Product Manager, Marking & Coding Systems

Description

Product Manager, Marking & Coding Systems

Company: Hitachi Industrial Equipment & Solutions America, LLC. (HIESA)

Division: Marking and Coding

Location: Charlotte, NC or Remote/Home Office

Status: Regular, Full-Time Position

Summary:

Hitachi Industrial Equipment & Solutions America, LLC. (HIESA) is looking for an experienced Product Manager to join the Marking and Coding Division in our Charlotte, NC office or remotely with periodic visits to NC.

The Product Manager, Marking & Coding Systems will be to serve as the point of first reference for all product related issues and opportunities, to assist the sales channel by developing tools to increase sales and to be the primary contact for with counterparts in Hitachi Japan relative to everything ‘product related’.

The Product Manager will be responsible for executing and managing all areas of marking and coding product life-cycle support. Areas include but are not limited to; development of commercial documentation for Americas market, incorporating competitive information for developing strategy to compete, maintaining and enhancing product information on our website, developing applications sales tools, recommending, developing and implementing enhanced warranty products, promotional opportunities, accessory solutions, developing and maintaining product price lists, and managing all areas of ancillary fluids and equipment.

The Product Manager will act as the liaison to the sales channel to help increase sales by assessing the response to and suitability of current promotional material including brochures, ad campaigns, website information, case studies, white papers, ensuring that the promotional material is being used optimally and collaborating with marketing and sales management to enhance or develop new materials and sales tools.

Responsibilities:

• With input from the Distributor Sales Managers, and direct interface with Distributor Partners; gather and assemble, end-user application information, market information, studies of our product competitors, and disseminate through our organization.
• Study and analyze end-user customer needs and competition in the various geographical and industrial markets we serve to provide fact-based data to drive our product improvement and next generation product development plans.
• Be a subject matter expert on the products, marketplace, pricing, and promotions relative to our product portfolio. 
• With cooperation from the Distributor Sales Managers, develop, update, and implement sales tools and visual aids to increase sales. Jointly create “Application” sales training, and design initiatives that help to show the way our company’s products and services can benefit the end-user customer.
• Provide the Distributor Sales Managers with the necessary applications expertise to enable them to effectively sell the product, including creating printed and electronic promotional material, enhanced website offerings, product training, ROI calculators and relevant white papers.
• Drive attainment of price while maintaining competitive advantage.
• Act as liaison between North America and counterparts in Hitachi Japan for all marking and coding product related issues and opportunities, including capturing product development needs for market area in comprehensive document with cost/benefit analysis.
• Collaborate with Marketing to develop promotions and sales advertising needed to market the company’s product lines including enhancements to our website, social media, and all other forms of marketing.
• Develop content and provide product-oriented training, with emphasis on how to sell our products to deliver end-customer desired outcomes.
• Collaborate with Distributor Sales Management and Operations by analyzing product forecasts and order history and constantly monitoring inventory levels to ensure product availability, including printers, parts, options and fluids.
• Collaborate with the M&C Sales Manager in developing a business plan and distributor quota by analyzing past-history, changes in the market, price planning, changes in territories, and any special feature requests related to Product and Service.
• Interface with Import / Export group regarding M&C products.
• Work with the Technical Manager to coordinate warranty policies for ancillary M&C products.
• Collaborate cross functionally as required.
• Lead and develop the Applications Engineer and Product Specialist.
• Participate in and contribute to programs or activities as assigned by management.

Requirements:

• Bachelors degree in Business preferred or equivalent training and relevant industry experience.
• Minimum of Ten years of product related experience directly related to Continuous Inkjet applications (CIJ) is required.
• Strong history of internal and external customer interaction and collaboration to achieve goals
• Demonstrated record of achievement from working in a collaborative environment
• Demonstrated customer focus
• Self-motivated, high initiative, self-directed and a self-starter
• Strong attention to details
• Achievement orientated
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Group facilitator skills or product training experience a plus
• Ability to travel 20-30% of the time and to Japan as needed
• Experience in CRM/Salesforce is preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE)-Females/Minorities/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

If you need a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job at Hitachi, please send the nature of request and contact information to [email protected] Queries other than accommodation requests will not be responded to.