Product Manager

Job description / Role

The Product Manager is the regional expert for his/her carlines. He/She is responsible & accountable for overall performance of all vehicles in her/his portfolio (volume and brand health equity) and making sure they fully meet the requirements of the target customer in the region

The purpose of this job is to fully optimize brand/carline volume, share and profit growth in markets through the development, implementation and management of effective lifecycle strategies and ensure that they are executed accordingly

- Brand Equity (40%) – Develop and supervise Lifecycle strategies.
- Profitability (20%) - Developing lifecycle strategies that optimize the Aggregate Contribution Margin (ACM)-based on the lifecycle stage of each product and ensure that they are executed accordingly. Provide order optimization support to dealers to avoid overage stock and old age support
- Volume & Share (40%) - Achieving sales & share targets through development and execution of effective marketing and lifecycle strategies, employing the help of the sales team

Lifecycle Management – Key responsibilities

Product:
- Develop product lifecycle strategy for each carline
- Develop lifecycle volumes, and provide input to Product definition Manager
- Develop lifecycle CIB and provide input to Product definition Manager
- Develop lifecycle trim/spec strategy and provide input to Product definition Manager
- Assess market trends and competitive developments in the region
- Develop tactical competitive activities in the region in conjunction with Dealer Marketing teams; Keeper of Competitive intelligence :- 2 way feedback
- Develop Launch campaign planners ( Comms+Marketing) based on Lifecycle strategy
- Undertake Stock & ordering analysis as well as complexity analysis and optimization on a monthly basis to optimize vehicle stock and hold OCMs with dealers to reduce mix complexity in the region
- Catalogue development
- Managing special edition sourced from the plant :- get inputs from accessories
- MY content – Change management (pre)
- MY updates/ content approval

Pricing
- Develop lifecycle pricing strategy and provide input to Product definition Manager
- Develop lifecycle sales allowance strategy and provide input to Product definition Manager
- Recommend the development of all Financial Support Request (FSR) proposals based on market activity
- Leads the annual pricing process with the support of Finance & Sales
- Monitors showroom & competitive pricing monthly (at least) in top 3 markets for each vehicle Monitor Tactical Price monitoring and provide tactical pricing recommendations
- Dealer pricing communication
- Profit Optimization across all trims

Place
- Develop launch volume proposals by dealer, with input from Sales
- Develop ordering guidelines/recommendations, and adjust based on market-performance
- Provide Sales Guide Books (Pocket Guides)

People
- Guide the training team in developing curriculum for launch vehicles
- Improve the product knowledge of the organization for his/her vehicles through proactive engagement with consumer-facing team-members (dealers, sales consultants, call centers, etc.)

Promotion
- Provide support to the Marketing Manager to develop marketing communications briefs
- Provide support to the Marketing Manager to develop strong dealer & retail plans that deliver on performance objectives

Department Interactions

Product Planning
- Work with Product Definition Manager to ensure vehicle builds are logical & manageable (i.e. showroom walks, packaging, etc.)
- Assist in future model preparations
- Provide founded input into Planning

Distribution
- Review order coverage on a weekly basis
- Review sales activity/specialty reports
- Review order status/option penetration reports (use as required)
- Guidance to field re: order recommendation, special edition model, option recommendations
- Ensure VOG-development process is timely and incorporates necessary input from distribution to avoid disrupting distribution deadlines
- Assist in order recommendations

Finance
- Establish CM targets & work to attain these targets*
- Perform sensitivity analyses to maximize volume/profitability
- In cooperation with pricing group, ensure options/packages are “right-priced”
- Assists in annual pricing process, employing support of Finance & Field teams
- Provide monthly budget updates – on time

Remarketing
- Review Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) performance quarterly with CPO team and require steps to improve sales and Residual Value (RV ).

Sales & Fleet
- In cooperation with fleet team, determine right mix of fleet volume within segment and recommend/develop specific fleet packages (VOG)
- Provide overall brand vision/segment strategy
- Assist Fleet field team in generating orders & increasing sales/share
- Recommend any ordering guidelines or adjustments
- Review reports and ensure inventories are aligned with recommendations
- Develop & communicate main messages as appropriate (e.g. price repositioning, model holds, options/colors discontinuation, etc.)

PR/Product Communications
- Work with PR team to ensure our best foot forward products/models are being shown/tested/compared appropriately
- Support team during launch events

Requirements

- Bachelor degree required, MBA preferred
- Minimum 5 years marketing experience (automotive preferred);
- Understanding of financial/accounting concepts an asset;
- Advertising & sales knowledge;
- Overall understanding of the region, culture throughout the 11 countries;
- Overall understanding of consumer trends.

Skills:
- Very strong presentation skills;
- Analytical skills;
- Strong multi-tasker;
- Strong negotiating skills;
- Leadership qualities;
- Proficiency with common computer applications, effective supervision/mentoring/delegation.
- Proficient in English and Arabic is highly preferred.

Competencies:
- Drive for results
- Managing & measuring work
- Timely decision making
- Functional expertise
- Business acumen
- Intellectual horsepower
- Integrity & trust
- Customer focus Differentiators
- Innovation management
- Dealing with ambiguity
- Strategic agility
- Managerial courage
- Building effective teams
- Organizational agility
- Developing direct reports
- Managing vision & purpose

About the Company

General Motors Company (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM), one of the worlds largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 31 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. GMs largest national market is China, followed by the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and Russia. GMs OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.

With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 209,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in more than 120 countries. GM is headquartered in four major locations: GM Europe; North America (GMNA); South America; and GM International Operations (GMIO) is located in Shanghai, China. GMIO covers Asia Pacific and Middle East.

GM Middle East started in 1920s and the brands that are sold in the region are Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC supported by a unique set of customer-focused services. GM parts and accessories are sold under the GM Parts and ACDelco brands. The regional office in Dubai covers the companys operations in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen in 20 dealerships.

GM has 2 facilities here in Middle East one is in Dubai World Trade Centre and the other, Middle East Distribution Corporation, which is located in Jebel Ali.