Product development manager job description

The Product Manager will bring the vision of our Brand to life through designing and developing compelling, innovative, trend and brand-right designs that are saleable and meet the needs of the retailer and consumer. Synergize with product managers, sales and category management to meet growth objectives.
What you'll do:
Create brand identity and distinctive product offerings, with a creative, innovative and progressive design vision, ensuring that product is consistent with market trends and business strategy and that have mass appeal. Build and continually improve innovative accessory competency across our categories with attention to detail at the levels of product development, presentation, and specification package creation. Responsible for the initial graphic design concepts and development process of the brand/category. Analyze current, past data to design effectively Anniversary programs to meet business objectives Meeting with trend forecasters each season to choose the appropriate design services Research/Shop/Develop- In global markets in order to identify new trends, innovation, fabrics, techniques, trims, colors, silhouette as well as competitive products and strategies deployed Attend trade shows, seminars and all other industry offerings that elevate business knowledge Developing innovative trend presentations for upcoming seasons and accounts. Establish the brand design integrity and a good, better, best strategy of the by delivering appropriate point of difference merchandise in line with the brand profile, collaborating with product managers, design peers, retailers and vendors. Execute seasonal/promotional and core line. In partnership with product and account management, analyzing core customer and the market to ensure constant evaluation and improvement of product to move the brand forward with national pushes to include design and development of product and strategies for Corporate Annual programs, Retailer specific programs as well as Quarterly Promotions for both. Developing the Line/Promotional Plan with the VP of Marketing targeting yearly initiatives. Plan and communicate the design vision to appropriate peers. Manage and provide training and mentoring to Assistant Designers by offering constructive criticism and guidance to include delegating appropriate tasks/ projects as well as monitor, and review progress. Daily correspondence with overseas vendors regarding product development. Keeping current with the costing challenges by understanding the pricing and mark-up structures to develop products that achieve appropriate retail price points and targeted GM objectives
Product approvals for all new items ensuring all quality and design standards are met Hosting meetings with our overseas vendors during their trips to the US Annual sales workshop to educate the sales team on new items for the upcoming year Account presentations both in-house and off site. Create innovative design tools/strategies for presenting merchandise at meetings. Daily interaction with Account Marketing Managers on account projects to grow the business, to include understanding of core line opportunities and risks as well as seasonal challenges and successes within their role, and increase the understanding of each other's point of view. Manage the design communication among internal and external design partners, account managers, product managers, sales and vendors. Adhere to the time and action calendar. Daily interaction with product managers regarding product specifications, costing, quality and operational issues. Collaborating with the Creative department to develop concept packaging, displays, customer presentations and trend presentations Interacting with Sales and Category Management to ensure successful sell-through at the retail store level as well as building upon what is performing in the market
Working with category management and brand marketing in developing new copy points as well as merchandising concepts Correspondence with our international offices on all new product launches Working with Inventors on possible product collaborations Working with Brand marketing to ensure the product, packaging and displays are in line with the Brand Strategy Working with the Brand Marketing and Creative on photoshoots
COMPETENCIES: .
Creativity
Comes up with new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions; tends to be seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings.

Customer Focus
Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal parties and external customers' expectations; gets first-hand sales information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective key internal relationships and gains their trust and respect.

• Dealing with Ambiguity
Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn't upset when things are up in the air; doesn't have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.

• Drive for Results
Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.

• Organizational Agility
Knowledgeable about how organizations work; knows how to get things done both through formal channels and the informal network; understands the origin and reasoning behind key policies, practices, and procedures; understands the cultures of organizations.

• Perseverance
Pursues everything with energy, drive, and a need to finish; seldom gives up before finishing, especially in the face of resistance or setbacks.

• Problem Solving
Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; probes all fruitful sources for answers; can see hidden problems; is excellent at honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn't stop at the first answers.

• Self-Development
Is personally committed to and actively works to continuously improve him/herself; understands that different situations and levels may call for different skills and approaches; works to deploy strengths; works on compensating for weakness and limits.

• Time Management
Uses his/her time effectively and efficiently; values time; concentrates his/her efforts on the more important priorities; gets more done in less time than others; can attend to a broader range of activities.
What we offer:

Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision plans Generous Paid Time Off Programs Life & Disability Insurance FSA/HRA/Dependent Care FSA Profit Sharing 401k and company match Commuter Shuttle to/from Stamford train station

We heard you knock!

Job Purpose:

The Product Development Manager will provide program management and strategic leadership to innovative platforms/initiatives that support the growth strategies enabling Doors that Do More. This position is responsible for driving and delivering Masonite's largest, complex innovation programs and many of the associated projects while leading cross-functional teams in the development and commercialization of new products through Masonite's Product Development Process. Additionally, this position is responsible for developing and maintaining strong relationships with functional heads and senior leaders to gain the cross-functional support needed to drive successful commercialization of new products.

Responsibilities:
Leads new product development efforts on large platforms or programs from conception through launch. This is inclusive of: assist in vision/strategy creation and business case development; defining the charter and scope; gaining necessary support; developing a program/project plan with identification of deliverables, resource needs, key milestones and risks; drives the cross-functional team to execute the plan, escalates to relevant stakeholders when needed; and secures gatekeepers approvals/alignment.Overall accountability for programs through Masonite's Product Development Process, inclusive of the NPI and PMM deliverables. Manages key deliverables due dates, adheres to the gate date schedule, and obtains approvals/decisions when required. Works closely with the Marketing Project Manager to develop and present the gate documentation. Gate documentation will include business case information, marketing & commercial readiness plans, manufacturing feasibility, capital requirements, financials, risks, next stage deliverables, resourcing needs, etc. Understands and executes a vision (development approach) and the linkages to the company's corporate strategy; builds the overall program/project plan and leads/drives accountability, through persuasion, to mobilize the appropriate people to carry out the deliverables within the plan.Focus and drive ongoing organizational assessment to identify gaps/opportunities relative to the product development and commercialization processes. Work with Product Management to bring Project Management leadership to road map planning identifying commercialization tradeoffs.Effectively navigates through Masonite's Product Development process: structures the planning; organizes and coordinates the teams' deliverables; ensure outputs for each stage are complete and accurate; proactively manages scope creep; escalates any impacts to the timeline, resourcing or budget; motivates the team to deliver the project; and ensures the framework and associated templates are properly and consistently utilized.Leads and influences cross-functional teams to take positive action and accountability for their assigned work; tries to resolve any issues/challenges directly with team members and escalates to management if needed. Cross-functional team members include engineering, industrial design, product management, operations, sourcing, product management, product marketing, marketing ops, etc.Provides thought leadership and inputs through all stages; identifies and drives resolution of critical issues and/or implementation hurdles, escalates when appropriate; issues/hurdles may include identification and escalation of “ways of working” gaps within Masonite. Develop and maintain working relationship with other Masonite functional groups and network with customers, trade groups, suppliers and vendors as needed.

Skills:
Experience working and leading programs/projects within a product development and commercialization gated process (adaptive and predictive).Experience in leading multi-functional teams with the ability to lead, thrive, provide guidance, and navigate through highly ambiguous conditions that arise with new to world products such as new ways of working and/or new roles/departments, while keeping the program and associated projects on time and within budget.Strong leadership skills in driving delivery and working collaboratively/effectively with others through a dynamic matrix organization: advanced business acumen (overall “best for the business” perspective), communication, facilitation, interpersonal, persuasion, relationship-building and presentation skills.Strong analytical, organizational and time management skills to effectively create/execute program/project plans and budgets and to manage multiple priorities and/or projects simultaneous.Proven ability to manage extensive communications both up and down in the organization to keep key stakeholders appropriately engaged and informed (i.e. ability to appropriately tailor messaging to the audience).Effective decision-making skills: ability to negotiate and balance decisions and priorities across diverse needs of multiple constituencies. Makes timely decisions in the face of risk and uncertainty.

Education:
Bachelor's Degree required (BS preferred)
MS, MBA or other advanced degree preferred

Experience:
A minimum of 10+ years of experience with a strong track record in driving implementation of large complex new product development programs and projects on time and within budget.Experience and familiarity with formal, financially driven business case methodology and development.Demonstrate customer focus in all interactions. Demonstrated ability to understand customer requirements and incorporate them into business decisions.Demonstrated success managing complex programs/projects.

Certifications/Designations:
PMP certification preferred

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We Help People Walk Through Walls

Minimum qualifications:

+ Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.

+ 2 years of experience in product management, consulting, co-founder or related technical role.

+ 1 year of experience building and shipping technical products.

Preferred qualifications:

+ Master's degree or PhD in a technology or business related field.

+ 2 years of experience in a business function or role (e.g., strategic marketing, business operations, consulting).

+ 2 years of experience in a role preparing and delivering technical presentations to senior leadership.

+ 2 years of experience working cross-functionally with engineering, UX/UI, sales finance, and other stakeholders.

+ 1 year of experience in software development or engineering.

+ Experience with software development products (IDEs, build systems, automated testing).

At Google, we put our users first. The world is always changing, so we need Product Managers who are continuously adapting and excited to work on products that affect millions of people every day.

In this role, you will work cross-functionally to guide products from conception to launch by connecting the technical and business worlds. You can break down complex problems into steps that drive product development.

One of the many reasons Google consistently brings innovative, world-changing products to market is because of the collaborative work we do in Product Management. Our team works closely with creative engineers, designers, marketers, etc. to help design and develop technologies that improve access to the world's information. We're responsible for guiding products throughout the execution cycle, focusing specifically on analyzing, positioning, packaging, promoting, and tailoring our solutions to our users.

Google aims to build products that organize the world's information and make it universally accessible to our users. As a Product Manager at Google, you could be working on new technologies, platforms, consumer facing products, and/or enterprise systems. The end goal will be to match you with the team that best aligns with your interests, experience, and where you will have the most impact.

+ Understand markets, competition, and user requirements in depth.

+ Launch new products and features, test their performance, and iterate quickly.

+ Work collaboratively with engineering, marketing, legal, UX, and other teams on cutting edge technologies.

+ Develop solutions to problems by collaborating as needed across regions, product areas, and functions.