (both verbally and in writing) while ensuring that the quality and content of the message are relevant to the circumstances; the ability to draft, proofread, and send written communications effectively; the ability and willingness to carefully listen to others by asking appropriate questions, avoiding interruptions, and the leadership to collaborate internally, cross-functionally, and across management levels in formal and informal settings.

• Initiative: Ability to execute technical solutions without close supervision

• Organization/Project Management: Ability to organize, manage time effectively, including planning and facilitating team meetings and execute and lead teams using best practice Project Management methodologies. Possess the ability to gather, analyze, and interpret information and effectively resolve a range of complex challenges associated with strategic procurement.  

• Problem Solving: Demonstrates an understanding of the priorities, goals, and objectives of projects. 

• Teamwork: Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with business users and team members. Must work effectively independently, & as a member of a team.

• Leadership: Ability to make decisions independently, lead or participate in the group decision-making process. Demonstrates effective team leadership by fostering a work environment that embraces diversity, ensures cooperation, and promotes respect for all team members.

Physical Requirements:  

Sedentary position; frequently required to sit, occasionally required to stand, walk, stop, kneel, and bend.  The employee may occasionally lift tires. Requires the ability to communicate verbally and exchange information over the phone, by video, and in person.

Work Environment: 

3 of 5 business workdays in office (required), 2 of 5 business days work from home (optional).  Occasional travel to suppliers.