Category Manager, New Products

Category Manager, New Products

We are seeking an experienced Global Category Manager to build and grow our upcoming Optical sales category function. You will be working on the next frontier of the emerging AI Wearables category - a confluence of Fashion, Consumer Electronics, and Optical products.

You will be responsible for defining and aligning the distribution strategy for our upcoming portfolio of optical products in the Wearable category. To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate ownership of business outcomes by identifying growth opportunities, driving cross-functional alignment, and executing strategies to achieve revenue goals to identify and grow initiatives that improve sales conversion and creatively execute a strategy to achieve revenue goals. This includes overseeing key customer journey touch points, promotional strategy, monitoring supply, analyzing sales metrics, managing the sales cycle, and identifying and closing gaps to goal.

You will also partner cross-functionally with Product Marketing, Product Management, Business Development, Sales Channels, and Sales Operations to ensure we develop the right capability and channels to distribute Optical & Health wearable products.

Responsibilities

Define and drive alignment on the sales distribution strategy by analyzing existing portfolio performance, monitoring competitive activity, analyzing market trends and identifying opportunities for differentiation for upcoming AI wearable optical products

Create go-to-channel (GTC) strategy to drive product sales via conducting path to purchase analysis by understanding customer behavior, identifying key touch points, and optimizing the customer journey for AI wearable optical products

Establish and manage long lead partner sell-in for the Optical & Health channels (example: Optical retailers, Wholesale Channel with Optical departments etc.) by building relationships, creating joint business plans, and ensuring effective communication and collaboration

Create sales strategies and evaluate sales opportunities that help develop and grow the category

Provide annual sales guidance by analyzing market trends, identifying opportunities for revenue growth, and developing global sales plans for the category

Align and define Lifetime Goals specifically for the optical related product and its supporting budget to drive towards its goals

Partner with demand planning to forecast Sales plan and manage subsequent iterations

Work with internal and external partners to optimize the prescription smart glasses customer experience and drive product adoption

Manage prescription data and analytics with internal and external partners, and uncover actionable insights to drive access and adoption in existing and new channels

Serve as the subject matter expert on prescription wearer and channel needs and mindsets

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and execute promotional and merchandising strategy while aligning with new product/feature launches and marketing support

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field

8+ years of experience in category performance management in the prescription optical industry

Proven track record of managing launch moments with analytical background for Prescription - Optical products

Experience with consumer research and proficiently using data and insights to inform product, Go-To-Market and Go-To-Channel strategy

Proven track record of building relationships to effectively work with internal and external partners

Experience in conducting path to purchase, competitive sales analysis, and identifying opportunities for differentiation

Experience creating documents and presentations to inform and influence stakeholders

Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)

Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)

Experience working in a fast-paced dynamic environment, identifying and escalating issues early and often

Experience in consumer electronics with a demonstrated interest in new and emerging tech

10+ years of experience in category management, optical industry, or consumer electronics

Masters Degree in Business, Marketing or related field

Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies