Global Category Manager

Reports to: Head of BU Mobile Racks & Storage Direct reports: None Internal stakeholders: Sales, Product Development, and Operations/Manufacturing department. External stakeholders: Customers, Consultants Job Description: Global Product Manager - Mobile Racks & Storage Company Overview: The client is a global market leader in mobile living solutions, offering innovative products and services for use in recreational vehicles, trucks, and marine vessels.
The organisations mission is to make mobile living easy and comfortable for its customers.
They specialize in designing and producing innovative solutions for outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers around the world.
As the Global Category Manager for Mobile Racks & Storage, you will play a crucial role in driving the success of our product line and ensuring that their customers have the best solutions for their travel and outdoor needs. Duties & Responsibilities Position Overview: They are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Global Category Manager to lead the development, launch, and growth of our Mobile Racks & Storage product portfolio. As the Global Category Manager, you will be responsible for understanding market trends, customer needs, and competitor offerings to develop and execute a strategic roadmap for our Mobile Racks & Storage products.
You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including engineering, design, marketing, sales, and manufacturing, to ensure successful product launches and ongoing product improvements.
This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of our Mobile Racks & Storage product line and make a significant impact on the success of our company. Responsibilities: 1. Strategy and Planning: Conduct market research and analysis to identify market trends, customer needs, and competitive landscape in the Mobile Racks & Storage industry. Develop a global product strategy and roadmap for the Mobile Racks & Storage product line, considering customer insights, market opportunities, and business objectives. Define product positioning, target markets, and competitive differentiation to maximize market penetration and profitability. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define product requirements, features, and specifications based on customer needs and market demands. Set clear goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), and metrics to measure the success of the Mobile Racks & Storage product line. 2. Product Development and Management: Lead the end-to-end product development lifecycle, from concept ideation to product launch and post-launch enhancements. Work closely with engineering and design teams to translate product requirements into detailed specifications, ensuring feasibility and alignment with technical capabilities. Collaborate with manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure timely and cost-effective production and delivery of Mobile Racks & Storage products. Conduct regular product performance evaluations, collect customer feedback, and drive continuous improvement efforts. Monitor industry trends, competitor activities, and emerging technologies to identify opportunities for innovation and product enhancements. 3. Go-to-Market Strategy: Develop comprehensive go-to-market plans for new product launches, including positioning, messaging, pricing, and distribution strategies.Collaborate with marketing teams to create compelling product marketing materials, sales tools, and training programs to support the sales and distribution teams.Conduct product training sessions and presentations for internal teams, customers, and distribution partners. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with sales teams to understand customer needs, gather market insights, and drive revenue growth.Work with engineering teams to ensure product feasibility, timely development, and adherence to quality standards.Partner with design teams to create visually appealing and user-friendly product designs that align with brand guidelines.Liaise with manufacturing and supply chain teams to optimize production processes, manage inventory levels, and ensure on-time product availability. Desired Experience & Qualification Required Skills
Market ResearchProduct Development ManagementTarget Market DevelopmentCandidate Requirements
Qualifications and Experience We believe that the ideal candidate has the following qualifications and experiences: 10-15 years product development/management and management experience with progressively increasing levels of responsibility, preferably in the Mobile Racks & Storage or automotive industry.Bachelors degree in Engineering or related field; Masters degree is strongly preferredStrong international experienceStrong and proved leader of a diversified team of individualsExperience from interaction with various company disciplines such as sales and marketing, manufacturing, and product developmentStrong understanding of product development processes, including market research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and launch.Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate data and market insights into actionable strategies.Demonstrated ability to develop and execute successful product strategies that drive revenue growth.Exceptional project management and organizational skillsExperience from strategic product planning e.g., product generation, phase in/phase outExperience from project management and knowledge of modern toolsUnderstanding of and experience from different engineering disciplinesProficient with Microsoft Office Suite and understanding of CAD software and similar toolsFluent English language knowledge Success Factors To be successful in this role, you understand and live our core values - We are passionate, we act responsibly, we build together, and we embrace change; these values reflect the heart and soul of the company and they define what it takes to work here and how we do things. In addition to embracing our core values, we believe that you possess the following skills, competencies, and characteristics: Proven leadership skills in a multicultural environmentProven strategic and commercial skillsStrong technical skills, analytical ability, good judgement with an operational focusExcellent problem analysisExcellent organization and planning skillsUnderstanding of challenges from working in a multi-cultural environment High energy, with an ability to deliver results in a timely and accurate mannerTeam player attitude who can multi-task effectively in a fast-paced, lean environmentSelf-starter; committed to the success of the team rather than the individualDemonstrated ability to motivate employees and obtain results through othersSuperior communicator: both written and verbalPerformance-driven and decisive Package & Remuneration R 100 000 to R 130 000 p/m
Includes Provident fund