Advanced Product Specialist

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assists with managing more significant assigned product line(s), including preparing and coordinating product introductions and updates and leading team on special projects. Continues to build knowledge of the organization’s products, services, and customers by working closely with more experienced Product Managers and Managers.
• Compiles and evaluates research on the market’s product requirements and identifies enhancements to current features and functionality. Meets regularly with customers to support sales efforts and gain market intelligence. Creates and maintains database(s) of product and market information.
• Collaborates and sometimes leads the entire product development team to test strategies including pricing, product design, marketing, advertising, catalog development and packaging.
• Participates in trade shows to expand product knowledge, meet with current and potential customers and to answer questions related to assigned products.
• Participates in the development of short and long terms sales objectives for assigned product(s) or product lines. Monitors pricing, margins, FOB and profitability.
• Along with product managers, develops annual written sales plans for assigned product(s). Contributes to the negotiation of the terms and conditions of supply agreements. Supports the development of strategies for managing channel conflicts. Participates in identifying suppliers for
  growing coverage, including affiliated companies and/or outsourcing.
• Assists and sometimes leads special projects as directed by department management.
• Acts as a resource for less experienced personnel and lead them regularly to meet Department
  objectives.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing or related field
• 5-8 years of relevant experience
• Previous automotive aftermarket experience is preferred

Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and excellent presentation skills
• Excellent customer service skills with an ability to approach every business relationship as a partnership
• Excellent problem solving skills and demonstrated ability to address customer issues and partner on resolutions
• Good analytical skills
• Excellent negotiation skills and an ability to resolve situations while making a point firmly and seeking a positive outcome for both sides
• In-depth understanding and demonstrated competency in working with computer software and mainframe applications to manipulate, analyze and reconcile data
• Project management skills
• Kaizen mindset

Annual Salary: $104,000 - $129,000