Sr. Product Manager - Portable Audio

Keenfinity•Burnsville, MN

18h•$135,000 - $148,000

About The Position

This individual functions as an entrepreneur, propelling sustainable and lucrative growth beyond market norms within their product category. Serving as the customer advocate within the organization, the Product Manager is entrusted with global turnover and margin duties for the product segment. This role encompasses overseeing the entire lifecycle of the product portfolio, portfolio management, new business creation, market introduction processes, and eventual product discontinuation. This role is responsible for product management Electro-Voice portable sound, a major revenue contributor for the Communications Systems Division of Bosch Security Systems.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with 5-10 years experience in product management or equivalent education and experience.
Professional Audio industry knowledge and experience with MI retail and Portable PA speakers systems.
Knowledge of key marketing principles and demonstrated ability to apply them in a business environment, including ability to effectively analyze markets and competition to identify customer needs.
Solid working knowledge of market research, product sales and sales promotion activities
Able to grasp technical concepts relating to professional audio.
Able to work effectively in a global organization serving a worldwide customer base, and to lead cross-functional teams through the process.
Leadership qualities and an ability to influence others in a matrix organization.
Able to plan, organize and follow through/implement to achieve timely, accurate results, focusing on key priorities and effectively juggling multiple projects.
Able to initiate change.
Excellent communication skills and interpersonal skills, ability to deliver reports, to make public presentations and to deal eloquently with opinion leaders and the sales force team.
Customer focus: able to anticipate customer needs.
Able to recognize and capitalize on market opportunities.
Able to generate financial analysis relating to product costs, return on investment, etc.
Understanding of basic business and financial concepts
A knowledge and flair for what will appeal to targeted customers when creating marketing collateral.
Knowledge of MI sales channels (i.e.: retail, distribution, reps, dealers, etc.)
Up to 30% travel may be required.

Responsibilities

Define the product strategy and roadmap
Manage global product portfolio and evaluate market potential for new products.
Manage product portfolio life cycle.
Analyze relevant market and market trends and identify end-user / customer needs.
Monitor competitive products and conduct regular benchmarking exercises.
Identify, document, and prioritize product, customer, and market requirements.
Define target markets and generate market data including in-depth and insightful analysis of competitors, their pricing, positioning, etc.
Scrutinize the market landscape and implement strategies (marketing mix) to enhance market presence and strengthen market positioning across the portable speaker segment.
Set global pricing strategy to meet revenue and profitability goals.
Propose product segment budget to ensure success
Conduct voice of customer, end-user feedbacks sessions as needed.
Provide financial and technical justification for product selection and definition and prioritizes product development plans. Assess financial requirements to launch products and potential return on investment.
Collaborate with engineering regarding packaging of features, cost estimates or requirements, physical/mechanical look and features of products.
Initiate the product development process and define commercial requirements and product specification documents and provide support throughout the entire development process for all designated procedural stages.
Work with external third parties to assess partnerships and licensing opportunities.
Lead cross-functional teams to create products and manage the product development process from concept through development and manufacturing.
Ensure product data sheets, user manuals, and necessary documents accurately reflect specifications and capabilities of product.
Define price strategy for new products following value based pricing process.
Creation and ownership of product messaging, positioning, features, benefits and USPs for end- users and customers.
Partner with sales and marketing to prepare and deliver presentations and materials that educate sales personnel and customers on functionalities and features of products.
Participate in key sales and voice of customer situations as required.
Create, author, publish and disseminate marketing collateral to all relevant parties both external and internal.
Work with internal teams to plan tradeshows and create effective demonstrations. Attend tradeshows such as InfoComm, NAMM, Prolight + Sound, etc. Train sales force, dealer and rep firms on product capabilities and features.
Communicate technical requirements and features to engineering staff, signing off on all Engineering Change Orders.
Develop and manage product mid-life correction or end of life strategies as appropriate.
Monitor market acceptance, track revenue and profit performance.
Identify partnering opportunities for complementary third-party products to broaden product line.
Negotiate contracts and licenses for new technologies or products.
Meet with procurement and inventory control staff to coordinate product build and sales forecasts.
Adjust forecasts and schedules based on ability to build and current sales activity.