AIIR Product Director

General Description/Purpose
Reporting to GM AIIR business, this will be a critical member of the business leadership team who will be responsible driving profitable growth through ownership of the entire product line of intelligent HVAC packaged thru wall variable speed AI enabled heat pumps for use in light commercial and residential applications such as single/multifamily homes, schools, hotels etc. This role will be responsible for leading and driving profitable growth of intelligent HVAC platforms through developing and executing new product roadmap, driving cost out and portfolio simplification, price value positioning, 80-20 quad strategies, finished goods inventory management and commercial/operational support to grow the assigned product lines.
This position will be responsible for all aspects of the product life cycle management, develop, manage and implement product/customer marketing strategies, new product development programs, value propositions, price positioning & commercial launch activities to maximize profitable growth of entire AIIR business BU.
The Role
This role will also be responsible for leading initiatives focused on driving share gain & margin expansion by partnering and collaborating with sales, engineering and operations teams in North America business. The ideal candidate for this role will have strong cross-functional leadership, business acumen, change management, team leadership and interpersonal skills.
Essential Job Functions

• Strategic Planning & AOP/budget Support-Strategic Market, Customer & Competitive Analysis
  • Develop a thorough understanding of the overall market, including overall size/growth by submarket & applications, industry trends/landscape, competitive & customer insights
  • Lead efforts in supporting development of strategic plan & AOP including detailed assessment of market, competition, customer/ business growth plans and specific levers driving topline revenue and operating profit for intelligent HVAC product and technology platforms
• Formulate Strategy & Opportunity
  • Develop multigenerational Product Line Roadmaps and secure cross-functional leadership consensus and buy in on prioritization of initiatives, scope and investments needed.
  • Lead voice of the customer (VOC), primary and secondary research to facilitate development of product strategies, product plans, and identification of new products and services opportunities.
  • Identify and lead strategy projects to evaluate and provide strategic direction for innovative growth opportunities that leverage technology trends (e.g. IoT connectivity, IAQ, DOE, AHRI etc.), market trends, and integrated solutions.
  • Direct the development & maintenance long term Technology and Product Road Maps for intelligent HVAC light commercial and residential market
• 80/20 Complexity Reduction, Strategic Pricing, Mix Up, Demand Shaping & Sales Funnel Development​​​​​​​
  • Drive portfolio simplification & complexity reduction for margin expansion using core 80/20 principles
  • Lead strategic marketing and sales efforts in funnel development for new and existing products
  • Drive strategic price positioning and value pricing efforts to drive margin expansion.
  • Drive product mix shift and demand shaping strategies to expand margin
• Manage New Product Introductions from Concept Development to Commercialization​​​​​​​
  • Lead VOC to identify market requirements and trends to drive continuous improvements and to identify product enhancements opportunities.
  • Lead cross-functional new product development teams & all aspects associated with the product definition, product development, pricing, market introduction, sales tools, and promotion plans.
  • Collaborate with PMO to lead NPD Stage Gate processes to launch new products from concept to full commercialization
  • Working closely with Finance, lead development of the pro forma with complete financial analysis and sales forecast for all proposed new products.
  • Develop the positioning strategy of all products and services considering price, volume, share and profitability.
  • Partners with Engineering and operations leaders in prioritization and scoping of critical product development projects. Ensures product development meets customer expectations and timelines.
• Go-To-Market Execution & Launch​​​​​​​
  • Collaborate with marketing to develop and deliver training materials for the BU to support training programs.
  • Lead subject matter experts for assigned products to support internal team, field sales, distributors and end users.
  • Partner and collaborate with sales, marketing and commercial leaders to identify growth opportunities and drive new product customer penetration.
  • Drive the marketing communications team to develop appropriate collateral support for catalogs, launch kits, competitive alerts, sales communications, instruction sheets, etc. ensuring a successful commercial launch.​​​​​​​
• Portfolio Lifecycle Management, SIOP & Working Capital Optimization​​​​​​​
  • Lead all product line marketing related activities and champion cross-functional activities to maximize overall product line performance including revenue growth, margin improvement, cost reduction, quality and delivery.
  • Manage and oversee product specification, cost, quality, delivery, and data integrity for the business unit
  • Monitor and assess competitive products and programs and as a result develop and implement proactive strategies to strengthen the product line’s competitive edge.
  • Evaluates assigned portfolio for obsolescence and communicates recommended product replacement.
  • Active participation in SIOP process, providing guidance on new product demand streams, relevant mix shifts, product life cycle events, in alignment with defined process needs
  • Collaborates with internal business partners to ensure alignment on demand forecast, manufacturing plans, new product introductions, supplier performance and other related opportunities

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, business/marketing, MBA strongly preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of Product Management, Marketing, Strategy, Engineering, Business Development or related experience.
• Experience in commercial HVAC, commercial refrigeration, Motors/blowers/fans product lines and industry is a plus
• Proven track record of 5-8 years of progressive leadership responsibility in product management, with at least 3 years of prior leadership experience in launching and commercializing new product including full product lifecycle management is preferred.
• Demonstrated strategic decision-making skills regarding pricing, customer problems, SIOP forecast/inventory, make-buy decisions, and similar business-related concerns.
• 80/20 complexity reduction and simplification experience.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to communicate, interact, and influence at all levels of the organization to drive results.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to develop trusted, respectful relationships internally and externally.
• Excellent presentation, verbal and written communication skills.
• High level of personal initiative, energy and ownership of business results.
• Solid experience interacting with both internal and external customers is required.
• Strong financial and business acumen
• Proven ability to lead courageously, to drive large cross-functional teams to success in challenging situations.
• Proven ability to analyze, interpret and draw meaningful and accurate conclusions from data.
• Proven ability to conduct complex financial analyses, to develop financial models and interpret P&L statements.
• Ability to develop strategic plans and drive tactical execution
• Strong program and project management skills to manage portfolio of projects with optimum cost, schedule and quality
• Strong Computer skills: Microsoft Office applications required. Knowledge of Oracle a plus.

Travel: 30-35%
What to expect from us

• Competitive salary.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and retirement plans.
• A dynamic and collaborative work environment.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• The chance to be part of a mission-driven company making a positive impact on the environment.

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