Job Description

Purpose

The APAC Product Manager is responsible for the management of assigned product lines including the development of product marketing plans, managing product lifecycles, accountability for product performance and profitability, gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements to define product roadmaps, competitive analysis, market intelligence and to work closely with Engineering, Regulatory, Sales, and Marketing departments to ensure revenue and customer satisfaction goals are met.

Position Responsibilities:

• Establish short- and long-term objectives and strategies for assigned product lines.
• Initiate, specify, justify and fully implement product introductions which will drive growth in revenue and profitability in the Region.
• Monitor the overall performance of assigned product lines (volume, revenue, margin, inventory, SKU count, distribution and pricing).
• Collect and leverage market and competitive intelligence as well as the business strategy work to evaluate the product and solution portfolio, identify gaps as much as rationalization opportunities.
• Focus on “Market Pull” rather than “Technology Push” always starting with what the end customer. (e.g. owner, operator, investor, facility manager, and distributor)
• Make changes to the product lines as needed via rationalization and/or extensions based on market insights. Manage the process from concept to reality, including sales and margin analysis, competitive and overall market analysis, product line extension and discontinuation recommendations, plan presentation to management teams and execution of approved changes. The execution requires working closely with various departments:
  • Manufacturing—Ensure product specifications are established and product is produced within timeframe indicated.
  • Accounting—Acquire costing information to ensure product is priced correctly to generate appropriate sales and profitability and to maximize growth, profit and market penetration.
  • Sales & Marketing—Contribute to annual marketing and communications plans and programs to promote assigned product lines. Work with Sales to validate pricing potential. Establish with Sales Directors the business goals and volume expectations for new products.
  • Regulatory – Support Regulatory Compliance ensure product specifications support the Regional Regulatory requirement
  • Engineering – Work with Design Engineering to create products that meet the long-term objectives of the company's products in APAC. Conduct research to determine product viability. Contribute to proper design of effective filed testing.
• Conduct competitive benchmarking for assigned product lines by gathering competitive intelligence and monitoring competitive actions.
• Monitor activities of external influencers such as legislation, consumer groups, vendor innovations, technological advances, etc. which affect product design and/or use.
• Communicate relevant product information to Sales, Engineering, and Marketing as needed. This includes new products and product extension and discontinuation communications.

Requirements

• Commercial experience to know Global markets. Strong financial acumen to understand margin implications on product level and drive margin improvements of the product/solution offering.
• Minimum or equivalent of 5 years product management and new product development experience, preferably in laundry, appliance or another manufactured goods market segment.
• Relevant experience in product design, testing or agency approvals.
• Product and technology understanding “inside the box” (electrical and mechanical) as well as “outside the box” (technology enabled solutions and ancillary services)
• Must: Autonomous working: -High Say/Do, ability to challenge the status quo and embrace change
• Effectively establish, communicate and deliver product plans and strategies
• Ability to effectively interact with executive management
• Ability to travel up to 30% of working time
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business Management or related field required.