Product Manager

Afro Miaki Group Pty; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the automotive sector is seeking a Product Manager to oversee vehicle portfolio strategies, product development, and market analysis. The successful candidate will manage life cycles of products, work closely with cross-functional teams, and create impactful presentations while driving sales growth. Candidates should possess a strong background in engineering or marketing, with over five years of OEM experience in automotive product planning.

Qualifications

• 5+ years automotive OEM experience.
• 7-10 years post-qualification experience.
• 3-5 years in product planning.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of vehicles including SUVs and LCVs.
• Develop and implement product strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Conduct market studies and analyses for product positioning.

Skills

Engineering/technical background

Market understanding

Research and analytics

Project management

Marketing

Strong communication skills

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Stakeholder management

Creativity and innovation

Customer focus

Team player

Resilient and results-driven

Education

BA / BCom Honours in Marketing

BTech / BEng / BSc Engineering

Postgraduate qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

RESPONSIBILITIES

Product Strategy

1. Determine volume targets aligned with business objectives.
2. Map market and segment volume projections considering industry and economic forecasts.
3. Develop detailed product strategies for each product to meet business goals.
4. Conduct market studies, analysis, and volume projections.
5. Perform addressable segment and variant analysis to achieve volume and share targets.
6. Conduct price-volume mapping and competitor price analysis to inform pricing strategies.
7. Map variant specifications against competitors for optimal spec and USPs.

Product Management

1. Manage a portfolio including SUVs, LCVs, and commercial vehicles.
2. Review and monitor product performance periodically, implementing corrective actions.
3. Handle lifecycle management and create project charters with global teams.
4. Benchmark products against competitors using spec and price-value analysis.
5. Manage product pricing, variants, and specifications to optimize market share.
6. Identify and address technical and warranty issues for product improvements.
7. Control and approve product specifications and vehicle variants.
8. Oversee vehicle evaluation and durability testing.

Research Management

1. Create research briefs to gather accurate insights.
2. Conduct customer and dealer focus groups, and research customer acceptance and pricing.
3. Visit dealers and rental/fleet customers to understand needs and gather feedback.

Marketing Management

1. Develop marketing strategies for new product launches.
2. Analyze product positioning versus competitors to identify key USPs.
3. Map target customer profiles and develop product positioning strategies.
4. Coordinate marketing and launch plans with internal teams.

Product Development

1. Plan local variants based on market needs.
2. Identify scope for local parts development and support accessory development.
3. Evaluate new parts and vehicle concepts for approval.
4. Support technical information flow for homologation.

Project Management

1. Coordinate launch planning and manage project timelines.
2. Track and record project meetings and actions.
3. Create product briefs and monitor project risks.
4. Mitigate risks to ensure smooth product launches.

Presentation & Communication

1. Prepare and deliver product presentations for stakeholders.
2. Support sales training and go-to-market planning.
3. Communicate project statuses and product briefs effectively.

Requirements

Qualifications: BA / BCom Honours in Marketing or equivalent; BTech / BEng / BSc Engineering preferred; postgraduate qualification advantageous.

Experience: 5+ years automotive OEM experience; 7-10 years post-qualification; 3-5 years in product planning; 2-3 years as product or marketing manager.

Skills & Knowledge: Engineering/technical background beneficial; market understanding; research and analytics; project management; automotive systems; marketing; strong communication and presentation skills; proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel and PowerPoint; analytical thinking; problem-solving; stakeholder management; creativity and innovation; customer focus; team player; resilient and results-driven.