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What does a senior product specialist do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Gail Hudson Ph.D.

A senior product specialist is tasked with creating or improving products. In this role, they are instrumental in customizing, configuring, and creating new product solutions and subsequent deployment. Their responsibilities include leading all sales activities, identifying new markets, performing demonstrations for target customers, conducting market intelligence surveys to identify potential customers, creating sales proposals, negotiating sales agreements, developing drafts, sending out product development bulletins, and affecting production. They must also create and maintain relations with customers.

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Senior product specialist responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior product specialist resumes:

  • Demonstrate proficiency in handling forecasting of market demands while simultaneously managing OEM supplier relationships
  • Lead expert team that prove feasibility of manufacturing green elastomeric nonwovens by reactive extrusion.
  • Work with QA team to do application testing.
  • Compose responses to numerous FDA medical reviewer questions.
  • Enter all items and colors into PLM for each style.
  • Collaborate with design, development, and QA teams to build product.
  • Complete and submit regulatory reports within the timeframes mandate by the FDA.
  • Work with vendor representatives on the printing and inventory control of ISO manuals.
  • Utilize programs such as Brainshark, Brightcove and PowerPoint to create service literature and presentations.
  • Present product launches to the customer and sales network via PowerPoint presentations and hands on demonstrations.
  • Provide turnkey solutions including custom manufacture components and value-ad OEM component up-screening, testing and relate services.
  • Assist marketing manager with social media for product, including maintaining Facebook page.
  • Repair, implement and upgrade CPM application software across multiple ERP's.
  • Utilize vendor relationships by resolving pricing issues, decoration errors, QC issues.
  • Perform quality control (QC) review of study reports and other submissions written by other medical writers and scientists.

Senior product specialist skills and personality traits

We calculated that 8% of Senior Product Specialists are proficient in Product Management, Healthcare, and PowerPoint. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Analytical skills, and Communication skills.

We break down the percentage of Senior Product Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Product Management, 8%

    Participated in product management committee with direction and functional aspects of products including writing specs, testing and product presentation.

  • Healthcare, 8%

    Assisted in coordinating team activities to develop action plans with Siemens HealthCare counterparts to resolve customer technical issues.

  • PowerPoint, 6%

    Worked with Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Office (primarily Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).

  • Product Development, 6%

    Worked with the Vice President of Product Development and Junior Product Manager to identify proper logic and interface specifications.

  • Market Research, 4%

    Developed and implemented market research and analysis programs designed to identify customer needs and determine competitive intelligence.

  • Product Line, 4%

    Improved product line awareness in the marketplace and internally through development of tactical presentations and promotions.

Most senior product specialists use their skills in "product management," "healthcare," and "powerpoint" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential senior product specialist responsibilities here:

Detail oriented. The most essential soft skill for a senior product specialist to carry out their responsibilities is detail oriented. This skill is important for the role because "market research analysts must pay attention to minutiae to evaluate data." Additionally, a senior product specialist resume shows how their duties depend on detail oriented: "provide corporate and detailed product demonstrations of all applications via webex and onsite to c level decision makers. "

Analytical skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling senior product specialist duties is analytical skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "market research analysts must evaluate large amounts of data and information related to market conditions." According to a senior product specialist resume, here's how senior product specialists can utilize analytical skills in their job responsibilities: "managed product development support activities to determine future models and analyzed industry trends. "

Communication skills. This is an important skill for senior product specialists to perform their duties. For an example of how senior product specialist responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "market research analysts must be able to clearly convey information when gathering material, interpreting data, and presenting results to clients." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a senior product specialist: "meet daily sales goal, enhance product knowledge, and excellent verbal communication. ".

Most common senior product specialist skills

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Compare different senior product specialists

Senior product specialist vs. Marketing representative

A marketing representative's responsibilities will vary on the line of work or industry. However, it is the role of a marketing representative to engage with clients and secure sales by promoting, demonstrating, and even advertising products or services. Furthermore, they must devise marketing strategies, conduct research and analysis through surveys and polls, lookout for new opportunities and trends, and coordinate with advertisers. One must have extensive knowledge about the product as well as communication skills, being that building rapport will be very useful in accomplishing every task.

We looked at the average senior product specialist salary and compared it with the wages of a marketing representative. Generally speaking, marketing representatives are paid $65,088 lower than senior product specialists per year.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both senior product specialist and marketing representative positions are skilled in powerpoint, market research, and product line.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a senior product specialist are more likely to require skills like "product management," "healthcare," "product development," and "data analysis." On the other hand, a job as a marketing representative requires skills like "customer service," "sales presentations," "life insurance," and "health insurance." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Marketing representatives tend to make the most money working in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $60,984. In contrast, senior product specialists make the biggest average salary, $114,107, in the pharmaceutical industry.On average, marketing representatives reach similar levels of education than senior product specialists. Marketing representatives are 4.5% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.6% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Senior product specialist vs. Marketing internship

Marketing interns are usually marketing students or fresh graduates who are interested in getting actual work experiences before taking on a full-time job. They usually have an interest or academic background related to marketing. They assist marketing teams in most of their daily activities, sit in their meetings, record minutes of these meetings, take note of action plans, and attend other events related to marketing. They also assist in preparing collateral and other marketing materials, join brainstorming sessions, or any other activity that will help enrich their experience.

A career as a marketing internship brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a senior product specialist. In fact, marketing interns salary is $82,204 lower than the salary of senior product specialists per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Senior product specialists and marketing interns both require similar skills like "powerpoint," "market research," and "data analysis" to carry out their responsibilities.

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that senior product specialist responsibilities requires skills like "product management," "healthcare," "product development," and "product line." But a marketing internship might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "digital marketing," "facebook," "marketing campaigns," and "press releases."

On average, marketing interns earn a lower salary than senior product specialists. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, marketing interns earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $33,333. Whereas senior product specialists have higher pay in the pharmaceutical industry, with an average salary of $114,107.In general, marketing interns achieve similar levels of education than senior product specialists. They're 4.6% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for senior product specialists in the next 3-5 years?

Dr. Gail Hudson Ph.D.Dr. Gail Hudson Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Director, College of Business Internship Program, Arkansas State University

As I mentioned above, technology and social media will continue to be necessary. As marketers, students will need to be able to use the technology and have the analytics to support their decisions. This may require working outside the structure of software as well. Google Analytics, Social Media Management, Excel, and Coding are all essential skills.

Senior product specialist vs. Research internship

A research intern is responsible for assisting the research team with conducting an investigation, compiling information, and analyzing results for an organized research study. Research interns' duties also include understanding the work processes and operation procedures, sharing strategies and recommendations on research methods, reaching out to appropriate research correspondents, managing clients' inquiries and concerns, keeping important client records for reference, studying current market trends, and maintaining the eagerness to learn. A research intern must have strong attention to detail and excellent communication skills to perform on daily research tasks.

An average research internship eans a lower salary compared to the average salary of senior product specialists. The difference in salaries amounts to research interns earning a $72,891 lower average salary than senior product specialists.senior product specialists and research interns both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "powerpoint," "market research," and "data analysis," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, senior product specialists are more likely to have skills like "product management," "healthcare," "product development," and "product line." But a research internship is more likely to have skills like "python," "c++," "research intern," and "data collection."

Research interns earn the highest salary when working in the technology industry, where they receive an average salary of $52,879. Comparatively, senior product specialists have the highest earning potential in the pharmaceutical industry, with an average salary of $114,107.Most research interns achieve a similar degree level compared to senior product specialists. For example, they're 4.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.7% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Senior product specialist vs. Marketing coordinator

A marketing coordinator supports the marketing department on deciding strategies and business efforts to develop the brand image and boost customer satisfaction. Marketing coordinators' duties include assisting in advertising campaigns, scheduling promotional events, monitoring sales status, researching current market trends, maintaining a record of existing and potential clients, and contributing ideas to improve the brand's profitability. A marketing coordinator must have excellent critical thinking and writing skills to help with the creation of social media advertisements and marketing content. It also requires impressive time-management and multi-tasking skills, especially on meeting deadlines and making adjustments on the initial plans as needed.

Marketing coordinators average a lower salary than the annual salary of senior product specialists. The difference is about $64,138 per year.While their salaries may vary, senior product specialists and marketing coordinators both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "powerpoint," "product development," and "market research. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A senior product specialist uses "product management," "healthcare," "product line," and "data analysis." Marketing coordinators are more likely to have duties that require skills in "digital marketing," "customer service," "marketing campaigns," and "email campaigns. "marketing coordinators enjoy the best pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $53,831. For comparison, senior product specialists earn the highest salary in the pharmaceutical industry.marketing coordinators reach similar levels of education compared to senior product specialists, in general. The difference is that they're 3.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of senior product specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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