Product Manager

Apply business leadership and management skills to your products through the sales department, marketing, purchasing, warehouse, quality control, manufacturing and suppliers. Have an expert level of the product and product market, understanding competitive pricing structures and develop marketing strategies. Provide training and technical support to sales, purchasing and service departments. Implement inventory management strategies by working closely with purchasing and materials operation manager. Provide forecasting for strategic buys, strategies for demonstration equipment, selling prices and discount schedules. Continually search for new products and markets as well as efforts to improve existing products. Coordinate with marketing strategies for direct advertising; show exhibits and Internet business development. Responsible for maintaining acceptable profit levels for all products.

MAIN DUTIES
• Must have a complete understanding of all technical aspects of the product line, the principles of operation, the various applications for which the products are designed and used and the products strengths and weaknesses relative to the competitor products.
• Disseminate sales related application information to the Company sales force and agents
• Work with vendors and/or the Company Engineers to further develop applications and seek out new applications
• Aid in selling products, either directly or indirectly with the sales force.
• Must have complete knowledge of the market for their products. This complete knowledge should include: customer base, competition, barriers to entry, market needs, market size, and market vulnerability to external factors. Knowledge regarding competitors should include: technical specifications, sales strategies, sales volumes, strengths and weaknesses, features and benefits, product offerings, detailed understanding of competitors pricing, etc.
• Evaluate the market direction and needs, decide accordingly as to what products should be developed or altered to meet these demands and opportunities. The Product Manager has the responsibility to obtain and manage the resources available for development along with prioritizing the projects.
• Primary coordinator for negotiations with the suppliers / vendors.
• Develop adequate information about suppliers and effective interpersonal relationships with the supplier’s key personnel.
• Seek new supplier relationships when appropriate and look to develop additional sources for competitive products.
• Responsible for coordination of all product demonstrations, and promotional products.
• Drive the sales force in selling the product line.
• Responsible for training the sales force on the technical aspects of the product as well as the applications.
• Be involved in closing orders when requested by the sales force or when the product manager deems necessary to achieve the sales objective.
• Track sales for each territory and implement solutions for the poor performing areas.
• Work with the Purchasing and the Materials Operations Manager to establish stock levels and locations.
• Responsible for the liquidation of obsolete inventory by means of selling, special promotion, return to vendor, seek other users, donate or scrap.
• Establish selling prices and participate in negotiations with vendors.
• Submission of a business plan as part of the Company’s annual planning process. This plan includes the Product Managers commitment to a sales volume and gross profit and a commitment to a level of sales and marketing expense, which he/she deems necessary to achieve the sales volume and gross profit.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED
• Prior experience or training in Sales/Product Management
• Bachelor of Science or equivalent working experience
• Strong Technical knowledge
• Effective communication skills
• Ability to travel overnight and internationally (There will be a lot of international travel with possibly 5-6 visits annually to the US as well as European travel)

PREFERRED
• Understanding of Vacuum Industry, Products, and Practices