Product Manager

At Badger Meter, we're more than a leading global water technology company - we're innovators with a mission: to preserve and protect the world's most precious resource. For over 120 years, our trusted solutions have enabled our customers to optimize the delivery and use of water, maximize revenue and reduce waste.

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When you join us, you'll find:

• Purpose-driven work that makes a real difference in communities around the globe.

• Career growth and development opportunities designed to help you achieve your potential.

• A supportive, inclusive culture where collaboration and creativity thrive.

Be part of something bigger. At Badger Meter, your contributions will ripple far beyond the workplace - creating lasting change for people and the planet.

Product Manager - Collection Systems Hardware

The Product Manager - Collection Systems Hardware is responsible for defining and executing the strategic direction of Badger Meter's Collection Systems hardware portfolio, with an initial focus on SmartCover and Data Flow Systems solutions. This role serves as the bridge between market needs, customer requirements, business strategy, and engineering execution to drive portfolio growth, product investment decisions, and long-term business value.

The position owns hardware portfolio strategy, product lifecycle management, roadmap recommendations, business case development, and market opportunity assessment across multiple brands and product lines. Working closely with Engineering, Marketing, Sales, Operations, and Product Development teams, this leader translates customer and market insights into strategic product recommendations while ensuring alignment with corporate growth objectives.

This role focuses on portfolio-level product strategy and commercialization. Engineering teams retain responsibility for agile execution, sprint planning, and backlog management.

Job Duties

• Develop short- and long-range business plans and portfolio strategies for Collection Systems hardware products, consistent with customer needs, market opportunities, and corporate strategic plans. Forecast business performance for assigned product lines and coordinate with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Operations to support lifecycle planning, inventory management, and product sustainability. 

• Define and maintain product and portfolio roadmaps for Collection Systems hardware solutions based on analysis of market requirements, customer needs, business objectives, and available technologies. Develop product strategies and commercialization plans to support growth objectives across assigned product lines and brands.

• Develop business cases, financial analyses, and investment recommendations for new products, product enhancements, portfolio expansions, and other strategic growth initiatives. Support prioritization of investments based on customer value, market opportunity, and business impact.

• Prepare market assessments, competitive analyses, and strategic recommendations for existing and emerging products. Monitor industry trends, customer requirements, and competitive activity to identify opportunities and risks within the portfolio.

• Attend customer meetings, technical symposiums, industry conferences, and trade exhibitions to maintain knowledge of market trends, emerging technologies, and competitive offerings while serving as a product and market thought leader.

• Manage the product lifecycle for assigned hardware products, including product introductions, enhancements, cost optimization initiatives, lifecycle extensions, and product obsolescence planning consistently with business objectives.

• Determine total addressable market and available market opportunities for assigned product lines and develop recommendations for product investments, portfolio expansion, and roadmap priorities to support long-term growth objectives.

• Conduct tasks in accordance with applicable Badger Meter policies and procedures.

• Coordinate with strategic business partners including Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Marketing, Sales, Customer Success, and Support Services to ensure alignment of product strategies, successful product launches, and achievement of business objectives.

• Evaluate and support potential strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and technology opportunities that strengthen the Collection Systems portfolio and address identified market needs.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Marketing, Product Management, or a related field required; Master's Degree or MBA preferred.

• Seven (7) or more years of progressive product management experience required, preferably with industrial, utility, infrastructure, connected device, or IoT-enabled hardware products. Significant experience may be considered in lieu of a formal degree.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience managing hardware products throughout their lifecycle, including product launches, sustaining activities, and obsolescence planning.

• Strong business case development, financial modeling, and analytical skills.

• Ability to effectively partner with engineering organizations while maintaining a market, customer, and business-focused perspective.

• Experience developing product strategies, portfolio roadmaps, and investment recommendations across multiple product lines.

• Strong understanding of industrial, utility, connected device, or IoT product environments preferred.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook required.

Competencies

• Strategic Thinking: Develops long-term product and portfolio strategies by aligning customer needs, market opportunities, technology capabilities, and business objectives.

• Business Acumen: Utilizes financial, market, and operational insights to evaluate opportunities, develop investment recommendations, and drive profitable growth.

• Communication: Conveys information and ideas clearly and concisely to individuals or groups in a manner that promotes understanding, engagement, and alignment.

• Collaboration: Works effectively across Engineering, Marketing, Sales, Operations, and leadership teams to achieve shared business objectives.

• Influence: Builds consensus and drives decision-making across cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority.

• Innovation: Demonstrates creativity and a growth-oriented mindset by identifying new opportunities, emerging technologies, and strategic solutions to strengthen the portfolio.

Working Conditions

• Work is performed primarily in an office environment and requires the ability to operate standard office equipment.

• Travel may be required to customer sites, industry conferences, trade shows, and company locations to support product strategy, market research, and business development activities.

• Position may be located in Milwaukee, WI or Melbourne, FL.

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• Competitive Pay

• Annual Bonus

• Eligible for Annual Pay Increases

• Comprehensive Health, Vision, and Dental Coverage 

• 15 days Paid Time Off + 11 Paid Holidays  

• Two Ways to Save for Retirement: Badger Meter contributes 25 cents for every dollar you contribute to the plan, up to 7% of your eligible compensation.  In addition to the match, the company will also contribute 5% of your eligible compensation to your Defined Contribution account on an annual basis. Additional access to a certified financial planner to help ensure your money is working for you, at no cost!

• Employer Paid benefits including: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Basic Group Life Insurance, Short Term Disability, and more 

• Educational Assistance – Tuition Reimbursement up to $5,250 

• Voluntary benefits including: Additional Life Insurance, Long Term Disability, Accident and Critical Illness coverage

• Health Savings Account (HSA) & Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. This company considers candidates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. Applicants can learn more about their rights regarding equal opportunity in employment by viewing the federal "EEO is the Law" poster and the “EEO is the Law” poster supplement at http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/ofccpost.htm

Badger Meter complies with all aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act, and all applicable state or local disability laws. This means that we will reasonably accommodate qualified employees with a disability if accommodation would allow them to perform the essential functions of their job, unless doing so would create an undue hardship.  

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