Product Specialist

Ascentek • Golden Valley, MN

5d • $60,000 - $80,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Ascentek produces high-performance lubricants and fluids for today’s world leaders in powersports, outdoor power equipment, industrial, marine and heavy equipment engine manufacturing, as well as customers in automotive, fleet and manufacturing-use settings. At Ascentek, our Product Management team is responsible for the 4Ps (product, price, place, promotion) of the lubricants, fluids, hard parts and services that support those customers, with our products at the center of what we do.

The Product Specialist (PS) will drive the quoting, commercialization and product management processes of the Product Management team. The PS will also maintain knowledge surrounding their segment’s applicable economic, market and product trends to support New Product Development, pricing reviews, etc. and will support enterprise-level projects.

Requirements

• 4-year degree with a focus in marketing, product management or related field
• 0-3+ years related job experience; emphasis in project management a plus
• Requires the ability to use a personal computer and is proficient in Microsoft Office, including Excel (minimum intermediate), Word and PowerPoint
• Valid driver’s license
• Demonstrated self-starter who can work independently and has the ability to lead without authority
• High degree of self-accountability, punctuality, accuracy and reliability
• Works well in ambiguous situations with the competency to develop and improve processes
• Requires excellent oral and written communication skills to effectively communicate throughout the organization, with customers and with other external business contacts
• Requires comprehensive analytical skills
• Requires strong attention to detail and organizational skills

Responsibilities

• Maintains knowledge within the lubricants/fluids, equipment/hard parts and/or services area for their assigned segment(s); potential segment assignments include: Automotive, Fleet, Heavy Duty/Agriculture and Outdoor Power Equipment, Industrial, Specialty, Chemicals, Environmental and Hard Parts, Powersports and Marine
• Supports account- and segment-specific projects such as new fluid development, product marketing, training, category management, channel & competitive analysis, etc.
• Works cross-functionally to build and own the Finished Part Document (FPD) process, updates and maintenance
• Develops Bills of Materials (BOMs) and quotation forms as part of the New Product Development (NPD) process for new business opportunities and new product commercialization’s; partners with the Product Management Team, National / Regional Sales Teams and others
• Reviews and analyzes SKU-level cost and price data to manage customer pricing and maintain and improve overall segment profitability
• Submits New Item Setup (NIS) forms and Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) with extreme attention to detail and accuracy, to create and maintain product data
• Manages slow-moving and obsolete inventory in partnership with National / Regional Sales Teams and Product Management including runout plans and product disposal submissions
• Works cross-functionally with internal departments (e.g., Sales, Supply Chain, Marketing) to manage the product lifecycle and achieve business objectives
• Maintains applicable Product Management Team files and file structure, including account dashboards and customer folders
• Acts as the subject matter expert (SME) of select core processes (e.g., new product commercialization, new item setup, etc.) and owns their overall performance and continuous improvement
• Supports enterprise-level projects and initiatives that may or may not be directly tied to the operations of the Product Management team
• Must be able to travel to customer and industry specific events via air or ground transportation; travel up to 5% of time
• Other duties as requested

Benefits

• Medical Plan options, including fertility coverage and free mental health and telehealth coverage
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• FSA/HSA options
• Paid parental leave
• Company-provided short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance
• Supplemental Insurances, including accident, critical illness, hospital, and supplemental life insurance
• 401(k) with a generous company match
• Pet Insurance Benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• 21 Paid Days Off
• 7 Paid Holidays
• Short-term Incentive Plan (STIP)
• Dress For Your Day (casual dress environment)
• Paid comprehensive on-the-job training
• Company phone provided
• Company computer provided
• Career advancement opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level