When Alfred Fain founded a small Rhode Island tire store in 1924, at the time no one could have predicted how Teknor Apex would become an international custom compounder sought out by companies around the world. After a nearly hundred-year journey that’s carried us through acquisitions and expansion, we now have nine U.S. locations, as well as operations in Belgium, Singapore, Germany, and China. Throughout this global expansion Teknor has remained a privately held company, and today Fain’s grandson sits at the helm, maintaining the family’s tradition of fostering deep employee and customer relationships. These relationships are what allow us—together—to deliver customized compound solutions and help our customer’s create better products.

“Manufacturing is a team sport and we work together to achieve our goals.” ~Jon Fain, CEO

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Responsible for managing the Consumer Products Division offering of hose products. This individual will manage all consumer products through their entire life cycle assuring that they remain relevant in the marketplace.

Essential Functions:

• Assure that all cross-functional areas within the company are aligned and meeting all milestones related to new product development projects.
• In collaboration with Channel Marketing perform all necessary end-user and research work to assure new products align with consumer requirements.
• Assist Channel Marketing in the development of product messaging, packaging and merchandising,
• Attend customer sales calls and industry events to support sales organization in selling activities,
• Determine ways to improve profitability and value proposition of new and current product offering,
• Collaborate with New Business Development organization on discovery projects related to developing products that are outside of current garden hose category,
• Collaborate with Supply Chain in identifying new supplier base for the procurement of componentry and finish goods.
• Review customer product complaints and assure these are resolved,
• Collaborate with hose manufacturing team to determine best and most efficient way to manufacture current and future products.
• Oversee product data management to assure product setup information is accurate.
• Using the Senior Management New Product Tollgate process to capture all critical elements that allow a project to progress down the development path.
• Develop and update new product road maps so that all operational areas are considered
• Review marketplace trends and competitive products to determine direction of Teknor Apex product mix.
• With R&D group, assure all new products have gone through intellectual property review.

Scope of Responsibilities:

• Position has one direct report
• Position is responsible profitability of category
• Position is responsible for setting future product roadmap

Major Customer/Supplier Relationships:

External (provides input for product/service/output)

Skills:

• Work requires the application of a variety of procedures, policies, and/or precedents used in combination. Frequently, the application of multiple, technical activities are employed; thus, analytic ability and inductive thinking are required.
• The position requires excellent communications skills.
• The position requires the individual to assure projects are proceeding on time and that all milestones have been identified and have been delegated to appropriate individuals and or teams.
• Able to interpret research findings and create translation into new product solutions.
• Must have strong financial acumen to perform cost benefit analysis on new and existing product mix.
• Must have a working understanding of manufacturing process in order to collaborate effectively with manufacturing and R&D groups.
• Align new development efforts with the long-term strategies developed by the Consumer Products leadership organization.
• Collaborate and unite internal and external resources to assure progression of all new product development projects from concept to commercialization.

Education and/or Work Experience Requirements:

• Work requires the application of a variety of procedures, policies, and/or precedents used in combination. Frequently, the application of multiple, technical activities are employed; thus, analytic ability and inductive thinking are required.
• The position requires excellent communications skills.
• The position requires the knowledge of basic chemical and compound concepts.
• Position requires between 4-6 years of product management and/or marketing experience
• Four year degree or equivalent experience in a field of study such as chemistry, business, accounting, engineering, etc.