Vice President Fishing Business Unit

Vice President Fishing Business Unit

At Johnson Outdoors, home to some of the world’s most innovative and best-known outdoor recreation brands, we create amazing outdoor experiences – for adventurers, by adventurers.

Innovators from the very beginning, we change the way people fish with our breakthrough technology.  Anglers are eager to set their eyes on the newest Humminbird® fish finders, get their feet on Minn Kota® trolling motor foot pedals, and connect it all wirelessly with the iPilot® Link™ – making it easier than ever to get their hands on more fish. But it is the people at Johnson Outdoors that make the company the success it is today!  Check us out on Cannon, Minn Kota, and Humminbird 

Based in beautiful and affordable Racine, Wisconsin, at our Headquarters on the shore of Lake Michigan, you’ll have incredible access to a variety of outdoor activities whether skiing and snowmobiling in winter, or hiking, sailing, fishing, kayaking or more in summer.  Close to both Milwaukee and Chicago, the area boasts a wide variety of amenities including a vibrant arts and culture scene and a host of unique, creative dining options.

The Vice President, Fishing will be the architect and driver of a transformational growth strategy for Johnson Outdoors’ fishing brands and will position the business unit and the company for long-term success.

What you will do:

The person in this role provides the business unit’s overall strategic direction and drives innovation, profitable growth and development. Oversees and is accountable for the overall consumer-facing areas including brand, strategy, sales and customer service functions. Also, works extensively within a matrix/dotted-line organizational model with Marketing Services, Digital/Ecomm, Engineering, R&D, Product Development, Supply Chain/Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, HR, Finance, Legal, and Information Technology. Ensures integration across functional teams to develop and execute strategies which are aligned across the business unit as well as with the organization’s strategy, vision, mission, and values. 

• Develops and executes business unit strategy, and vision in partnership with senior executive leadership. Ensures coordination with shared services vice presidents to drive the business forward and provides sustainable, profitable growth. Develops annual profit plans, and manages performance against those plans, particularly in terms of revenue, profit growth, new product introductions and demand planning. Also, contributes to overall JO Strategies.


• Manages and has full responsibility for profit and loss to effectively balance revenue growth with cost reduction, margin optimization and complexity reduction.


• Partners extensively within a matrix/dotted-line organizational model within Marketing Services, Digital/Ecomm, Engineering, R&D, Product Development, Supply Chain/Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, HR, Finance, Legal, and Information Technology areas to ensure the business meets or exceeds business results, including delivery against strategies and financial targets.


• Provides strategic direction and oversight of the business unit's global brand and marketing functions which includes brand positioning, brand awareness, product marketing, e-commerce, and marketing insights/analytics initiatives. Partners with marketing shared services to ensure strategies, plans and priorities support/align with system-wide strategies.


• Translate business priorities into brand objectives, strategies and plans.   Through consumer research, understand how to effectively inspire and delight consumers through product performance, assortment offerings, pricing and positioning, ensuring Johnson Outdoors remains at the forefront of product innovation.


• Oversees the development and direction of sales programs and achievement of sales objectives to increase market share and profitable growth.


• Bridges the gaps between functional teams such as sales, marketing, research and product development, operations, engineering, and corporate functions to ensure collaboration and integration of efforts to reach common organizational goals.


• Creates a culture and mindset of progressive thinking, focused on best practices, optimization of efficiency, enhanced, quality and continuous improvement. Directs activities toward achieving best practice objectives while encouraging creativity and innovation.


• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisory/Management Responsibilities:  

• Functions in a highly matrixed, dotted line organizational model.


• In partnership with human resources, oversees human resources responsibilities for staff, which includes but is not limited to the following: hiring and terminating employees, promotions/pay adjustments, staff development, performance evaluations, resolution of employee concerns and disciplinary counseling.


• Develops and oversees budgets, and ensures budgets are managed within approved guidelines.


• Develops and approves departmental policies, procedures, and guidelines to meet business needs.

What you need to succeed:

• Master's degree in business preferred.

• Typically requires a minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible business unit leadership experience which includes successfully developing successful, profitable long-term strategies within a complex, matrix, global organization to drive the business forward.

• Profit and loss experience with a track record of delivering sustained profitable revenue growth.

• Proven effectiveness at participating on an executive and cross-functional team with an emphasis on solid contributions with overall business strategic planning and sound execution against long-range planning.

• Prior accomplishments in establishing long range planning and following through on improvement initiatives that resulted in significant operational and efficiency metrics.

• Strong financial competence, thorough understanding of profit and loss, including gross profit, contribution margin, operating profit, and net profit.

• Proven ability to lead and operate within a global organization.

• Proven success with consumer centric innovative launches.

• Extensive knowledge of and exposure to sales development, business development, and strategic brand management functions.

• Must have strong interpersonal skills, ability to build cross-functional teams that consist of both direct reports and those that may report to shared services leadership and manage complex multitasked activities.


• Problem analysis and problem resolution, at both a strategic and operational level.

• Demonstrated understanding of how to link consumer needs to product development, design, and engineering outcomes to successfully engage our markets.

• Sound business acumen and strong leadership skills necessary to grow, support and sustain a key strategic business unit.

• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills to successfully interact across internally with other business units and with various external organizations.

• Proficient in use of Microsoft Office suite including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

About Us:

A few pointers about our culture:

• Entrepreneurial spirit and innovation are in our bones! We authentically innovate trusted equipment that gets people out there.


• We are laser-focused on our consumers, and passionate about inspiring people to actively engage with the amazing awe of the outdoors again and again.


• We strive to create meaningful, healthy change in the world as individuals and as a family of brands.


• We value team members who are willing to wear many hats; who take personal initiative, anticipating what needs to be done, and figuring things out to make them happen; but who are also willing to ask for help, to assist others and work together.

 What you will receive:

• Share in the company’s success - Competitive base salary, with additional earning potential through participation in the annual discretionary cash profit sharing program, eligibility for annual pay increases, and employee stock purchase plans.


• Find your work/life balance with generous paid time off and holiday benefits, health insurance and wellness plans.


• Further your career with training opportunities including our tuition assistance program.


• Plan for your future with our 401k with company match and deferred retirement contributions, Sons & Daughters Scholarship program, life and LTD insurance, employee stock purchase plan, and more.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment at Johnson Outdoors (and all subsidiaries) without regard to race; creed; color; religion; national origin; sex; age; disability; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; genetic predisposition or carrier status; veteran, marital, or citizenship status; or any other status protected by law.  Johnson Outdoors is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer.

If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact Human Resources at HRSpecialAccommodations@johnsonoutdoors.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

JOHNSON OUTDOORS is a leading global innovator of outdoor recreation equipment and technologies that inspire more people to experience the awe of the great outdoors. The company designs, manufactures and markets a portfolio of winning, consumer-preferred brands across four categories: Watercraft Recreation, Fishing, Diving and Camping.  Johnson Outdoors' iconic brands include: Old Town® canoes and kayaks; Ocean Kayak™; Carlisle® paddles; Minn Kota® fishing motors, batteries and anchors; Cannon® downriggers; Humminbird® marine electronics and charts; SCUBAPRO® dive equipment; Jetboil® outdoor cooking systems. Founded in 1970 by Samuel C. Johnson, the Company has delivered double-digit compound annual growth over its history, evolving from a single brand into a nearly $663 million global enterprise with around 1,300 employees across 18 countries.