Sr Specialist Product

Job Description

Under the general guidance of leadership – Senior Specialist, executes on the Company's Global Product Strategy and leads the development of more complex products. Leads in the development and implementation of global portfolio/product development plans by independently gathering information and providing key review at various points in the planning process, develops analyses of pricing, cost, and competitor information, develops options for products and packaging, and ensures the accurate, consistent communication of information to leadership, and to key partners across the organization including Region representatives. Independently generates and evaluates solutions to address timeline issues as they arise and provides recommendations. Senior Specialist is responsible for independently leading and developing cross-category mid to long term Global Product Innovation plans as part of Global Product Management. Identifies, evaluates, and prioritizes new product opportunities leveraging extensive understanding and analysis of product portfolio health, financial KPIs, market trends, consumer needs, and competitive gaps, as well as desired product innovation cadences and Regional/Market nuances. Drives and develops multifunctional cross-functional collaboration with category leads and innovation teams, including R&D, CIA, and PIR, to ensure product pipeline is sufficient to meet portfolio needs and category goals. Communicates Product Innovation Plans with multifunctional partners to align innovation efforts and category road maps.

Product Development

• Project Execution
• Projects focused more on narrow timelines, complex formulations, or work that is considered critical to the business.
• Independently works on special projects related to NPD or other critical work.
• Leads the creation of New Product Development project requests to the product leadership team and regional marketing teams.
• Provides formula and package direction to internal partners for product development. Evaluates and provides preliminary approvals on product and package aesthetics.
• Works with brand positioning team to create product positioning documents for new products as well as updating current product positioning documents for commercial innovation opportunities.
• Prepares pricing recommendations based on competitive analysis, secondary research, and internal cost parameters.
• Partners with a product research organization to develop and recommend the scope and methodology of consumer and product research including qualitative consumer research, consumer claims tests, and, when required, clinical testing.
• Identifies roadblocks and elevates issues to leadership to be able to work effectively and meet business objectives.
• Communicates effectively and builds key partnerships with key stakeholders across the business.
• Product Strategy
• Develops new product concepts and strategies in collaboration with the Manager.
• Executes on the strategy for commercial innovation, product innovation, Go to Market plans, and product activation for both new and existing product categories.
• Has a solid understanding and awareness of both internal/external Categories.
• Completes market, competitive, and internal sales performance reviews to understand business/ product opportunities.
• Monitors trends in the competitive landscape and provides insights into the product portfolio.
• Provides post-product launch analysis to senior leadership to evaluate the success of recent launches and to help design potential improvements for the future.
• Reviews independent sales force and industry feedback in the form of blogs, editor reviews, etc. Makes recommendations that affect future product launches.
• Researches and provides insights, and recommendations into forecasting, and implementation of re-promotional recommendations to achieve Company objectives for sales and profitability.
  

Product Innovation

• Planning
• Identifies, evaluates, and prioritizes new product opportunities across all categories to develop mid to long term Global Product Innovation Plans.
• Leverages extensive understanding and analysis of product portfolio health, financial KPIs, Trends in Action, market trends, consumer needs, and competitive gaps for innovation direction.
• Aligns Innovation Plans to Product Portfolio Strategy and Category Strategies while considering Regional and Market nuances and desired product innovation cadences.
• Ensures Product Innovation Plans are sufficient to meet portfolio needs and category plans.
• Coillaboration
• Single point of contact for all Product Innovation Plans.
• Partners with key stakeholders, including Category Leads,
• Regions/Markets, and R&D, to inform innovation direction.
• Communicates product innovation needs to R&D and other innovation partners (CIA, PIR, etc.) to guide and align innovation efforts.
• Considers product innovation ideas originating in R&D and other innovation partners (CIA, PIR, etc.) to influence to the product innovation direction.
  

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Experience: 7 years

Supervisory Experience: Not Applicable

Field of Experience: Business/marketing/strategy/technical field or related field

Education: Bachelor/University Degree

Education Focus: Business / Finance / Marketing Strategy or related

Additional Skills & Abilities

• Proven ability to work on complex product projects with numerous cross-functional dependencies.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multiple projects with multiple timelines.
• The ability to influence and exchange information on multiple projects with various levels of leadership with a broad and global cross-section of key partners is a must.
• Strategic Thinking - takes a broad view; draws information from diverse and varied sources; anticipates the future; finds meaningful connections that drive the business direction; makes choices that allow us to win in the marketplace versus competition.
• Collaboration & Influence - have strong collaborative skills to work with cross-functional teams