Job title: Senior Product Marketing Manager

Work Location: Chicago, IL

Division/Department: Marketing

Reports To: Chief Commercial Officer

Full-time

Exempt

Summary of Position: 

Thirty-5 Capital is a venture capital firm with the mission of helping start-up, early stage, and family businesses grow through the strategic infusion of capital and hands-on leadership. The firm’s focus is on sports and technology, with brands such as ProXR Pickleball, Dove Tail Bats, Homewood Bats, and ProXR being part of the ever-growing portfolio.

We are looking to hire a Senior Product Marketing Manager who will help us accelerate success of our Pickleball product line. The ideal candidate will focus on maintaining, innovating, and growing the pickleball business. The responsibilities include: Planning and managing product life cycles, analyzing market trends, helping to craft B2B, B2C and B2B2C channel marketing strategies, driving impactful product launch, and line extension initiatives, helping to craft data-driven customer contact strategies, as well as web, ecommerce and social media customer journey maps. The ideal candidate should have 5+ years of experience in sports-related marketing, demonstrate a consistent track record of bringing new products, and line extensions to market, and creating impactful top and bottom of funnel customer engagement and conversion programs. This individual should possess a general knowledge of the customer segments, channels and competitors in the sports industry and needs to be detail-oriented, analytical and have excellent writing skills. Familiarity with gated new product development processes and cycle, as well as design and engineering knowledge, would be beneficial.

The position is located in our headquarters in Chicago, IL, and will report to the Chief Commercial Officer.
 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

As the firm continues to grow quickly, the ideal candidate will possess a tremendous amount of flexibility and resourcefulness in regard to traditional duties and responsibilities. The work will continue to change; however, the following functions will form the foundation of the position.

• Creates category-specific strategies and product roadmaps for the ProXR Pickleball brand (measurable through defined KPIs)
• Brings new products to market by analyzing proposed product requirements and product development programs; preparing return on investment analyses; establishing time schedules with engineering and manufacturing.
• Prepares strategic framework documents including 3-year vision plan, product lifecycle road map and yearly strategy map and budget
• Accelerates the concepting of future product lines by reviewing product specifications, requirements and appraising new product ideas, acquisition targets and co-brand opportunities
• Introduces and markets new products by developing integrated plans with sales, partner brands, and distribution partners
• Assesses market competition by comparing ProXR Pickleball products, pricing, market share and positioning to competitors’ 
• Prepares short-term and long-term product sales forecasts, share reports and profitability analyses
• Works closely with partner brands, manufacturers and distributors on co-brand alignment, go-to-market strategies and demand driving initiatives
• Leads top-of-funnel marketing support, including marketing campaigns, digital strategies, content marketing, CRM, web & ecommerce strategies, and overall customer journey mapping
• Manages product line development (product line maintenance, new product/packaging creation, vendor communications, documentation, and database retention, instructions, and catalog
• Oversees project timelines, financials, and budgets
• Aids in the development and support of key opinion leader and pro player programs.
• Handle sales presentations in conjunction with Managing Director (introduce products, outline features, and benefits to sales team, media, influencers, and distribution partners)
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications: 

• 5 plus years of well-rounded marketing / business development experience in positions of increasing responsibility, with a focus onmarketing expansion and identifying emerging market trends.
• Bachelor's Degree in Business or equivalent work experience; MBA Preferred
• A passion for sports and the role technology plays in helping drive optimal performance 
• Strong record of leading and developing direct reports
• Experience with technology licensing and marketing
• Documented success in launching new products and maintaining legacy products
• Experience building brand awareness and support internally
• Thorough knowledge of marketing principles, brand, product and service management, sales, and business development; along with a demonstrated track record of success and performance.
• Ability to understand changing market dynamics and translating them into actionable strategies to achieve companyobjectives.
• Advanced experience working with a variety of traditional and modern marketing and communications functions including branding, audience segmentation, market research, social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), CRM/Salesforce and working effectively with creative resources to deliver impactful and differentiated communications 
• An understanding of all aspects of print material production; development and implementation of social media plans; and working with the press and other related media outlets.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office and desktop publishing programs, 

What We’ll Provide: 

·       Competitive compensation and benefits

·       Paid time off

·       Retirement plan with company match

·       Professional development opportunities

·       Smart casual dress environment