Manager Product Management

TITLE Product Manager   COMPANY JTEKT North America - ASBU DEPARTMENT Product Management   LOCATION Vonore, TN CLASSIFICATION Salaried Exempt   REPORTS TO Senior Manager, Steering Business Development GRADE 7 to 8 depending on skills and experience   Summary/Purpose Responsibilities include tracking, reporting, coordinating development of strategy, cost and profit and ultimately driving companywide efforts to ensure that new ASBU products launch at target profit level and current business portfolio achieves/maintains acceptable financial performance.   Develops, implements, and monitors the business plan for the assigned product line to ensure alignment with NA and global JTEKT goals.  The individual assumes the leading role in driving all product initiatives to ensure targeted financial results of optimizing profitability and market share.   Essential Duties and Accountabilities: Manage priorities for assigned product line through strong coordination between Product Managers and Cost Planning Analysts. Ensure cross functional team efforts to ultimately develop product quotes for new business inquiries from customers. Cost planning tracking for new programs, monitoring profitability, setting cost targets. Lead activity and reporting on open issues, follow-up activities and countermeasure tracking for cost plans (support QG milestone meetings as well as JNA Management meetings). Support cost initiatives including make vs. buy analysis, engineering change log tracking, feasibility studies, etc. Support cost reduction activities on current production programs as requested and necessary. Manage product line to achieve corporate goals for market position, growth, product profitability, product launches, cost reduction, and asset management. Establish the strategic direction of the ASBU product line and drive activities to satisfy internal and external customers. Ensure capacity planning for product line meets customer requirements. Systematically monitor and track market share, segmentation, competitors, and industry trends. Assess the customer environment: maintain an in-depth knowledge of the needs and wants of existing and potential customers. Ability to handle stressful situations and confidence to lead department/team in efficiently executing corporate strategy. Work daily overtime and Saturdays and/or Sundays when directed by immediate supervisor or, as necessary, to complete essential job duties. Perform other duties as might be determined in relation to the yet to be defined role and responsibility for the product segment organization. Supervisory Responsibilities: This position has supervisory responsibilities over Cost Planning Analysts. Job Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Strong leadership experience and decision making ability. Results-oriented behavior. Very strong MS Office skills – Specifically Excel (Data manipulation, storyboard development, complex modeling, etc.). Basic knowledge of applicable quality, health, safety, and environmental management systems. Excellent communication and presentation skills, both verbal and written. Self-motivated, persistent, possess excellent organizational and analytical skills that promote efficiency and leadership. Ability to work in a team and participative management environment and maintain a drive for accomplishment of responsibilities. Requires some travel, sometimes without notice, whenever an issue arises that requires personal management. Ability to work flexible hours in multiple time zones to ensure close coordination with Japan. Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Engineering, Business, or Related Field and 3-5 years job related experience. MBA preferred. Financial cost reporting and analysis experience, preferably in manufacturing environment.   Work Environment/Physical Demands: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Work is mostly performed in a normal office setting with minimal exposure to health or safety hazards, and with substantial time spent working on a computer. Requires sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate computer keyboard and other office equipment. The performance of this position may occasionally require exposure to manufacturing areas which require the use of personal protective equipment such as safety glasses with side shields and mandatory hearing protection. Maintain a minimum of 8 hours worked/day, 5 days/week with daily overtime and weekend work as required. Travel by automobile and plane required approximately 15% of time. Employee may perform other duties as requested, directed or assigned. Approvals: