Babolat - Product Line Manager/Pickleball - ,UNITED STATES

Mission

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

Founded in Lyon, France in 1875 and family-run for five generations, Babolat has been inventing, innovating and developing complete equipment for tennis, badminton and padel for 151 years, starting with the creation of the world’s first tennis string. In 2020, Babolat added Pickleball products to its lineup, including paddles and footwear.

Babolat built its reputation as a premium brand by offering products at the forefront of technology and by supplying equipment to generations of champions who have won the most prestigious competitions. Today, Babolat racquets, strings, and paddles are the choice of some of the world’s top players including Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassume, Leylah Fernandez and Juan Lebron. Pickleball has recently become an official sport for Babolat and we’re looking to build a team in the US.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Reporting to the Global Sales &amp Marketing Director/Pickleball, the Product Line Manager/Pickleball position is primarily responsible for working closely with global and US teams across R&amp D, product development, design, sourcing, supply, marketing, sales, athletes and external partners to translate player needs and market opportunities into differentiated products that strengthen our position in Pickleball.

Activités

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Core duties and responsibilities include the following. It’s not all-inclusive and there are likely additional duties and responsibilities for this job:

Product Line Strategy &amp Portfolio Management

• Define and manage the Pickleball product roadmap, portfolio architecture, segmentation, positioning, pricing and seasonal introductions.
• Identify opportunities for innovation and range expansion based on player needs, market trends, competitive activity and emerging technologies.
• Develop clear product briefs that translate consumer and player insights into meaningful product requirements and measurable performance objectives.
• Contribute to pricing strategy, margin objectives and the overall commercial performance of the product line.
• Manage products throughout their life cycle, from concept and commercialization through optimization and phase-out.

Product Development &amp Innovation

• Drive product development cross-functionally from concept through prototype, testing, validation, commercialization and launch.
• Partner closely with R&amp D, Engineering, Design, Sourcing and Manufacturing to deliver defined performance, quality, cost and consumer objectives.
• Bring technical credibility to discussions around paddle construction, materials, core technologies, face materials, layups, thermoforming, weight and balance, surface characteristics and other performance variables.
• Coordinate prototypes, competitive benchmarking, technical testing and structured play testing translate feedback and performance data into actionable improvements.
• Maintain an understanding of relevant Pickleball equipment regulations, testing requirements and certification processes.

Player &amp Market Insights

• Maintain a strong connection to the US Pickleball player community and competitive landscape.
• Monitor competitors, emerging brands, technologies, pricing, retail trends and changing player preferences.
• Work with professional and competitive players, coaches, ambassadors and play testers to gather structured product feedback.
• Translate consumer, player and market insights into clear opportunities for product innovation and differentiation.

Go-To-Market &amp Commercial Partnership

• Partner with Marketing and Sales to translate technical product features into clear, credible and compelling player benefits.
• Support product launches, range presentations, retailer meetings, sales training and product education.
• Collaborate with Supply and Sourcing teams on forecasts, production requirements and launch timelines.

Manage key development milestones and proactively address risks that could impact product quality, cost or delivery.

Profil

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s Degree from four-year college or university (concentration in Product Management, Marketing, Business, Engineering, Sports Management, Product Development or related discipline), and a minimum of three to four years of relevant experience and/or training or equivalent combination of education and related experience is required.
• Professional experience in Pickleball product management, product development, engineering, R&amp D or a closely related product function.
• Strong understanding of Pickleball paddles, construction, materials and performance characteristics.
• Experience with product development processes including prototypes, testing, validation and commercialization.
• Strong knowledge of the US Pickleball consumer, competitive landscape and product trends.
• Ability to translate player and consumer insights into clear product requirements and business opportunities.
• Commercial understanding of product positioning, pricing, margins, forecasting and lifecycle management.
• Strong project-management and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• Approximately 30% – 35% of both international (Asia and France) and domestic travel is required.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Targeted Hiring Range: $80,000 – $95,000 annual base salary with 10% bonus potential based on both quantitative and qualitative objectives. Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental and vision coverage, employer-matched 401(k) plan, disability/life insurance and more!