Associate Product Manager, Hardlines

hand2mind is a company that creates engaging educational materials and has been trusted by teachers for over 55 years. They are seeking an Associate Product Manager to oversee the development of educational products and toy lines, managing the product portfolio from concept to market launch while collaborating with cross-functional teams. Responsibilities Manage 5-12 new products through the product life cycle, from ideation to market launch, ensuring products align with our educational mission and meet quality standards Take responsibility for project management tasks, including tracking key milestone dates, to ensure efficient project execution Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including editorial, industrial design, creative, sales, custom solutions, and marketing, to bring innovative educational products to market on time and within budget Work with vendors to quote products, negotiate prices, and determine delivery schedules to meet product launch goals Support market research efforts by gathering data, customer feedback, and conducting competitor analysis to identify opportunities, trends, and insights that inform product strategy Identify competitors, analyze their strengths and weaknesses, and assess market trends Organize, participate, and lead product testing for new concepts Participate in data maintenance projects utilizing Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365) and product related spreadsheets Work closely with Sales and Marketing on key sample requests for customer meetings, photoshoots, video shoots, trade shows, etc Skills Bachelor's Degree required 1-3 years of consumer product development experience or 3-5 years working with children (i.e. PreK-5 education, speech language pathology, etc.) Excellent organization, presentation, and communication skills (both written and verbal) Creative mindset with entrepreneurial spirit who thinks outside the box Able to meet multiple, challenging deadlines and work within budgets Comfortable with analyzing basic financial data for assigned categories and to make recommendations that support overall brand/product goals Excellent at solving problems creatively and/or knowing when to seek help Proficient in Microsoft Office Able to effectively communicate with key stakeholders including colleagues, executive team, vendors, and customers Benefits Profit sharing bonus potential 401k matching A variety of other benefits Company Overview ETA hand2mind support teachers, inspire students, engage parents, and champion learning by doing. It was founded in 1965, and is headquartered in Vernon Hills, Illinois, USA, with a workforce of 51-200 employees. Its website is