12 Oct
Johannesburg - 4 hours ago
Johannesburg
Your main responsibilities:
Product Strategy and Planning:
- Develop and implement a global product strategy that aligns with the companies Standalone strategic direction and the division's overall business goals.
- Conduct market research to identify customer needs, market trends, market size and competitive landscape.
- Define product vision, roadmap, and lifecycle management processes.
Market and Competitive Analysis:
- Analyze market trends, customer feedback, and competitive products to identify opportunities and threats.
- Use data-driven insights to guide product development and marketing strategies.
- Continuously monitor the competitive landscape and adjust strategies as needed.
Product Portfolio Management:
- Oversee the global product portfolio, ensuring a balanced mix of products that meet market demands.
- Evaluate product performance and profitability, making adjustments as necessary.
- Ensure consistent brand positioning and messaging across all products.
Product Development:
- Lead the product development process from ideation through to launch.
- Collaborate with PD, engineering, and design teams to ensure product feasibility and innovation.
- Manage product specifications, features, and performance criteria to meet market and customer requirements.
- Develop packaging concepts and solutions
- Support the manufacturing preparation for a new product or product improvement introduction, incl. definition of tooling requirements, process documentation, process validation
- Support the advanced product quality planning process by means of quality verification & control plans, part and process approval process (PPAP).
- Support sourcing initiatives such as cost reductions,
specification changes and supplier relocations etc.
- Drive continuous product improvements and cost reduction initiatives by means of value analysis and value engineering (VA/VE) methodology
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Work closely with the China based Manufacturing and development engineers (8 team members).
- Work closely with marketing, sales, and operations teams to ensure successful product launches and market penetration.
- Coordinate with regional sales team to tailor products for specific markets.
- Foster strong collaboration between different departments to align product initiatives with business goals.
Leadership and Team Development:
- Manage the technical design team in South Africa (4 team members) as coordinator, decision maker and team leader
- Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing global product management team.
- Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Implement training and development programs to enhance team capabilities.
Skills & Requirements:
- Bachelors degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Marketing, or a related field; MBA preferred.
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in product management within the mobile cooking, outdoor, or related industries, with at least 5 years in a global leadership position.
- Proven track record of successfully managing product lifecycles and driving product innovation.
- Experience in working in an international set-up, work across 3 continents and especially working with Chinese companies and people
- Experience in working with Microsoft Office 365 tools, ERP & PDM/PLM Systems, CAD & CAE tools etc.
- Business fluent in English
To be successful in this role, we believe that you possess the following skills, competencies & characteristics:
- Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills.
- Excellent leadership and team-building abilities.
- Superior communication and interpersonal skills (working with various stakeholders during product development processes)
- Ability to travel extensively.
▶️ Global Head of Product Management & Product Development
🖊️ Johannesburg - 4 hours ago
📍 Johannesburg