Product Manager - Chevrolet

Job description / Role

The purpose of this job is to fully optimize brand/carline volume, share and profit growth in all markets through the development, implementation and management of effective marketing strategies.

Marketing Management – Key responsibilities:
- Prepare the pricing strategies / positioning of all their vehicles & provide support in the development of the pricing proposals.
- Lead the vehicle launch process of a new vehicle and the development of the Retail Launch Planner RLP.
- Support the regional Sales & Marketing in the development of consumer engagement plans.
- Communicate to all stakeholders (internally & externally including dealers) on product introductions, specifications, pricing strategies.
- Drive key initiatives to achieve contribution margin (CM) & market share objectives for their vehicles.
- Build & improve brand health over the lifecycle of the carline.
- Provide support & insights to the Regional Marketing Manager in the development of dealer tactical initiatives.
- Provide support to the Operations & Brand Comms team in the preparation of briefing documents for advertising, PR and other agencies.
- Visit dealers/key city dealer groups with RMs, SBMs, and FDMs, interact; discuss sales & marketing strategies, go-to-market, etc.
- Monitor vehicle customer profiles and develop/adjust plans as necessary to ensure effective consumer targeting & engagement.

Responsible for supporting research activities that contribute to the development of effective brand communication strategies and execution.
- Interface with regional product definition managers, global teams, home rooms, including IPC (International Product Centre) to ensure linkages and leveraging of information
- Maintain open channel with Product Planning to ensure marketing input into MVR process is sound, and smooth integration with and transition from Planning
- Develop volume and market share forecasts and targets in cooperation with Sales & Planning
- Manage effective and rational dealer ordering patterns and reduce complexity, trims, and non-consistent option packs.
- Conduct proper market visit to gain consumer insights, competitive information, and real-world data.
- Inform functional organizations of issues that impact their contribution to brand performance
- Provider of customer and brand passion
- advocate for the customer
- strategist for the segments
- Communicates & reports performance

Master the 5 Ps

Product
- Be the subject matter expert for products in her/his portfolio.
- Be the subject matter expert for top 3 competitors in each segment of her/his portfolio.
- Develop product packaging that is customer centric and profit maximizing and optimize ordering by minimizing build/order combinations.
- Ensure vehicle packaging development process (resources include VCPS, Vehicle Ordering Guide (VOG), etc.) is timely (compliant with block point calendar) and incorporates necessary input from distribution, sales, dealers & mirrors competitive vehicles.
- Guide/co-lead the input through the Global Vehicle Development Process (GVDP) and internal collaboration with Planning, ensuring optimal packaging & endorsement of MEO-specific strategies
- Lead all Marketing Gates including Marketing Validation Review (MVR), Marketing Lunch Review (MLR), and Marketing Validation Assesment (MLA).

Price
- Recommend the development of all Financial Support Request (FSR) proposals based on market activity
- Monitors showroom & competitive pricing monthly (at least) in top 3 markets for each vehicle
- Leads the annual pricing process with the support of Finance & Sales

Place
- Develop launch volume proposals by dealer, with input from Sales
- Develop ordering guidelines/recommendations, and adjust based on market-performance
- Provide Sales & Marketing playbooks.

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 the regional marketing manager, brand manager to develop marketing communications briefs
- Provide support to the Regional Marketing & Brand team to develop strong dealer & retail plans that deliver on performance objectives

Monthly and Quarterly Activities
- Review competitive landscape region-wide & ensure competiveness is established, maintained, and reported internally; recommend any corrective actions, if required (quarterly)
- Complete slides for Marketing/Communications meeting (Monthly)
- Update Segment Playbook slides (Quarterly)
- Initiate opportunities to grow volume/share, As required,
- MY packaging strategies (no charge options/package credits/rationalization/etc.)
- Continue to focus on CM & determine new ways to generate revenue for GM
- develop sales promotions to increase factory unit sales & influence portfolio mix
- enrich the model mix with support of sales team, distribution

Department Interactions

Distribution
- Review order coverage on a weekly basis
- Are any holds affecting order coverage
- Do we need additional allotment to manage dealer demand
- Where are our shortfalls
- How do we support field in generating more orders
- Is there a legitimate risk to order coverage
- Do we recommend a cut to manage retail stock
- Review sales activity/specialty reports
- How is our days’ supply on inventory
- Is our mix in line with sales forecast
- Can we remix production to create more orders
- 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

Product Planning
- Work with product planners to ensure vehicle builds are logical & manageable (i.e. showroom walks, packaging, etc.)
- Stay involved with global platform teams to ensure the product meets our needs in the Middle East
- Assist in future model preparations
- Provide founded input into Planning Gates including Marketing Service Review (MSR), PFI/DSI, DSI/VPI, and CSO

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”
- Lead annual pricing process, employing support of Finance & Field teams
- Provide monthly budget updates – on time

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's 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;
- Proficiency with common computer applications, effective supervision/mentoring/delegation.
- Proficient in English and Arabic is highly preferred.

Competencies:
- Managing & measuring work
- Timely decision making
- Functional expertise
- Business acumen

Differentiators:
- Innovation management
- Dealing with ambiguity

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.