Global Product Manager
Department: Sales / Marketing
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: US - Wisconsin - Madison
Reporting To: Allan Busch
Description
The Global Product Manager is part of a highly committed and successful team in a fast-paced, global environment delivering customer-focused solutions. This dynamic position is targeted to support the growing needs of both Piping and Containment and Service Station Hardware global product lines.
For the assigned products and their respective markets, the Global Product Manager is responsible for overall product management including providing strategic direction of the product portfolio, leading project management efforts for specific segments of the product line, forecasting, finanancial analysis, identifying product needs, working cross-functionally to develop new products, managing the product development roadmap, understanding competition. As needed, additional responsibilities may include overseeing product design and application engineering, providing sales, customer service, and technical support.
The ideal candidate will have:

• 3-5 years relevant product management experience.
• Product development experience, including forming a project team, obtaining voice of customer, launching a product meeting target dates, sales trajectory, and profitability expectations.
• Project management experience with evidence of success.
• Product marketing background with the ability to comprehend technical product details.
• Strong leadership, communication, interpersonal and management skills.
• Experience in developing, communicating, and executing a business strategy.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Play integral role in assuring the Franklin 5 Key Factors of Success - Quality, Availability, Service, Innovation, and Cost are effectively maintained for assigned products.
• Drive product line strategic direction and maintain product development road map, define new product opportunities, and develop robust business cases in support of new product development projects.
• Lead and prioritize product line related projects (and project team activities) including new product development, quality improvement, and value improvement projects.
• Perform constant customer need assessments while understanding the competitive landscape to direct strategic actions that will improve market position and profitability.
• Analyze new product requests, conduct pricing and competitor research to manage products and product lines.
• Manage existing product line based on forecast, performance, and profitability while implementing required changes or modifications.
• Review excess and obsolete material and make recommendations for use or disposal with supporting evidence.
• Identify opportunities to achieve corporate sales goals, objectives, and action plans. Seek new customer opportunities and maintain current customer relationships while achieving corporate goals.
• In partnership with the Market Development Manager, analyze the market to clearly understand and position the project line in the marketplace while identifying potential acquisition targets.
• Develop short- and long-term forecasts, budgets, inventory plans, strategies, and marketing programs required to meet sales objectives.
• Attend market specific trade shows, state and regional shows, and territory seminars. Report on key trends, customers, competitors, market drivers and technologies. Travel requirement up to 30%.
• Partner with Marketing Communications Team to ensure that marketing tools such as collateral, packaging, catalogs, Internet presence, etc., meets customer needs.
• Support various company departments (Sales, Customer Service, Technical Service) regarding specific product line information.
• Other related duties as required or assigned.

Position Qualifications
Skills and Abilities:

• Strong business and analytical skills to formulate product line strategies.
• Thrive working in a truly global, fast-paced work environment.
• Work effectively leading cross-functional teams from both technical and commercial resources.
• Analyze information and evaluate results to recommend the best solution and solve problems.
• Identify the underlying principles, reasons, facts, or information by breaking down data into separate parts.
• Effectively communicate information and respond to questions in person-to-person and small group situations with customers, clients, public, and other employees of the organization.
• Maintain confidentiality and use discretion with business information.
• Reads and understands documents such as policy manuals, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Write routine reports and correspondence.
• Utilize common-sense understanding to carry out written, oral, or diagrammed instructions.
• Plan the time, method, manner, and/or performance sequence of own work; may also occasionally assist in planning work assignments performed by others within a limited area of operation.
• Make decisions of both minor and major importance, which may affect the work operations of other employees.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Engineering, or related field required, MBA a plus.
• 3-5 years related Product Management experience.

Computer Skills:

• Intermediate/Advanced: Microsoft Office Suite especially Excel and PowerPoint

Don't feel like you check all the boxes in the job description? We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive culture which includes embracing candidates from a variety of different backgrounds and industries. We highly encourage you to apply so we can connect on this and future opportunities.
Why Work at Franklin Electric?
Becoming a part of the Franklin Electric team not only provides outstanding benefits, it also opens doors to opportunities for future growth. Enjoy peace of mind with a world-class company. But more importantly, be satisfied in knowing you make a difference.
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