Product Manager, Exterior Solutions

Description

You will manage the company's North American exterior product line, covering motors, controls, sensors, power solutions and accessories for awnings, exterior screens, rolling shutters, pergolas and other outdoor uses.

The role owns strategy, market research, positioning, pricing, launch and lifecycle decisions. You will work with global product teams and regional Sales, Marketing, Finance, Customer Service and other groups to turn market needs into priorities that lift revenue, margins and customer satisfaction.

You will work across Product Management, Project Management, Engineering, Marketing, Finance, Purchasing, Sales, Customer Service, Supply Chain and other functions, both locally and internationally.

The company is a French, family-owned, independent group that has grown steadily for 50 years. It operates in 58 countries with eight production sites, 17 R&D centers and 7,000 employees. It is a leading global maker of motors with electronic and app controls for interior window coverings and exterior solar protection. Over 270 million users have enjoyed more than 170 million of its motors.

Responsibilities

• Set the regional strategy, roadmap and priorities for the exterior portfolio, and guide each product from launch through upgrades, optimization and retirement.
• Spot gaps and openings from customer input, research, competitor review and industry trends, then build business cases for new products, features and investments.
• Lead product innovation discussions and send prioritized requirements, features and business rationale to the company's global product teams.
• Keep product information and database entries current for your portfolio.
• Research customer needs, preferences and market trends using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Gather market requirements from Sales, specification teams, fabricators, dealers, OEMs, installers and other stakeholders.
• Build relationships with key customers to collect feedback, support adoption and find improvements.
• Track competitor products, prices, positioning and marketing, and keep side-by-side comparisons current to spot opportunities and threats.
• Follow building trends, regulations and emerging technology.
• Set positioning, messaging, pricing, segments and launch plans, and work with Marketing Communications to create or localize launch materials.
• Coordinate launch readiness across functions and work with Finance on pricing, profitability and investment decisions.
• Help plan and manage product-marketing budgets, and measure the return on launches and related initiatives.
• Create sales tools such as presentations, FAQs, comparisons and launch materials, and deliver product training and demonstrations.
• Keep Sales updated on launches, updates, promotions and discontinuations.
• Act as the product expert in customer meetings and product reviews, and take part in customer visits, trade shows, conferences, industry associations and market-development programs.
• Define and track KPIs for the exterior portfolio, including revenue, profitability, customer feedback, adoption and competitive performance.
• Produce regular reports on performance, trends, risks and opportunities, and recommend actions on positioning, sales, margins, satisfaction and competitiveness.

Requirements

• Required: a bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Marketing, Product Management or a related field. A master's degree or MBA is preferred.
• Required: at least seven years in product management, product marketing or a similar role.
• Required: a record of launching and managing technical or hardware products.
• Required: experience turning customer and market needs into product requirements and business recommendations.
• Required: strong analytical, project management, organizational, presentation and communication skills.
• Required: a proven ability to influence cross-functional teams without formal authority.
• Required: the ability to juggle several priorities and meet project objectives and timelines.
• Required: proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and other common business applications.
• Preferred: experience in building products, exterior shading, outdoor living, window coverings, construction products, smart home technology, automation, electrical products or related industries.
• Preferred: experience launching hardware products in residential or commercial markets.
• Preferred: familiarity with wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi, Zigbee and Bluetooth.
• Preferred: experience working with global product, engineering or specification teams.

Conditions

Typical hours are 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday.

Work is hybrid: 2 days remote, with in-office attendance required for 3 days.

Regular participation in customer meetings, training, product demonstrations, trade shows and industry events.

Travel of approximately 15-25%, based on business needs.

Pay is $110,000-$130,000, inclusive of the full benefits package.

Sought attributes: customer and market focus; strategic, analytical and commercial thinking; self-motivated, creative and results-driven; highly organized with a sense of urgency; collaborative and able to influence across functions; strong verbal, written and presentation skills; able to balance long-term strategy with hands-on execution.

Benefits

• Eligible for a 10% annual bonus.
• Comprehensive benefits package with several health plan options, dental, vision, a 401k with a matching program, generous PTO and sick time, an employee fitness program and more.