Product Manager

A. O. Smith•Milwaukee, WI

15h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Product Manager is responsible for the product planning and execution for assigned products throughout the lifecycle, including: gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, defining the product vision, and working closely with engineering, sales, marketing and support to ensure revenue and customer satisfaction goals are met.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, preferably in business or a related field
3+ years of related experience
Prior experience in plumbing, HVAC, or a related field, in retail and/or wholesale channels
Core competencies include analytical ability & problem solving, strong verbal & written communication, technical aptitude, portfolio management, and working knowledge of Microsoft Office
Successful track record of adding profitability to a product line using data and consumer insights
Strong interpersonal skills and decision-making ability
Effective and professional communication and organization skills.
Superior negotiation skills

Responsibilities

Manage assigned product life cycle from concept through development, introduction, cost optimization and obsolescence.
Conduct market research by ongoing visits to retail and wholesale customers, sales groups, job sites, contractors, service agents and trade shows
Drive specifications and solutions across cross-functional development teams through to implementation.
Conduct competitive studies to identify product strengths and weaknesses
Innovator: Extend core product lines and increase profitability, Identify and terminate products that are no longer needed, Develop new products, Identify the need for and conduct research to determine future products or services
Business Partner: Educate Marketing Communications/outside agencies and serve as SME in development of the go-to-market strategy
Work within Product Engineering’s Stage Gate process and develop Multi-Generational Product Plans (MGPPs) for their products
With Finance, develop business plan/case for products including sales forecasts, target pricing, and cost targets
Help profitably grow market share by providing Sales with extensive product information, competitive information and appropriate training
Keep Customer Service up-to-date on new products and requirements affecting the order entry process
Provide Distribution with relevant information to move products through our system efficiently and in good condition
Ensure service training and support materials are developed, available, and distributed to the Service group at time of launch; gather information on products in the field that can be used for improvements or to identify quality concerns before they become major issues
Collaborate with Procurement on new component options, volume forecasts and cost reduction opportunities
Other responsibilities may be assigned as needed.