Head of Product Management

Hillenbrand•Kansas City, MO

About The Position

The Head of Product Management will lead the Product Management and Product Cost teams within the Product Innovation & Management (PIM) group, overseeing all aspects of product management, including product lifecycle management, new product development, product rationalization, and more. This role focuses on enhancing product definition and driving growth in its market, serving as the primary driver of the group’s vision. The ideal candidate will possess strategic thinking, tactical engineering expertise, and strong leadership skills.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business or related field
10+ years of experience in product or project management in complex, matrixed environments
Strong combination of strategic thinking, tactical product expertise and presentation skills
Effective leadership skills, including leading teams
Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate across departments
Deep understanding of dynamic markets and industries
Strong analytical skills with a goal-oriented attitude

Nice To Haves

Experience in a similar role, preferably in food, pet food, pharma, or cosmetics processing equipment markets preferred

Responsibilities

Lead and ensure efficient and effective execution of Product Management and Product Cost team functions including professional development for team members.
Collaborate with leaders from engineering, marketing, sales, and operations to drive clear and efficient product road mapping, planning, prioritization, and overall development processes.
Evaluate and authorize product proposals from the Product Management Team.
Develop and cultivate the product vision, business case, and necessary product planning materials to drive initiatives forward with clarity and consensus.
Define product features and specifications for key products and any improvements needed to meet current and future customer needs.
Define and oversee the product roadmap, managing it as required to meet business deliverables.
Engage extensively with consumers to gain firsthand insight into their feedback and market needs.
Work with the marketing department to develop marketing, lead generation, and sales strategies.
Work with engineering teams to plan / execute options for key products as well as collaborating with product owner sites and regional manufacturing hubs on localization projects.
Receive inputs from R&D in development of Product roadmap and work closely with R&D teams to refresh product roadmap based on emerging challenges / opportunities.
Provide oversight of Product Cost team to support development of cost tracking and updates, pricing & margin management policies.
Will assume responsibility for ongoing financial performance tracking.
Oversees profitability at the product level and makes relevant strategic decisions
Work with the Market Strategy team to conduct consumer and market research to understand current and future product needs.