Product Development Manager - Metal Site Furnishings

at  Barco Products LLC

Description:
Position Overview
As a leading provider of commercial-grade site furnishings, Barco Products is a fast-paced and growth- oriented company that values hard work, fun, and results. We’re seeking a Product Development Manager to lead our core Metal Site Furnishings category. In this role, you will help to define product strategy and drive the product development process to deliver innovative new products on time and on budget. Your ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams and be a self-starter will be critical to our success.

Responsibilities

• Identify new Metal Site Furnishing product opportunities that are customer driven and competitively advantageous. Define market potential and product positioning.
• Lead product development projects through a stage gate process to launch new Metal Site Furnishing products that align with overall business strategies and growth objectives
• Work with external vendors, with the support from the sourcing and engineer teams, to develop products that meet identified customer needs, cost targets, schedules, quality levels, and manufacturability requirements
• Develop and maintain competitive landscape intelligence including market trends, key players, existing products, new product opportunities, competitive pricing, and marketing strategies
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including sourcing, engineering, marketing and creative to deliver home-run products
• Generate and implement comprehensive marketing plans, promotional programs, and product positioning/messaging to differentiate and strengthen sales of existing key product lines
• Obtain product specifications, copy ideas and shipping information from vendors; draft new product ads and promotional materials, and prepare new product information for catalogs and websites
• Optimize ongoing vendor relationships by managing products and lead times, identifying potential problem areas, and addressing quality-related issues that may arise
• Ensure existing product content is up to date and reflective of current dimensions, materials, and manufacturing processes
• Create and deliver product training programs and sales tools for the Customer Service and Sales teams
• Attend tradeshows to network with existing vendors and identify new suppliers
• Travel as needed to vendors (domestic or international), as well as local travel to Wisconsin to visit with the internal engineering team.

Requirements:

Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing or related field.
• 5 or more years of product management or product development experience
• Strong project management skill set - ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects/program elements simultaneously
• Strong critical thinking skills and willingness to roll up one’s sleeves to get the job done
• Experience in the furniture industry and/or a strong sense of industrial design is a plus
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Action oriented and results driven

• Identify new Metal Site Furnishing product opportunities that are customer driven and competitively advantageous. Define market potential and product positioning.
• Lead product development projects through a stage gate process to launch new Metal Site Furnishing products that align with overall business strategies and growth objectives
• Work with external vendors, with the support from the sourcing and engineer teams, to develop products that meet identified customer needs, cost targets, schedules, quality levels, and manufacturability requirements
• Develop and maintain competitive landscape intelligence including market trends, key players, existing products, new product opportunities, competitive pricing, and marketing strategies
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including sourcing, engineering, marketing and creative to deliver home-run products
• Generate and implement comprehensive marketing plans, promotional programs, and product positioning/messaging to differentiate and strengthen sales of existing key product lines
• Obtain product specifications, copy ideas and shipping information from vendors; draft new product ads and promotional materials, and prepare new product information for catalogs and websites
• Optimize ongoing vendor relationships by managing products and lead times, identifying potential problem areas, and addressing quality-related issues that may arise
• Ensure existing product content is up to date and reflective of current dimensions, materials, and manufacturing processes
• Create and deliver product training programs and sales tools for the Customer Service and Sales teams
• Attend tradeshows to network with existing vendors and identify new suppliers
• Travel as needed to vendors (domestic or international), as well as local travel to Wisconsin to visit with the internal engineering team