Product Manager - Ditch Witch (Compact Equipment)

The Toro Company•Perry, OK

3d•Onsite

About The Position

This position supports the Ditch Witch Division’s multi-brand product strategy for an assigned product portfolio through its entire lifecycle. Product Managers must have an in-depth knowledge of the construction industry, customer segments, and consistently demonstrate a strong business acumen. Key functions include identifying best solutions for customer needs, providing insight into growth opportunities, and leading new product priorities. They are responsible for product specifications, setting financial targets, and understanding market timelines. Product Managers are key advisors to both leadership and cross-functional teams guided through their insights that shape product positioning, go-to-market strategies, competitive landscapes, and value-add innovation. Their influence ensures alignment between business objectives, customer needs and market responsiveness through the global multi-generational product planning process (MGPP), day-to-day management and the ability to provide clear direction. This position represents the company strategically serving as an industry expert both internally and externally.

Requirements

Product Manager I Requires a bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, marketing, or related field.
4+ years of experience in construction or industry related experience.
Relevant knowledge in profit and loss statements and strong analytical skills.
Ability to understand target markets, clearly articulate customer needs, and propose product concepts that create stakeholder buy in, while meeting market and divisional objectives.
Identifies unmet customer needs and growth opportunities, conveying these via MGPP.
Champion new products through the gate process ensuring alignment with customer needs, financial targets, and marketing timelines.
Strong technical aptitude enabling communication, understanding and collaboration with engineering.
Proven self-starter with a bias for action and ability to simultaneously lead multiple project teams.
Effectively launches new products and coordinates daily product management tasks.
Works closely and regularly with customers, dealers, and internal representatives to drive product strategy, acceptance and decision making for best-in-class products.
Excellent communication skills both verbally and written are vital to ensure product line success.
Ability to represent the portfolio as a leader in presentations, media, conferences, and events.
Product Manager II Requires a bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, marketing, or related field.
Minimum 6+ years in Underground Construction Division or industry related field.
Successfully conducting MGPP efforts that generate confidence from stakeholders aligning strategies with division and corporate objectives.
Seen as the industry expert for an assigned portfolio that has defined the market needs, trends, and customer expectations at a strategic, long-term level.
Understanding market, competition, and user requirements at a depth that creates trust, and an ability that inspires followership.
Champion new product innovation that sets high standards for value-add and customer satisfaction.
Proven leader when problems arrive developing solutions by collaborating across engineering, product support, sales, and dealer channel.
Ability to represent the portfolio as an industry expert in presentations, media outlets, conferences, and events.
Fosters a culture of collaboration with design team managers and cross functional teams.
Excellent communication, delivery, and persuasion skills to effectively manage and align various stakeholders with the production direction.

Responsibilities

Manage assigned product portfolio throughout the entire product lifecycle to maximize ROI.
Lead global Voice of the Customer (VOC) activities and other market research to fully understand customer requirements and drive decisions for assigned product line(s) that position us as leader in the industry.
Develop, present, and execute an annual MGPP for assigned product portfolio.
Define the market needs, trends, and customer expectations.
Develop the product and strategic vision.
Develop, communicate, and execute clearly defined product strategies to meet the company’s corporate goals.
Create and develop business cases for new products based on market knowledge, competitive landscape, emerging technology, and customer needs.
Champion of new product development, utilizing the 1PDS stage gate process, serving as the advocate for the customer and communicating clear product specifications, performance requirements, and identifying necessary financial targets.
Collaborate with engineering and test functions to ensure appropriate design criteria, serviceability and test plan for quality and lowest warranty.
Develop product launch plans in collaboration with marketing, training, and sales teams.
Engage in the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process, with primary responsibility for new product annual sales, inventory projections, as well as transition planning.
Plan and deliver product sales training for launches, including participation in live training events and recorded product webinars.
Provide internal teammates and dealer channel with timely and accurate product positioning information. (i.e. Product launches, discontinuations, enhancements, stop shipments, regulation changes, or other key communications.)
Monitor and analyze market share, retail indicators, and order activity to understand performance and competitive positioning.
Collaborate with sales and finance teams regarding product pricing strategies.
Support industry trade shows, customer experience events, and other key divisional events, activities, and initiatives as the subject matter expert.
Cross team collaboration for the broader portfolio to effectively support strategic priorities and provide comprehensive jobsite overview.
Complete other special assignments, duties, and tasks as required.
Be the industry expert that represents the company’s interest in the assigned portfolio.
Key advisor that builds and maintains strong relationships with engineering, sales, customer care, operations, dealer channel and DW leadership team.