Search Product Manager

Position Purpose: We are seeking a Onsite Search Product Manager who will be responsible for owning the onsite search experience across all SRS Distribution’s digital properties including 3 B2B e-commerce catalogs. The Product Manager will own optimization of onsite search experience for end users and identify opportunities for improved user experience leveraging search platform capabilities such as keyword ranking logic, relevancy strategies, personalization strategies, redirects, boost/bury results, synonym entries and assisting with UX adjustments. This role will monitor search metrics and KPIs, communicate findings to internal teams, including field teams and collaborate with stakeholders to identify, diagnose, and improve overall search results. They will contribute to product data governance through a search lens and best practices to optimize the onsite search accuracy while keeping abreast of strategies used by best-in-class online retailers to understand emerging trends. The successful candidate will have a thorough understanding of on-site search optimization best practices, a strong attention to detail, the ability to work well with multiple remote/onsite teams, clear communication skills, a demonstrated ability to understand and troubleshoot technical software and process issues, and a passion for delivering results. Key Responsibilities: Search Platform Implementation Partner with engineering to manage integration with ERP, pricing, inventory, and product data systems; defining how data should be used by search platform Define functional requirements and a partner with engineering on technical requirements to ensure value is extracted from new search platform Oversee migration from legacy search tools, including relevancy & ranking tuning, creating rules & redirects to minimize impact during transition Establish governance, testing protocols, and rollout strategy for new search capabilities Define measurement of success and quantify 30,60,90 days post implementation Product Strategy & Roadmap Define and execute the roadmap for search, aligning with business goals Partner with search platform vendor to share voice of customer and evangelize for specific search improvements needed to drive business; collaborate on improvements and participate in beta testing Prioritize high-impact improvements using data and customer insights Identify friction points in contractor buying workflows Act as subject matter expert for on-site search, leading sessions with various teams on “how search works” to build awareness & set expectations with DSS and field teams Performance & Optimization Own search performance KPIs and business outcomes Analyze search behavior, conversion funnels, and revenue attribution to identify opportunities to optimize performance Perform relevancy, ranking & personalization tuning Leverage merchandising capabilities to improve search performance Reduce zero-result and low-relevance queries Lead A/B testing initiatives for ranking, UI, and filtering improvements Develop intake process for feedback from DSS & field teams to improve search experiences Relevance & Data Quality Develop and maintain synonym and partner with Product Data team on taxonomy strategy Improve search handling for: Exact and partial SKU searches Brand and manufacturer queries Spec-based searches (size, horsepower, voltage, etc.) Contractor shorthand and industry terms Identify product data quality opportunities and partner with Product Data team to implement improvements Direct Manager/Direct Reports: Reports to: Director of Product Direct Reports: None Travel Requirements : Occasional Physical Requirements: Consistent with standard office environment. Requires long periods of sitting at a desk and may occasionally lift up to 45lbs Working Conditions: Consistent with standard office environment. Requires long periods of sitting at a desk and may occasionally lift up to 45lbs Minimum Qualifications: 3-5 years of onsite search optimization experience. Proven track record building and optimizing eCommerce experiences that drive measurable business impact; B2B or digital distribution experience a plus. Demonstrated success driving adoption, retention, and customer lifetime value through improvements to digital experiences Expertise in one or more of the following: product discovery optimization, site search, or product recommendations. Strong leadership and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence cross functional teams. Experience working with complex B2B product catalogs and structured product data Strong strategic thinking with the experience translating business goals into roadmaps, KPIs, and actionable execution plans. Analytical mindset, comfortable with KPI setting, performance analysis, and test‑and‑learn approaches. Exceptional communication and presentation skills; able to articulate digital value to business stakeholders and partners. Proven ability to lead through ambiguity, make strategic tradeoffs, and balance long- term investments with near-term business results. Understanding of digital analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe, or similar). Preferred Qualifications: Experience building or optimizing digital experiences for trade professionals in industries like building products, pool, landscape, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, construction supply, industrial distribution, or related B2B verticals. Experience leading implementation or migration of search platforms (i.e. Algolia, BloomReach, Unbxd, Coveo, or Elastic) Deep understanding of contractor buying behavior and workflows such as quote‑to‑order, repeat ordering, job‑site deliveries, will‑call/pickup, and multi‑location account management. Experience with complex B2B eCommerce capabilities including contract pricing, account hierarchies, custom catalogs, credit terms, and advanced search for technical products