Director of Product Management

Founded in 1983, Kele Inc. is a leading distribution, and solutions partner with national reach and a global presence. Built around our customers and powered by our people, Kele provides millions of in-stock parts from more than 300 brands to drive automation & efficiency in nearly every type of facility, from office towers and factories to data centers and hospitals.

Our goal is to empower progress for maintenance managers, engineers, contractors, and all those building the future. We do this by delivering parts rapidly, providing custom assemblies upstream, and offering unmatched support to ensure projects run smoothly and downtime is minimized.

With 12 locations nationwide and headquarters in Tennessee, Kele combines deep technical expertise, rapid logistics, and a solutions-first mindset to help customers simplify supply chains, meet tight schedules, and deliver high-quality outcomes.

Kele fosters a culture rooted in collaboration, innovation, and customer obsession, empowering associates at every level to contribute, grow, and make a meaningful impact.

We are currently hiring for the role of Director of Product Management.
 
 

SUMMARY  

Leads Kele's Product Management function and is accountable for building and managing a profitable, differentiated portfolio of BAS and HVAC-control products. The Director establishes the product-management operating system across category strategy, supplier-product alignment, product lifecycle, NPI and private label, supplier contract governance, pricing and margin health, product-data quality, and sales/customer enablement. Working closely with Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, Operations, Technical Support, and suppliers, the Director ensures Kele offers the right products, from the right suppliers, at the right price, with reliable availability, accurate product data, and clear customer value.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Lead the development and execution of Kele's multi-year product and category strategy, including growth priorities, portfolio differentiation, market positioning, supplier strategy, and investment priorities.
• Establish category scorecards and hold Product Managers accountable for revenue, gross-margin dollars and rate, price realization, working-capital performance, inventory productivity, lifecycle actions, NPI results, and supplier performance.
• Lead a disciplined NPI and private-label stage-gate process from market need and concept validation through business case, sourcing, technical validation, commercialization, adoption, and post-launch review.
• Identify category gaps, customer needs, regulatory changes, competitive moves, and emerging BAS/HVAC technologies that create opportunities or risk for Kele.
• Direct portfolio lifecycle management, including assortment architecture, make/buy/partner decisions, SKU rationalization, product quality improvement, substitution planning, obsolescence, and exit decisions.
• Own strategic supplier segmentation and supplier-product alignment; develop executive relationships with key suppliers, private-label manufacturers, and technology partners.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Finance, and Legal to manage supplier contract and commercial-term governance, including cost, payment terms, rebates, returns, warranty/quality, exclusivity, co-marketing, data obligations, change notices, and supply-continuity expectations.
• Own product-pricing and margin governance, including pricing architecture, competitive benchmarking, margin guardrails, approval authority, exception management, and regular pricing reviews. Ensure pricing decisions are separated from system execution and supported by market and financial data.
• Partner with Supply Chain on demand and inventory strategy, supplier continuity, alternate-source plans, lead times, stocking policies, and excess/obsolete inventory while preserving clear ownership of purchasing and inventory execution within Supply Chain.
• Establish product-data governance, minimum data standards, data-quality measures, change-control requirements, and service levels so product data supports e-commerce, customer selection, operational execution, and scalable growth.
• Lead Product Management operating cadence, including weekly priorities, monthly category reviews, NPI/private-label stage gates, quarterly strategic supplier reviews, portfolio/pricing reviews, and annual strategy refresh.
• Ensure Sales, Customer Care, Marketing, Technical Support, and Operations receive clear product positioning, value propositions, technical enablement, competitive tools, launch readiness, and product knowledge.
• Develop the Product Management team through clear role expectations, coaching, performance management, succession planning, and a culture of accountability, curiosity, customer focus, and data-driven decision making.
• Represent Product Management in enterprise planning and provide executive leadership with fact-based recommendations on portfolio investments, pricing, suppliers, product risks, and growth opportunities.
• Manage the departmental budget, priorities, staffing plan, and external resources as approved.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related field; equivalent combination of education and experience considered.
• Minimum of five to seven years of experience leading a product or category management function, with demonstrated ownership of category strategy, supplier governance, pricing, and NPI process. BAS/HVAC-controls or related technical-distribution industry experience is strongly preferred; candidates with strong product-management leadership credentials from an adjacent technical or industrial distribution industry, and a demonstrated ability to build BAS product fluency quickly, will also be considered.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing a small, hands-on team.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and ability to learn and use company systems.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Working knowledge of Building Automation Systems products and applications, or demonstrated ability to acquire it quickly through the existing Product Management and Product Application Manager team.
• Strong strategic and financial acumen; ability to translate market, supplier, and category data into portfolio, pricing, and investment decisions.
• Skilled at supplier negotiation, cross-functional influence, and presenting business cases to executive leadership.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize work effectively and lead through structure and process in a fast-paced, small-team environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to stand, walk, sit, and use hands for handling materials and keyboarding.
• Ability to lift and move products up to approximately 50 pounds with or without assistance.
• Vision abilities include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Kele Companies offers all full-time associates the following benefits and perks: 

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance ​ 

• HSA 

• FSA (medical and dependent care) 

• 401(k) with employer match up to 4% with immediate vesting 

• Employer-paid short- and long-term disability coverage 

• Employer-paid basic life and AD&D insurance; supplemental life for employees and dependents available 

• Paid time off and paid holidays 

• Tuition reimbursement 

• Paid maternity leave