Midea America Corp., is one of the world’s largest home appliance brands, offering the most comprehensive selection of products in the world to fully serve the needs of day-to-day living at home, at work, or anywhere else you go. In North America we strive to aim high, put the customer first, transform and innovate the marketplace, utilizing our commitment, dedication, inclusion, and partnership with our teams. Midea America is a subsidiary of the Midea Group, a global company with over 150,000 employees and operations in more than 195 countries. As a publicly listed company, we are ranked #245 as a Fortune Global 500 company and offer one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in the industry.

To continue to strengthen its base and support its growth in the US, the Kitchen, and Water Heater Appliance Division (KWHA) is extending Product Planning and Innovation capabilities. To lead this effort, Midea’s KWHA has opened a new position for Product Planning Manager. 
The Product Planning Manager will be responsible for the direction of the following products:

• Dishwashers
• Water Heaters (Tank and Tankless)
• Water Softeners
• Water Filtration Systems
• Water Dispensers
• Range Hoods
• Cooktops

Job Summary 

The Product Planning Manager is a key member of the R&D Leadership Team in the US, participating in the decision-making of major R&D programs and issues, fueling the innovation pipelines, and systematically solving key marketplace problems and difficulties encountered in the execution. 

The Product Planning Manager will also help form the initial concepts and strategies for marketing concepts and work with the Product Marketing team to design the proper product line-ups for different Brands (OBM/OEM) and channel strategies. Domestic and International travel will be required.
 
Essential Job Responsibilities:

• Co-develop the innovation strategies for KWHA US Division in close communication R&D leadership and Business leadership with an entrepreneurial and futurologist mindset towards the business direction and success.
• Develop and maintain the KWHA divisions North American multi-generational technical product roadmap.
• Cultivate a North American product strategy and mindset with a strong sense of curiosity and courageousness to seek out disruptive paths to success.
  Will guide the KWHA Consumer Insights, Quality, Product Management, Service, Sales, and Marketing to ensure Midea products are meeting consumer and customer needs.
• Build and establish external research and technology partnerships with agencies, academia, institutes, suppliers, and innovators to fuel the R&D programs and pipelines for the US business.
• Design, initiate, and lead research projects to deliver new consumer insights and technology trends for next generation products for the US domestic market.
• Responsible for understanding the market and VOC in the early stage of new product development (NPD), and monitoring and reviewing progress and quality management in the execution.
• Provide strategic advice and decision making to KWH Division for the NPD in the US.
• Cross cooperation and team development within the product planning international matrix organization.

Qualifications:

• 5-8 years Project Management and/or Innovation experience in technology, home appliance, ecommerce, or related industry
  Bachelor’s degree in relevant discipline, Master’s preferred. 
• Domestic and international experience and multi-cultural mindset is preferred.
• Experience working with remote product development teams.
• Proven experience of translating consumer pain points into product innovation
• Successful execution of complex projects.
• Experience in team management, talent development, and strong coaching skills.
• Excellent communication, motivation, and coordination skills
• Goal oriented and self-managed personality with a strong entrepreneurial spirit
• Strong problem solving and risk management skills.