Product Manager / Sr Product Manager - Brakes

Description

As a Senior Product Manager – Brakes , you will play a important role in driving the success of our North American Brakes portfolio by leading product strategy, development, and lifecycle management across a key product category. You will work closely with cross-functional teams in the U.S. and Mexico, including our manufacturing plants, to identify market opportunities, accelerate time-to-market, and ensure long-term competitiveness and profitability.

In this role, you will be responsible for identifying portfolio gaps, defining product roadmaps, and executing new product introductions using user-centric methodologies (UX), competitive benchmarking, and structured development processes (e.g., stage gate). Your ability to blend strategic thinking with operational execution will directly contribute to market growth, brand differentiation, and business performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic management of the brakes product portfolio , owning the full lifecycle from concept to phase-out. Define and execute product roadmaps aligned with business goals, market needs, and OE benchmarks.
• Drive growth through market intelligence , identifying gaps and opportunities via customer insights, competitive analysis, coverage studies, and vehicle application trends. Translate findings into actionable plans for program expansion and new product development.
• Develop business cases and financial justifications for product introductions and lifecycle decisions. Monitor key performance indicators (revenue, margin, coverage, P&L) to ensure business targets are met.
• Ensure data and technical accuracy , maintaining up-to-date product specifications, OE cross-references, catalog information, and differentiators that support marketing and sales effectiveness.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with global and regional teams including Engineering, Sales, Marketing, Purchasing, Logistics, Quality, and Manufacturing to ensure smooth product launches, inventory health, and high service levels.
• Support marketing and branding initiatives , delivering product positioning, technical content, and supporting go-to-market strategies that enhance customer experience and brand presence.
• Lead issue resolution , including quality claims and logistics challenges, using structured methodologies like 8D in partnership with Engineering and/or Quality Departments.
• Act as a subject matter expert and team collaborator , sharing insights, supporting colleagues, and contributing to continuous improvement and innovation across the organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Marketing, Engineering, or a related business field.
• 5+ years of experience in product management, preferably in the automotive aftermarket; experience with brakes product management is a plus.
• Practical knowledge or hands-on experience with automotive technology is highly desirable.
• Strong entrepreneurial mindset with initiative, ownership, and a results-driven approach.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to distill complex topics into clear presentations and documents.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; working knowledge of SAP, MS Project, Power BI, or MS Access is a plus.
• High level of social competence and the ability to work effectively in cross-functional and multicultural teams.
• International experience or exposure is a plus.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally (up to 10%).
• Indefinite U.S. work authorized individuals only. Future sponsorship for work authorization not available.
• Additional Information
• For internal employees, this position is open to either an E3 or E4 salary band.
• All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.