Product Specialist

Lube-Tech; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plan options

Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid parental leave

Company-provided phone

Company-provided computer

Career advancement opportunities

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Ascentek is seeking a Product Specialist to drive quoting, commercialization and product management activities. You will monitor market trends, support New Product Development and pricing reviews, and collaborate across Sales, Marketing and Supply Chain.

The role requires a 4-year degree in marketing or related field, 0–3+ years of experience, and strong MS Office skills. A hybrid office/remote setup and travel up to 5% are expected.

Qualifications

• 4-year degree in marketing, product management or related field.
• 0-3+ years related job experience; project management a plus.
• Proficient in MS Office including Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Drive quoting, commercialization and product management processes.
• Maintain knowledge of segment economics and product trends for NPD and pricing reviews.
• Support enterprise-level projects within the Product Management team.

Skills

Self-starter

Leadership without authority

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Oral and written communication

MS Office proficiency

Education

4-year degree in marketing/product management or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Job description

What you will enjoy by being a part of a 2025 USA Great Place to Work certified company:

With a purpose to make tomorrow a little bit better than today for each other, our customers, and our communities, Ascentek provides an environment where you can love what you do and be your best every day.

A position that is:

Salary, Full time, Mon-Fri

Benefits and Perks

• Medical Plan options, including fertility coverage and free mental health and telehealth coverage
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• FSA/HSA options
• Paid parental leave
• Company-provided short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance
• Supplemental Insurances, including accident, critical illness, hospital, and supplemental life insurance
• 401(k) with a generous company match
• Pet Insurance Benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• 21 Paid Days Off
• 7 Paid Holidays

Additional Perks

• Short-term Incentive Plan (STIP), ask your Talent Partner for details
• Dress For Your Day (casual dress environment)
• Paid comprehensive on-the-job training
• Company phone provided
• Company computer provided
• Career advancement opportunities

Ascentek produces high-performance lubricants and fluids for today's world leaders in powersports, outdoor power equipment, industrial, marine and heavy equipment engine manufacturing, as well as customers in automotive, fleet and manufacturing-use settings. At Ascentek, our Product Management team is responsible for the 4Ps (product, price, place, promotion) of the lubricants, fluids, hard parts and services that support those customers, with our products at the center of what we do.

The Product Specialist (PS) will drive the quoting, commercialization and product management processes of the Product Management team. The PS will also maintain knowledge surrounding their segment's applicable economic, market and product trends to support New Product Development, pricing reviews, etc. and will support enterprise-level projects.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

Segment Performance

• Maintains knowledge within the lubricants/fluids, equipment/hard parts and/or services area for their assigned segment(s); potential segment assignments include:
  • Automotive, Fleet, Heavy Duty/Agriculture and Outdoor Power Equipment
  • Industrial, Specialty, Chemicals, Environmental and Hard Parts
  • Powersports and Marine
• Supports account- and segment-specific projects such as new fluid development, product marketing, training, category management, channel & competitive analysis, etc.

Product Lifecycle Management

• Works cross-functionally to build and own the Finished Part Document (FPD) process, updates and maintenance
• Develops Bills of Materials (BOMs) and quotation forms as part of the New Product Development (NPD) process for new business opportunities and new product commercialization's; partners with the Product Management Team, National / Regional Sales Teams and others
• Reviews and analyzes SKU-level cost and price data to manage customer pricing and maintain and improve overall segment profitability
• Submits New Item Setup (NIS) forms and Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) with extreme attention to detail and accuracy, to create and maintain product data
• Manages slow-moving and obsolete inventory in partnership with National / Regional Sales Teams and Product Management including runout plans and product disposal submissions
• Works cross-functionally with internal departments (e.g., Sales, Supply Chain, Marketing) to manage the product lifecycle and achieve business objectives

Other

• Maintains applicable Product Management Team files and file structure, including account dashboards and customer folders
• Acts as the subject matter expert (SME) of select core processes (e.g., new product commercialization, new item setup, etc.) and owns their overall performance and continuous improvement
• Supports enterprise-level projects and initiatives that may or may not be directly tied to the operations of the Product Management team
• Must be able to travel to customer and industry specific events via air or ground transportation; travel up to 5% of time
• Other duties as requested

Education:

• 4-year degree with a focus in marketing, product management or related field

Experience and/or Training:

• 0-3+ years related job experience; emphasis in project management a plus
• Requires the ability to use a personal computer and is proficient in Microsoft Office, including Excel (minimum intermediate), Word and PowerPoint

License/ Certification

• Valid driver's license

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated self-starter who can work independently and has the ability to lead without authority
• High degree of self-accountability, punctuality, accuracy and reliability
• Works well in ambiguous situations with the competency to develop and improve processes
• Requires excellent oral and written communication skills to effectively communicate throughout the organization, with customers and with other external business contacts
• Requires comprehensive analytical skills
• Requires strong attention to detail and organizational skills

Physical, Mental, Environmental Demands

• Frequently sit, stand, talk/hear, and use hands to handle objects, tools, or controls
• Occasionally lift/move up to 40 pounds
• Requires sound reasoning and decision-making skills to analyze mathematical data, complex processes/procedures, and narratives
• Hybrid office/remote environment, with a minimum of three days per week in the office or at customer locations
• Customer locations typically have moderate noise levels
• Infrequent travel by air or automobile

The anticipated hiring range for the role you are applying for is between $60,000 and $80,000 annually. This anticipated hiring range is based on several factors, and subject to increase based on the below:

1. Experience and qualifications: The depth of relevant experience and specific skills you bring to the position.
2. Education and certifications: Any additional qualifications that enhance your ability to succeed in the role.
3. Market and industry benchmarks: We compare compensation packages with industry standards to ensure we are competitive.
4. Internal equity: We strive to maintain pay equity across the organization to ensure fairness for all teammates performing similar work.

At Ascentek, we are committed to providing accurate and up-to-date information about our career opportunities. For the most accurate job descriptions, salary details, and benefit information, we encourage you to visit our official careers page at https://www.ascentek.com/careers/.

Ascentek is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.

For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.