Product Manager: Silicones, Sealants & Adhesives at Saint-Gobain Africa

IS THIS JOB FOR YOU ?

Qualifications required to fulfil the role

• BCommerce, IMM, Engineering or an equivalent in Construction studies equivalent.
• Business qualification would be advantageous.

Specific Work Experience, Knowledge and Skills required to fulfil the role

• At least 3 years’ experience in product management in a manufacturer or a B2B context.
• Valid Driver’s license.
• Demonstrated project and process management skills.
• Coordination skills.
• Able to work cross-functionally.
• Computer literate.
• Time management skills.
• Knowledge of principles and methods for launching, demonstrating, promoting, and marketing products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Ability to communicate and interact at all levels of the organisation, including production (plant level) and at Executive Level.

Key Accountabilities

• Take the lead in defining and driving the market positioning, annual planning, delivery and in-life optimization of a product category or range of products:

Product and Market Analysis

• Take responsibility for analysing market trends and sales performance in order to avail informed recommendations for the product.
• Analyse competitor activity in order to provide the business’s product with a competitive edge over competition.
• Developing a deep knowledge of the market, specifically how it related to the relevant product category, including follow-ups on volumes (in tons), value (in Rands), product mix and competition.
• Develops product stories and points of promotion for the product.
• Conduct customer visits (onsite & instore) to gain insight on new trends, pain points or opportunities for growth in product and/or service improvement

Strategic Roadmap Contribution

• Takes initiative to ensure integrated and up to date market intelligence for own product range or category thereby ensuring understanding of customer requirements and position in the market to innovate product range according and drive demand.
• Works to identify and define product enhancements, innovations and performance strategies.
• Manages the product category offering in terms of market segmentation, range classification and rationalisation and sector approach to contribute to sustainable growth.

Product Lifecycle Management

• Monitor product ratios within the product portfolio ensuring correct ratios of sales.
• Takes responsibility for the identification of new opportunities, service improvements, and cost reductions.
• Manage product margins in line with business strategy and grow the profitable product range.
• Contributes to the determination of pricing and profitability of the product, inclusive of the approval of special pricing where necessary.
• Apply for necessary certifications and a set warranty system whenever required.
• Identifies and proposes campaigns, messaging and appropriate collateral to improve product performance.

Manages the new product development (NPD) process with appropriate stakeholders

• Develop pricing strategies for the relevant product category with the goal of maximizing the organisation’s profits or share of the market while ensuring that our customers are satisfied.
• Sets up appropriate forums and structures to support the organisational NPD process requirements and compliance points for their product range.
• Follow the innovation process to successfully identify gaps and launch new offerings within the product range, contributing to the NDP rates and bottom line of the business.

Works in collaborative networks

• Chairs and facilitates effective product review meetings with key business stakeholders.
• Conducts regular market visits and production visits to ensure the sustained performance of the product.
• Trains and develops appropriate collateral to ensure sales teams and other key stakeholders have appropriate and up to date information and guidance on product ranges.
• Collaborates with other product managers in maintaining planned integration and ensuring the overall achievement of product objectives.
• Works within the product management team as well as other product teams in determining product vision, positioning, and direction.