Senior Specialist Product Management

Defy; KwaZulu-Natal; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A consumer goods company in South Africa is seeking a Senior Specialist – Product Manager to manage the product portfolio for the local market. The successful candidate will be responsible for product planning, development, and life cycle management, ensuring alignment with market needs and business strategy. Ideal applicants should have a BSc degree and 2-5 years of product management experience, with strong analytical skills and proficiency in data-driven decision-making and collaboration across various teams.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years’ experience in product, category, or commercial roles (FMCG or consumer durables preferred).
• Exposure to end-to-end product lifecycle management.
• Experience with forecasting, demand planning, and stock control.

Responsibilities

• Create long-term and short-term product range plans.
• Maintain Key product development files.
• Manage and provide reports on the SKU count and commercial performance.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Technical skills

Data presentation skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BSc Degree in Engineering or Business or Marketing

Job description

We are currently seeking a Senior Specialist – Product Manager to join our dynamic team in Durban Jacobs, responsible for managing the product portfolio for the South African domestic market. The role is strongly product-management centric, encompassing product planning, development, and full lifecycle management to ensure a competitive and relevant offering for local customers. The successful candidate will be a highly motivated individual who will take ownership of steering the product range both in the short and long term, aligning products to market needs, customer insights, and business strategy. The role requires close collaboration with Sales, Supply Chain, R&D, and HQ PM teams to successfully execute new product launches and drive the ongoing success of the current product range.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Create long-term and short-term product range plans.
• Maintain the Key product development files: NPI, SKU Monitor, Model retail pricing target, Product Introduction Calendar.
• Support the coordination of new product development issues.
• Monitor, manage and communicate internally all relevant legislations affecting all products.
• Work closely with the production plants providing product briefs and guide them on product design, feature trends and keep to date on market related costs.
• Provide effective and timely communication and support to internal customers such as Sales, Customer Support, Supply Chain and Service teams on all product related issues including sales performance, market positioning, technical and commercial issues to ensure internal customers are up to date with all product related issues.
• Manage and provide reports on the SKU count and commercial performance of the ranges. Take necessary actions to improve performance or discontinue models to maintain a competitive range that is appealing to our retail customers.
• Develop marketable communications concepts backed by qualified data capable of supporting potential product promotional claims.
• Support in stock review and forecast evaluations on new models as well as key strategic models for market share growth and sales distribution proposals thereof.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• BSc Degree in Engineering (preferrable), Business, Marketing.
• 2–5 years’ experience in product, category, or commercial roles (FMCG or consumer durables preferred).
• Exposure to end-to-end product lifecycle management, from concept to launch and post-launch analysis/performance tracking.
• Strong analytical and technical skills, with confidence working with data and insights.
• Experience with forecasting, demand planning, and stock control.
• Confident in creating and presenting data-led recommendations.
• Comfortable working cross-functionally with marketing, sales, supply chain, and technical teams.
• Growth mindset – adaptable, curious, and eager to learn.