Your main responsibilities: Product Strategy and Planning: Develop and implement a global product strategy that aligns with the companies Standalone strategic direction and the division's overall business goals.
Conduct market research to identify customer needs, market trends, market size and competitive landscape.
Define product vision, roadmap, and lifecycle management processes.
Market and Competitive Analysis: Analyze market trends, customer feedback, and competitive products to identify opportunities and threats.
Use data-driven insights to guide product development and marketing strategies.
Continuously monitor the competitive landscape and adjust strategies as needed.
Product Portfolio Management: Oversee the global product portfolio, ensuring a balanced mix of products that meet market demands.
Evaluate product performance and profitability, making adjustments as necessary.
Ensure consistent brand positioning and messaging across all products.
Product Development: Lead the product development process from ideation through to launch.
Collaborate with PD, engineering, and design teams to ensure product feasibility and innovation.
Manage product specifications, features, and performance criteria to meet market and customer requirements.
Develop packaging concepts and solutions Support the manufacturing preparation for a new product or product improvement introduction, incl.
definition of tooling requirements, process documentation, process validation Support the advanced product quality planning process by means of quality verification & control plans, part and process approval process (PPAP).
Support sourcing initiatives such as cost reductions, specification changes and supplier relocations etc.
Drive continuous product improvements and cost reduction initiatives by means of value analysis and value engineering (VA/VE) methodology Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with the China based Manufacturing and development engineers (8 team members).
Work closely with marketing, sales, and operations teams to ensure successful product launches and market penetration.
Coordinate with regional sales team to tailor products for specific markets.
Foster strong collaboration between different departments to align product initiatives with business goals.
Leadership and Team Development: Manage the technical design team in South Africa (4 team members) as coordinator, decision maker and team leader Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing global product management team.
Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Implement training and development programs to enhance team capabilities.
Skills & Requirements: Bachelors degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Marketing, or a related field; MBA preferred.
Minimum of 10 years of experience in product management within the mobile cooking, outdoor, or related industries, with at least 5 years in a global leadership position.
Proven track record of successfully managing product lifecycles and driving product innovation.
Experience in working in an international set-up, work across 3 continents and especially working with Chinese companies and people Experience in working with Microsoft Office 365 tools, ERP & PDM/PLM Systems, CAD & CAE tools etc.
Business fluent in English To be successful in this role, we believe that you possess the following skills, competencies & characteristics: Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills.
Excellent leadership and team-building abilities.
Superior communication and interpersonal skills (working with various stakeholders during product development processes) Ability to travel extensively.