Regional Product Manager, North America and South America
Akzo Nobel

Job Info

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We've been pioneering a world of possibilities to bring surfaces to life for well over 200 years. As experts in making coatings, there's a good chance you're only ever a few meters away from one of our products. Our world class portfolio of brands - including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon - is trusted by customers around the globe. We're active in more than 150 countries and have set our sights on becoming the global industry leader. It's what you'd expect from the most sustainable paints company, which has been inventing the future for more than two centuries.

Job Purpose

• Manage and strengthen the segment product portfolio for the category/region in line with the segment strategy and market trends.
• Ensure that the product group matches customer needs and supports the development of new or replacement products and manages their launch into the market; manages the withdrawal of unwanted or obsolete products and actively seeks portfolio harmonization opportunities across regions.
• Responsible for ensuring collaborative approach with Commercial Unit. Focal point of product management for the region, segment or category including representing Product Management in Regional Management Team. Will attend and report in the regional Commercial Unit Management Business Review and the Product Management Review.
• Ensure full alignment between Regional and Global Product initiatives and programs; provides input for regional needs to global functions/programs.
• Act as the voice of the region in Global Product Management and as the voice of Global Product Management in the region.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead regional team composed of 2-3 Product Managers based in North America and South America.
  • Share best product portfolio management practices within the regions and with peers in the organization. Drive continuous improvement within the regional Product Management organization
  • Manage talent processes with the given team and advice peers in the organization. Manage change and optimization of organization if required and ensures job profiles are in place, sets objectives for team members, reviews development and provides clear, open and constructive feedback on performance combined with the appropriate actions
  • Strengthens the talent pipeline by developing talent and regularly assesses and discusses talent and internal movement. Continuously monitors and evaluates retention risk
  • Stimulates, manages and follows through on employee engagement and builds on the workforce to reflect the societies and markets in which we do business (Diversity and Inclusion)
    
• Product Portfolio Management
  • Lead the product line management and efforts in defining the strategy for new category/product opportunities in the region. Co-develop business cases and strategies for new products, segments, countries. Develop, communicate, and implements strategic portfolio plans in the region
  • Gather and analyze data, prioritize market trends and direction, analyze and maintain key performance indicators to measure overall health of the product line in the region. Supported by regional marketing management and specialist, monitors marketplace for competitive moves. Works with cross functional teams to develop internal and external competitive analysis and selling-against guides
  • Develops and executes regional portfolio plans in line with strategy; to provide clarity and guidance on new product development; introduction; helps decide on global development or local optimization; as well as rationalization & discontinuation of existing products
  • Responsible to manage the life cycle of the regional product portfolio by bridging the organizations commercial and Research, Development and Innovation teams, ensuring market needs are fully defined and communicated into the product development processes. Develops initiatives to sustainably reduce slow-moving products
  • Leads the Stage Gate process for regional projects; coordinates project development by ensuring alignment of the Stage Gate process with market inputs and business strategy. Provide Stage Gate projects with outward focused inputs. Maintains active product profiles aligned with current market inputs
    
• Product Positioning and Commercialization
  • Responsible for regional launch of new products through coordination with multi-disciplinary teams (owns the planning). Drive product launch planning and provide guidance to the cross-functional product launch team to complete all required preparation and launch activities.
  • Coordinates with the Regional Marketing the regional product introduction and market exploitation with the Marketing and Sales organizations to ensure maximum penetration and provides guidance on specific product selection versus customer requirements
  • Assist in new product development and/or modifications of a product or product line to achieve the goals set by Sales/Marketing and in line with the budget
  • Ensure market potential by working with Regional Marketing to establish cost base pricing and advise on value-based pricing targets, estimate potential sales. Ensures product costing targets are being met
    

Key Accountabilities Continued

• Complaint Management
  • Responsible for ensuring adequate and timely handling of complaints, remaining at all times the focal point for sales, Research, Development and Innovation, Integrated Supply Chain and manufacturing. As needed, becomes involved in customer interactions for resolution and/or escalate
  • Appoints team member to own complaint management (8D investigation)
  • Report via Integrated Business Planning status of the complaint
  • Manage for the region the Embargos communication
    
• Product-Related Communication
  • Together with Regional Marketing, provide product features to develop and implement high impact / differentiated product positioning and messaging to the internal organization and external customers, message strategy, planning and deliverables
  • Assists creation by Commercial Marketing of high-impact sales tools and customer retention tools such as white papers, newsletters, presentations, product demos
    
• Market Insights, Strategy and Innovation
  • Assists plans and projects for market-research
  • Utilize and interpret internal/ external market information related to products to understand customer needs and presents conclusions and recommendations for strategy
    
• Compliance and Health, Safety/Environmental (HSE)
  • Be familiar with and ensure compliance with applicable policies and procedures related to personal conduct and HSE standards
  • Develop and implement action plans in line with Product Stewardship and Regulatory Affairs (PSRA ) guidance to ensure that Technical Data Sheets/Sales Data Sheets/labels and New Product Development/New Product Introduction are compliant with legal requirements of destination markets. Manages product master data
    

Education and Experience

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Chemistry, Business Administration or Marketing
• 7 years' experience in Research and Development, Manufacturing, or Marketing
• 3 years' experience as a Product Manager with sound understanding of Project Management, Program Manager, and Customer and Supplier relationships
• Proven ability to develop product and marketing strategies and effectively communicate recommendations to executive management
• Developed business acumen and strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Skilled at working effectively with cross functional teams in a matrix organization
• Comfortable executing product plans and in engaging key internal and external customers
• Results focused, excellent communicator who enjoys a collaborative working style
• Team management. Will supervise 2-3 Product Managers based in North America and South America
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficient with Microsoft Office with advanced skills in Excel. Experience with Project Management tools and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) such as SAP

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AkzoNobel is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with applicable laws, we prohibit discrimination against any applicant or employee based on any legally-recognized basis, including, but not limited to: race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), veteran status, uniformed servicemember status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.

Requisition ID: 20980

Nearest Major Market: Troy
Nearest Secondary Market: Detroit

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