Associate Product Manager - Grid Solutions

Associate Product Manager - Grid Solutions

Department: Sales / Marketing

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: US - Wisconsin - Madison

Reporting To: John Kuehl

Description

Responsible for the assigned industrial products and their respective markets, supports the product manager with product management tasks including, but not limited to, strategic direction of the product portfolio, project management, forecasting, financial analysis, identifying product needs, working across functions to develop new products and manage the product development road map, understand competition at a technical product level, overseeing product design and application engineering as needed, and providing sales, customer service and technical support.

Please note, this is not a software position, but instead will be steering the course of our hardware product lines. This position will sit on-site in Madison, WI.

Key Responsibilities

• Play integral role in assuring the Franklin 5 Key Factors - Quality, Availability, Service, Innovation, and Value are effectively maintained for assigned products.
• Supports product manager in developing product line strategic direction and product development road map, new product opportunities and develops robust business cases in support of new product development projects.
• Supports and potential leads certain product line related projects and project team activities including new product development, quality improvement, and value improvement projects.
• Supports product manager in performing pricing, profitability, and competitive analysis and recommends strategies to improve market position, improve quality, simplify product structure, or reduce costs.
• Analyzes new product requests, pricing research, and competitor research to manage products and product lines.
• Assists in managing existing product line based on forecast, performance, profitability, and required changes or modifications.
• Review product line specification sheets, instructions, presentations, and other marketing services.
• Assists product manager with identifying opportunities to achieve corporate sales goals, objectives, and action plans. Seeks new customer opportunities and maintains current customer relationships.
• In conjunction with Market Development team and the product manager, , analyzes the market to clearly understand and position in the marketplace while identifying potential acquisition targets.
• Assists in the development of product line short- and long-term forecasts, budgets, inventory plans, strategies and marketing programs required to meet sales objectives.
• Works with the product manager and marketing team to ensure that marketing tools such as collateral, packaging, catalogs, Internet presence, etc., meets customer needs.
• Supports various company departments regarding specific product line information including but not limited to Sales, Customer Service and Technical Services teams.
• May attend market specific trade shows, state and regional shows, and territory seminars and report on key trends, customers, competitors, market drivers and technologies.
• Performs other related duties as required or assigned by the product manager.

Skills Knowledge and Expertise

• Strong communication, business, and analytical skills
• Thrive working in a truly global, fun and fast paced work environment
• Works effectively leading cross functional teams including both technical and commercial resources.
• Knows arithmetic, algebra, geometry, statistics, and their applications.
• Possess basic electronic and mechanical aptitude including- basic electronic theory, knowledge of common tools, and troubleshooting processes.
• Deals with problems involving several known variables in situations of routine nature and can make a recommendation on path forward to resolution.
• Analyzes information and evaluates results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Identifies the underlying principles, reasons, facts, or information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Effectively communicates information and responds to questions in person-to-person and small group situations with customers, clients, the public, and other employees of the organization.
• Maintains confidentiality and uses discretion with business information.
• Reads and understands documents such as policy manuals, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Assists product manager in writing routine reports and correspondence.
• Utilizes common-sense understanding to carry out written, oral, or diagrammed instructions.
• Plans the time, method, manner, and/or performance sequence of own work; may also occasionally assist in planning work assignments performed by the product manager or others within a limited area of operation.
• Frequently makes decisions of both minor and major importance, which may affect the work operations of other employees and/or clientele to a moderate degree.
• Review excess and obsolete material and make recommendation for use or disposition with supporting evidence.
• Requires up to 20% travel.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in marketing or related field (required).
• Product marketing and project management experience required with technical/engineering experience (preferred).

Computer Skills

• Intermediate: Excel, word processing/typing, email.