Product Development Manager

Our client in the manufacturing industry is seeking to recruit a highly ambitious candidate to fill in the following position in their Nairobi office:

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Job Summary

To develop, maintain and update the new product development process, initiate and continuation of new product “Concept to Customer” process to ensure a group of new concepts/products are available to be introduced or commercialized annually..

Main Responsibilities of Job

1.     Create and manage the new product development pipeline portfolio, to ensure successive annual roll-outs of value-added profitable products, to achieve growth targets.

2.     Collaborate cross-functionally to drive the Customer to Concept process to bring new products to market.

3.     Identify marketing opportunities by analyzing and defining the total market, market share, competitor market share, and available market share by product market.

4.     Provide leadership and support for the design, development, refinement, and implementation of products by:

• Initiate research to identify consumer needs;
• Develop new products to meet consumer needs;
• Research consumer acceptance of products;
• Work with manufacturing to identify packaging improvements, identify co-pack opportunities; Develop introductory market programs to introduce new products;
• Lead status meetings to drive programs or new product initiatives to market; and
• Periodically present project updates to the leadership team.

5.     Develop, maintain and update new product development “Concept to Customer” process to ensure a group of new concepts/products are available to be introduced and commercialized on an annual basis to include:

• Ideation Capture
• Funnel to Focus
• Stage Gate Management
• Performance Evaluation

6.     Initiate and continue new concepts/products “Ideation” activities. Activities to include:

• Ideation capture
• Strategic alignment assessment
• Ideation prioritization

7.   Initiate and continue new concepts/products “Funnel to Focus” activities. Activities to include:

• Proof of concept
• Market viability validation
• Business case development
• Resource requirements

8.   Champion prioritized new concepts/products through the “Stage Gate” development process. Activities to include:

• Formulary and costing
• Internal product/process validation testing
• Specification data disbursement
• Test pilot operational run
• Customer/Market test
• Production Scale up

9.     Handle all aspects of taking successful new product concepts through commercialization. Where appropriate, develop an introduction team with members from key functional areas to insure a coordinated and successful introduction.

10.  Responsible for Performance Evaluation Analysis. Activities to include:

• Post launch ROI validation – sales and cost performance validation
• Customer/Market feedback
• Champion identified improvements
• Ensure key learnings and best practice are documented and shared institutionally.
• Implement improvements in project management tools and methodologies.

11.  Handle all customer specific requests and brand line extension activities within.

Service to include:

• Product Development
• Consumer/Product Testing
• Packaging
• Introductory Marketing Support

12.    Maintain ongoing communication with Packaging, Procurement, Manufacturing and Engineering to ensure a thorough understanding of emerging new ingredients, packaging and manufacturing technology. Incorporate this learning into new product development process.

13.    Serve in cross-functional roles & responsibilities in support of corporate objectives

• Lead role of the Product Management Team
• Participation in Sales & Operations Planning process
• Strategic Planning team
• Other duties as assigned by SMM or Executive Team 

Key Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required. Marketing, business management or a related discipline preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of business experience in the field of marketing, product management or sales.
• Experience in pipe manufacturing a must, plastic pipes is preferred.
• Working knowledge of the pipe manufacturing industry.
• Requires strong written and oral communication skills, planning and organization skills, and strong analytical abilities.
• Can interpret syndicated market data and research, and recommend appropriate actions.
• Capable of working independently and staying organized while assuming multiple responsibilities and tasks.
• Able to motivate, problem solve, deal with ambiguity and effectively prioritize business needs.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, One Note) and other related operating system

Interested candidates are requested to forward their updated CVs to recruitment@ke.gt.com stating the subject heading “PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER” clearly indicating their current and expected remuneration (MUST), daytime telephone contacts, and addresses of three referees. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.