Senior Manager, Product Management

Senior Product Line Manager – AOI Systems | Nordson Corporation
Are you passionate about bridging advanced inspection technology with real-world manufacturing challenges? At Nordson, we're looking for a Product Line Manager to lead our AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) product portfolio—driving innovation and delivering solutions that make a difference on the factory floor.

In this role, you'll own the full product lifecycle—from concept to commercialization—and bring your application experience to the table to ensure our products solve real customer problems. You'll work cross-functionally with engineering, sales, marketing, and customer support to guide development, shape strategy, and fuel growth.

What You'll Do

• Manage the end-to-end lifecycle of AOI products, including roadmap planning, product launches, and sustaining support
• Leverage your hands-on application experience to define use cases, validate features, and ensure product-market fit
• Analyze market trends, customer needs, and competitive insights to drive product enhancements and innovation
• Lead go-to-market strategies including pricing, positioning, packaging, and promotion for a global customer base
• Collaborate closely with R&D, applications, and field teams to turn customer feedback into actionable product improvements
• Support future product development initiatives aligned with long-term business objectives

What You Bring

• Strong background in AOI technology or inspection systems, with practical application and field experience
• Ability to translate technical insights into strategic product direction
• Experience managing complex, high-tech product lines in a B2B environment
• Excellent communication skills and a passion for solving customer challenges

Job Summary
Nordson is seeking an experienced Senior Product Line Manager to drive the strategy, development, and commercial success of our AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) product line. This role is responsible for overseeing the entire product lifecycle, ensuring alignment with customer needs, market trends, and Nordson's strategic goals. The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in AOI inspection capital equipment, product development, and business strategy to lead a diverse team in delivering cutting-edge inspection solutions. Responsible for setting the direction, leading, and managing the Product Line globally to maximize sales revenue and profitability, in alignment with the financial and strategic plans for the division.

• As a key member of the cross-functional PL team, drive excellence in all aspects of the business through implementation and application of the Nordson Business Systems (NBS Next) and Nordson ASCEND growth strategies.
• Drive the strategy, development, and commercial success of our AOI Systems product line.

Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities
Product Line Roadmap:

• Own the Product Roadmap, gathering insights from Sales, Engineering, Operations, and market studies.
• Collaborate with Regional Sales for an innovative revenue-focused roadmap, ensuring competitive pricing and alignment with market trends.
• Work closely with Engineering for precise product requirements adaptable to market needs.
• Utilize market intelligence to develop a roadmap addressing future customer needs and driving revenue growth.
• Ensure competitive price/performance alignment with industry standards.
• Disseminate relevant market intelligence to teams and identify competitor products for benchmarking.
• Support service & spares, optimizing the product life cycle for maximum aftermarket revenue.

Program Management

• Promotes tradeoff proposals to key stakeholders and proactively negotiates product specifications that simultaneously ensure customer needs are met in a realizable product.
• Supervises translation of product requirements into product specifications.
• Provides leadership for all product development aspects including hardware and software
• Directs cross-functional product teams, including R&D, manufacturing engineering, and quality
• Manages programs with plans and objectives to address technical, performance, cost, schedule, and quality risks

Market & Business Development

• Assume commercial responsibility for the Product Line and specifically Top New Products revenue and gross margin. Provide Go To Market Strategy (GTSM) for product line & hold monthly regional calls for close collaboration.
• On an annual basis, support the development of our five-year strategic plan identifying market and business opportunities and strategic direction for the Product Line regarding Product Innovation.
• Define the price lists for the Product Line, regularly reviewing and optimizing them in line with the Gross Margin commitments for the business. Ensure that pricing is optimized regionally, all price lists are current and accurate at all times.
• Analyze competitor products, industry benchmarks, and customer buying behaviors to refine product positioning.
• Provide accurate monthly and quarterly forecasts for the Product Line and specifically Top New Products.

Education & Experience Requirement

• Master's degree in engineering and/or business qualifications.
• 10+ years product development/management experience in machine vision/ AOI systems for SMT & advanced packaging applications.
• Strong business development, and product management experience, including ownership of product roadmaps.
• Broad technical skills across all hardware and software engineering disciplines
• Proven ability to foster partnerships, lead cross functional teams, work with management, and direct work of employees on the product team

Preferred Skills & Abilities

• Excellent influencer with experience managing remote international teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills at all levels.
• Strong interpersonal skills to manage and range of stakeholders including maintaining excellent relationships across the Regional Sales teams and understanding cultural sensitivities.
• Highly proactive with the ability to make decisions and drive all areas of the business.
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.

WORKING CONDITIONS & PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Office or Manufacturing environment. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Travel Required
Travel to trade shows, key accounts, and to other relevant T&I sites both worldwide. Approximate 15% travel required