Senior Product Line Manager - Emergency and Custom Solutions - DSS

ROLE PURPOSE

Take charge of the complete portfolio of Emergency Lighting products, both standalone products and standardised conversion kits within our professional Digital lighting solutions and enable Custom Smart solutions integrations to our luminaire portfolio.

Leading the Emergency portfolio, you will be instrumental in defining the systems that will meet our client’s needs, evangelising our solutions to both internal stakeholders as well as customers and driving the go to market strategy.

Working with the Head of Connected Solutions, you will be responsible for the end-to-end of the solution and from cradle to grave and drive the business in creating modular concepts to adopt standardised emergency kits. Recognising there are many “Smart” solutions on the market requiring a luminaire solution, you will onboard strategic partners end, enable a number of key luminaire integrations and support the resale of key system parts through custom solutions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop a deep understanding of market dynamics, customer needs, technology trends, product legislation and competitor offerings/strategies, gaining recognition as an authority within the business
• Lead other product manager(s) by example, coordinate cross-functional teams and contribute to team effort by accomplishing related tasks, delivering results as needed.
• Identify, specify and justify new and improved product opportunities
• Drive the NPD process to ensure timely and successful product launches, working closely with R&D, Sourcing, Manufacturing, etc to achieve launch on time in line with plans
• Work with the Segment Marketing Managers to develop and implement the 'go-to-market' strategy for new product launches, coordinating with relevant functions and deploy time-integrated marketing delivery strategies and tools to support sales
• Work with Head of Connected Solutions to create the product line strategy & product line
• Frequent visit to suppliers in Asia and Europe along with Sourcing Managers to identify and develop new products and maximize cost savings for existing products
• Manage product and solution through product life cycle from strategic planning to tactical delivery activities working with multiple internal and external stakeholders across product/solution types
• Collate, understand, and define product and service requirements for given range of solutions through market research, customer and sales force feedback
• Facilitate and drive luminaire product development to enable a complete solution
• Generate and maintain the solutions’ technical support material and training materials
• Analyse product pricing utilising market research and through production and sales cost analysis
• Analyse, recommend, and manage partner relationships for the product working with sourcing, Legal and supply chain to manage suppliers and assess/create new supplier partners.
• Manage and maintain product information system ensuring accuracy and completeness
• Report development progress and sales/profit revenue
• Facilitate inventory analysis and management ensuring product availability while mitigating excess and obsolete stock
• Responsible for the commercial viability of a solution/project using proof of concept business model to prove business model and opportunities
• Improve and maintain technical knowledge by attending educational workshops and training
• Define, develop and drive the implementation of standardised Emergency kits for Luminaires to accept by working with Luminaire designers and Product Managers
• Onboard strategic partners and enable a number of key luminaire integration and support the resale of key system parts through custom solutions

PERSON SPECIFICATION AND BACKGROUND

Skills

• 3+ years experience in defining new products, working with both European and Asia
• Suppliers to develop emergency products, defining & implementing go to market strategies
• Hands on, proactive approach with cross-functional management skills
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to clearly communicate both verbally and inwritten form and motivate, guide, educate and influence others about vision and needs
• Able to articulate design needs and lead design and commercial negotiations with suppliers
• Careful attention to detail while multi-tasking and managing multiple stakeholders
• Ability to prioritise tasks/projects accordingly
• Excellent skills in leadership, creativity, communication, and strategic analysis, coupled with a strong eye for detail and a willingness to make things happen.
• Strong numeracy and presentation skills
• Must have an organised, methodical, technical approach and a capacity to problem solve
• Comfortable operating at all levels of the business

Education

• Fully trained and versed in emergency lighting and emergency lighting legislation
• Educated to degree or equivalent level in technical or engineering discipline
• English is mandatory and second language is highly desired
• Knowledge of lighting controls and smart lighting or software development solutions is preferable.

Experience

• 3 years+ experience in a senior product management role within Emergency lighting
• Lighting and electrical products knowledge preferable but not critical
• Experience in identifying, building, and commercially deploying technical solutions to market
• In depth experience of a formal New Product Development / Introduction process
• Experience of effectively managing teams / coaching / mentoring and leading in-direct teams to develop products to meet market and company needs based on Emergency and Custom Smart products.
• Experience in operating and building effective relationships in a cross functional work environment
• Willing and able to travel internationally – Especially to Asia regularly
• Must be proficient in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint and able to adapt to new software.

COMPANY VALUES

• Agile
• Approachable
• Progressive
• Trusted