Director of Product Management and Innovation

ABOUT ALBERT USTER IMPORTS Albert Uster Imports, Inc. (“AUI”) is a privately held gourmet food company headquartered in the Washington, DC area (Gaithersburg, MD) with warehouse locations in Kansas City, Las Vegas, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Gurnee and Gaithersburg. AUI falls under the Vestar Capital Partners portfolio with affiliate organization, Roland Foods, LLC. Founded in 1968, the company offers over 1,400 products from around the world. We serve leading hotels, restaurants, casinos, cruise lines, airlines, and manufacturers with innovative, high quality products and solutions to their most demanding culinary challenges. We operate a network of distribution centers across the U.S. and serve select international markets as well. AUI has a national direct selling organization of over 60 sales professionals and a staff of culinary experts (chefs and food scientists) adept at custom product solutions. ABOUT THE ROLE As the Director of Product Management and Innovation , reporting to the VP of Product Management and Marketing, you will lead AUI’s product and innovation team, with responsibility for product portfolio strategy, category growth, SKU rationalization, product lifecycle management, supplier management, product cost management, new product sourcing, and the innovation pipeline. A key focus of this role is improving product profitability through cost management, supplier negotiations and RFPs, alternate sourcing, and value-improvement opportunities. As a distributor, AUI’s innovation model depends on finding the right manufacturing partners and supplier solutions to bring new, differentiated products to market while maintaining competitive cost, quality, and reliable supply. This role partners closely with Sales, Supply Chain, FSQA, Marketing, Finance, and supplier partners to ensure AUI delivers differentiated, profitable, high-quality products. The ideal candidate brings strong product management discipline, financial and analytical rigor, and the ability to develop assortment strategies, identify category growth opportunities, review positioning and margin performance, rationalize SKUs, manage vendor and co-manufacturer relationships, develop backup suppliers, and lead strategic vendor management initiatives including RFPs and cost negotiations. As a response to the pandemic, Albert Uster Imports Inc. office employees have transitioned to a hybrid working schedule, requiring employees to report in-person Monday through Wednesday, with the option to telework on Thursday and Friday each week. Due to the collaborative, cross-functional nature of the organization, employees at the Gaithersburg office are required to work in-person for the abovementioned days, outside of any People & Culture-approved disability accommodation request. RESPONSIBILITIES Lead Product Management and Innovation Strategy: Own the product management and innovation roadmap for entire AUI portfolio, balancing customer needs, market trends, category opportunities, profitability, and operational feasibility Own Product Lifecycle Management: Manage the full product lifecycle, including new item development, sourcing and onboarding new supplier or co-manufacturer partners, SKU rationalization, item setup, product information accuracy, margin review, sales performance, discontinuation recommendations, and portfolio optimization Drive Product Cost and Profitability Management: Oversee product costing, pricing inputs, gross margin performance, cost-improvement opportunities, and financial tradeoffs to ensure the portfolio supports revenue growth and profitability goals Lead Supplier Management and Strategic Vendor Management: Build and manage strong supplier and co-manufacturer partnerships while leading cost negotiations, supplier performance reviews, RFPs, bids, sourcing initiatives, and backup supplier development to improve value, quality, service, supply continuity, and risk mitigation Apply Category Management Discipline: Use category, market, sales, customer, and supplier insights to identify assortment gaps, prioritize growth opportunities, evaluate category performance, and recommend product and supplier strategies Manage the Innovation Pipeline and New Product Sourcing: Lead the product and innovation team in bringing new products from concept through launch, including prioritization, stage-gate discipline, commercialization planning, sourcing new product opportunities, identifying co-manufacturers, and tracking post-launch performance Partner Cross-Functionally: Collaborate with Sales, Supply Chain, FSQA, Marketing, Finance, and Operations to align product priorities, launch plans, inventory readiness, regulatory and quality requirements, marketing support, and customer-facing materials Support Customer and Commercial Success: Partner with Sales on key customer opportunities, product presentations, R&D support, and solution development to support customer wins and revenue growth QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS Required Experience: 8+ years of progressive experience in product management, category management, innovation, strategic sourcing, supplier management, co-manufacturer sourcing, commercialization, or related roles; food service, specialty food, CPG, distribution, or ingredient experience strongly preferred Product and Commercial Acumen: Demonstrated ability to manage product portfolios, evaluate product lifecycle performance, analyze cost and margin drivers, and translate customer and market insights into profitable product strategies Supplier, Sourcing, and Negotiation Skills: Proven experience identifying and evaluating suppliers or co-manufacturers, developing backup supplier options, managing supplier relationships, negotiating product cost and commercial terms, conducting RFPs/bids, evaluating vendor proposals, and supporting strategic vendor management initiatives Leadership and Cross-Functional Influence: Strong people leadersh