Product Manager

Struers, the world's leading manufacturer of materials testing equipment and consumables, is looking for a Product Manager to increase focus on commercial local and global product management. The candidate will work from our US headquarters in Westlake, Ohio and will collaborate with local Sales, Applications and Marketing teams to lead and drive strategic and tactical initiatives securing market leadership. Travel will take place nationally, with occasional international travel.

Primary duties include obtaining and sharing market, customer and competitor insight, communicating the local market's needs to the Global Product Management and Innovation teams, as well as being involved in Innovation and New Product Development (NPD) decisions and initiatives. The ideal candidate has 5 plus years in global / local B2B Product Management experience, and a Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering or Materials Science. Commercial and/or technical understanding of metallographic, automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and/or electronics is a plus.

Struers has affiliates in 22 countries. Customers include fortune 500 companies in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, materials manufacturing, and a wide variety of other industries which must measure and control the quality of the solid materials used in production. The Struers' product line includes sample preparation equipment such as cutting, grinding, polishing, mounting, as well as hardness testing, image archiving, image analysis software, and microscopes.

To the qualified candidate we offer:

• Competitive salary

• Hybrid workplace (office and home)

• 15 Vacation days annually, plus sick time, volunteer time, floating and birthday holidays

• Generous benefits package including 401k with company match with immediate vesting, health insurance, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, short-term and long-term disability

• Company laptop and smart phone

• Stable, profitable company that has been in business for more than 140 years.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

In-market activities (existing products):

• Annual and ongoing discussions on local product performance within the local business unit (BU) and with Global Product Management matrix team

• Identify local opportunities for organic growth.

• Co-develop local, regional, or global activities to drive targeted initiatives.

• Share, receive and implement Best Practices from/with PM Matrix Team

• Provide local Sales with input, e.g., tender specifications, competitive analysis, value proposition development and sales arguments.

• In coordination with Global PM Matrix Team and local leadership team review value-based pricing for existing products

New Product Development (NPD):

• Point person for product portfolio and development roadmap discussions.

• Provide customer insight, facilitate customer visits with local sales representative to/with global Product Management and Innovation

• Responsible for local New Product Development launches (i.e., target lists, goal/KPI setting, training, support, follow-up, reporting, competitive analysis, value proposition development and sales arguments)

• In coordination with Global PM Matrix Team and local leadership team establish value-based pricing for new products.

Market mapping and analysis:

• Product performance management (i.e., sales analysis, win/loss reports etc.)

• Product/market development per segments

• Competitive analysis (sales, activities, product specifications, etc.)

• Struers and Competitive Pricing Intelligence

• Responsible for annual market data/survey input (to HQ database)

• Securing market data governance (e.g., Pivotal)

Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Engineering or Materials Science required.

• Successful track record in global / local B2B Product Management experience

• Commercial and/or technical understanding of the metallographic, automotive, aerospace, manufacturing and/or electronic industries a plus

• Must have a passion for product ownership and business development.

• Project oriented mindset

• Additional field sales experience would be considered an advantage.

• Strong understanding of customer's buying cycle in the capital equipment market.

• Must possess and demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills and have a proven track record of thriving in a team environment.

• Proficient with Microsoft Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint

• Ability to travel overnight domestically and internationally.

• Clean driving record