Corporate Burnsville, Minnesota

Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF POSITION:

The Director of Product Management is responsible for the product strategy, roadmap and global execution of our Northern Tool owned family of brands. The Director of Product Management will drive product solutions through a customer-centric approach focused on key customer and user relationships.

MAJOR AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Leads Product Management Team to develop product strategy to optimize revenue and profitability for Northern Tool owned family of brands
• Develops strategic expansion and growth opportunities in the form of customer research, market opportunity assessments, value innovation, and product roadmaps while managing department and program budgets.
• Collaborates with and provides guidance to cross-functional product development team and executive management to prioritize and align product strategies and roadmaps
• Develops viable strategies that drive the organization to grow within our current customers while expanding to serve new customers and areas.
• Identifies and develops solutions that address the unmet needs of our customers.
• Develops and cultivates strategic relationships with end-users in key categories to grow revenue and margin.
• Drives results within a cross-functional team aligned on key deliverables and product launch timelines.
• Identifies, prioritizes, structures, and manages complex issues that drive product priorities and demonstrate bottom line results.
• Owns the entire product lifecycle to category maturity including discovery, analysis, test and learn goals, voice of the customer, launch, and iteration. Develops systemic feedback loops to drive clarity on product iteration in alignment with company strategy.
• Presents the rationale to cross-functional teams to drive New Product Development (NPD) projects, creating agreed critical paths and gate stages. Originates new products in concert with customer needs and business model.
• Directs & manages staff as it relates to all projects or related work, establishes performance requirements, clarifies responsibilities of those supervised, conducts performance appraisals and plans for individual employee improvement and development.
• Keep supervisor informed of important developments, potential problems and related information necessary for effective management. Coordinates and communicates plans and activities with others, as appropriate, to ensure a coordinated work effort and team approach.
• Perform related work as apparent or assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or related field or equivalent experience of 15 years in Product Management, Merchandising or similar field.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• At least 10 years of progressive experience in marketing, business or engineering including direct experience with equipment and tools preferred.
• Strategic thinker who is able to synthesize data from multiple sources (including analytics, user research, and design).
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, innovative, dynamic environment.
• Ability to work with internal and external customers.
• Ability to analyze design details against overall product requirements while managing department and program budgets.
• Ability to see & think beyond what is asked and define what is the true problem to be solved.
• Demonstrated success bringing customer centric innovation to market.
• Ability to work in a dynamic exploratory environment.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to make data-based decisions in order to identify opportunities that will achieve growth objectives.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment.
• Ability to multitask and organize/prioritize job assignments in a rapidly changing, short turn-around environment.
• Strong communication of strategic planning in both written and verbal presentations to stakeholders.
• Demonstrates Northern Tool + Equipment’s 12 Core Competencies.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequently required to sit, use hands to handle objects and talk or hear.
• Frequent wrist and/or hand movement is required.
• Occasionally required to stand, walk and reach with hands and arms.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distant vision and the ability to adjust focus.