Job description
We are looking for a bright, clever and enthusiastic person to join our team. The Product Manager bridges the gap between marketing, sales, engineering, sourcing, purchasing, manufacturing, and the operations team to ensure the appropriate design and launch of new and enhanced existing products exist.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
• Researches competitive solutions and identifies product solution gaps.
• Works directly with end users at their place of business or operations to understand their challenges, problems, and requirements. Prepares and delivers reports to management on what is observed and learned, and provides recommendations.
• Compares the company's products to competitors' products. Also, prepares competitor product analysis reports for management.
• The manager reviews new product ideas and product or packaging changes.
• Documents new product requirements and prepares return on investment analyses, product development requirements, product development briefs and other inputs.
• Keeps up-to-date on new product project information and documents in company’s internal documents control management system.
• Responds to, and works collaboratively with, product development, engineering, and operations throughout the stage gate development process to the point of the successful product launch.
• Leads the post-launch evaluation post-mortem analysis to identify areas for improvement for future product development projects.
• Maintains, with input from marketing, sales, and senior leadership, the priorities of new product development and enhancement projects funnel.
• Keeps abreast of changes to ANSI, OSHA and other codes and regulations and their impact on the function, design, and need for new products or product enhancements.
• Educates, informs and trains the marketing and sales team of new products, applications, and other trends for them to create content to educate and inform our audience and customers.
• Prepares technical and product documentation for his/her projects for marketing the new products on our website and literature.
• Ensures that test reports documents are completed, prepares technical data sheets, product features, installation instructions, product feature charts and specifications, and other items required to market and sell the products.
• Serves as a cross-functional team member responsible for determining and recommending the strategy, roadmap, and feature definition of future products or product lines.
• The manager qualifies new suppliers including Asian suppliers as part of the evaluation and selection process. Works directly with new and current suppliers on setting up new production, monitoring quality levels and working closely with them to establish and then ensure a steady and dependable flow of quality products.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.
REQUIREMENTS
• Bachelor’s degree in related field.
• Minimum of 5 years hands on experience in discrete industrial goods manufacturing.
• Experience working with scheduling vendors and in house operations.
• Experience managing and sourcing international and domestic suppliers.
• Commodity experience with steel, aluminum, and plastic fabrication and assembly processes
• Can do / make it happen attitude
• Proven problem solving experience
• Traveling to overseas factories