Director, Product Operations

Owens & Minor Distribution Inc. is hiring a Director, Product Operations to build and lead a high-performing Product Operations organization that acts as the operational backbone for the company’s product portfolio. This onsite role in Glen Allen, VA focuses on scalable processes, product data governance, and analytics capabilities that support product management, category growth, commercial execution, and operational excellence.

Role summary

The Director of Product Operations establishes the operating system for product data integrity and lifecycle management across the portfolio. The role drives governance and workflow execution for product introductions, modifications, rationalizations, and discontinuations, while improving speed-to-market for launches with operational controls in place.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead a Product Operations function to ensure product data integrity, lifecycle management, governance, and operational excellence across the product portfolio.
• Establish and manage processes for new SKU creation and maintenance, including timely and accurate setup of product records across business systems.
• Develop scalable master data management practices to support growth, automation, and data consistency.
• Partner with Product Management, Supply Chain, Operations, and IT to align data across platforms.
• Create governance and processes for product introductions, modifications, rationalizations, and discontinuations, with lifecycle workflows designed to minimize disruption.
• Improve speed-to-market for new product launches while maintaining operational controls.
• Own product hierarchy, classification, and taxonomy standards, and develop product structures that improve reporting, searchability, analytics, and customer experience.
• Drive standardization across categories, brands, and product families, including product data governance policies, standards, and quality metrics.
• Establish data stewardship processes, monitor product data accuracy, completeness, and consistency, and lead continuous improvement to reduce errors.
• Coordinate cross-functionally on product changes, launches, and discontinuations, ensuring structured communication and execution.
• Serve as a central coordination point between Product, Operations, Commercial, and Technology teams.
• Build and manage cross-referencing capabilities that support product substitution, customer conversions, and commercial effectiveness, including validated cross-reference tables across manufacturer, branded, private-label, and competitive products.
• Expand the validated cross-reference library, ensure accuracy and ongoing maintenance, and support Sales and Product Management with conversion opportunities and substitution strategies.
• Provide insights into competitive landscapes and alternative product relationships to support strategic sourcing and category growth.
• Lead strategy, governance, and execution for product sampling programs aligned to customer acquisition, product conversions, and category growth. This includes sampling budget ownership, ROI/usage monitoring, and fulfillment coordination with Distribution Centers, Operations, Sales, and suppliers.
• Build product performance management capability including dashboards, executive visibility, standardized KPI definitions, and automated reporting solutions for real-time performance metrics.
• Lead Monthly Business Reviews (MBRs) and executive performance reporting, analyze trends, and translate complex data into actionable recommendations for key stakeholders.
• Provide governance and execution oversight for strategic Product, Category Management, and cross-functional initiatives, managing prioritization, resourcing, tracking, and delivery.
• Administer the Product organization’s use of Smartsheet as the primary project tracking, portfolio management, and initiative governance platform, including plans, dashboards, timelines, and executive summaries.
• Facilitate steering committees and executive governance meetings, maintain stakeholder milestone updates, and use Smartsheet reporting and automation to reduce manual reporting.
• Lead and develop a high-performing Product Operations organization, including structure, role expectations, recruiting, coaching, succession planning, and fostering accountability, continuous improvement, operational excellence, and customer focus.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Data Analytics, Operations, Information Management, or related field.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in Product Operations, Product Management, Analytics, Commercial Operations, or related functions.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing teams and cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience building operational processes, governance frameworks, and scalable business capabilities.
• Strong experience working with product data, reporting, analytics, and process improvement initiatives.

Technologies

• Smartsheet
• MDM
• PIM
• ERP

Compensation

• Anticipated salary range: up to $180,000.00 per year plus annual incentive bonus of up to 20%.
• Actual compensation may vary based on job-related factors such as experience, skills, education, and location.
• Internal teammates may receive a compensation percentage increase reviewed and determined with HR based on internal equity and relevant experience.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Healthcare Plan: medical, dental, and vision plans start on day one for full-time teammates.
• Educational Assistance for eligible teammates enrolled in approved, accredited collegiate programs.
• Employer-paid life insurance and disability coverage.
• Voluntary supplemental programs including supplemental life, hospitalization, critical illness, and other insurance programs.
• Support for your growing family: adoption assistance, fertility benefits (in medical plan), and parental leave.
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and 401(k) with voluntary financial programs.
• Paid Leave including holidays, vacation days, personal days, and additional leave types including parental leave.
• Well-Being resources at no cost to you, including Teammate Assistance Program (TAP), Calm Health, Cancer Resources Services, and discount programs.

This position accepts applications on an ongoing basis.