Head Of Product Management

Title:Head of Product Management

Reporting to:Product Business Director

Location:Colchester based with global travel required

The Woods business was established in 1909 and continues to manufacture in Colchester, United Kingdom. We have around 250 people across all business functions from sales through design and product assembly & testing, as well as businesses in USA, UK, Germany & Singapore.

Woods is a brand of Fläkt Group which is an international leader in wider HVAC products, systems, services, and solutions. As part of the wider group, Woods products are sold into multiple global applications through various routes to market including Group Companies, Agents & Distributors, Key Accounts as well as direct B2B.

The Colchester site is also the Centre of Excellence for the group for all Axial, Air Movement and Fire Safety products and serves to enable product & system sales in Building Services, Industrial, Original Equipment, and Tunnel & Metro applications globally. Our brand and product range is internationally recognised and flexible, from short-lead-time standard products through to technically complex design-to-order products. Manufacturing activities on site in Colchester include Assembly, Product Test, Stamping, Machining, Fabrication, and metal forming.

MainPurposeofRole:

The Head of Product Management reports to the Product Business Director and is responsible & accountable for globally leading and managing the Product Management and Channel Strategy.

In this role and with a can do attitude, you and your team are accountable for achieving business plan objectives in alignment with Sales, Marketing and R&D objectives to meet company's financial sales & profitability targets as set out in the Company Strategic Plan.

Through your team, you will manage the product portfolio and be accountable for the product strategy marketing mix: value proposition, go-to-market strategy, pricing, promotion, as well as profitability and the specification and deployment of digital tools (selectors and configurators). You will initiate the New Product Introduction for both internally designed and factored products ensuring that the Sales and Marketing files are robust.

The product portfolio will be managed with the strategic objective of positioning FläktGroup as a leading company in Air Movement solutions, with a focus on the company's Global Growth Strategy. Additionally, you will be responsible for developing and implementing the channel strategy, as well as designing and deploying new digital channels and tools, with a strong emphasis on simplifying our customer interactions.

As a leader in Marketing, you will be working with third parties to assess market needs and understand competition, aiming to position Woods as a differentiated leader and the best competitor in the market.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

• Product Management
  • Manage Woods Air Movement's complete product portfolio across the entire product life cycle, from new product development to product withdrawal.
  • Develop and implement a three-year product roadmap aligned with Woods' growth strategy, collaborating closely with Sales and Engineering.
  • Create business cases for investments in new products to support Woods' growth plan.
  • Ensure the timely and cost-effective execution of the roadmap, collaborating closely with the Development Project Manager.
  • Ensure that products remain compliant with regulations (ErP) and certifications
• Channel Management
  • Create and implement channel management programs to support the Sales teams in maximizing orders through indirect channels such as Distribution and Representatives.
  • Develop, deploy, and orchestrate the Woods E-Commerce channel to digitise and simplify customer touchpoints for standard products, aiming to generate additional growth.
• Digital tools
  • Manage digital platforms and tools, including selection and configuration tools, with a focus on enhancing the customer experience and simplicity.
  • Oversee social platforms and webpages, working closely with the Marketing team to create, adapt, and publish content supporting product business development.
• People and collaboration
  • Manage the Woods Product Management resources and create a high-performing team, ensuring they deliver on targets through training, development, and mentoring.
  • Collaborate with other departments, especially R&D for new products and features development, and work with Sales to develop appropriate tools and sales enablement for increased order intake.
• Market intelligence
  • Research and develop marketing opportunities and plans, understanding customer requirements and market trends, and suggesting system improvements to align with Woods' strategy.
  • Lead the gathering, investigation, and summarisation of market data for trends reports and informed decision-making.
• Marketing
  • Collaborate with the Marketing team to manage, create, and deliver webinars, lunch and learns, and in-depth demos to educate the sales force and enhance their skills.
  • Work with the Marketing team to suggest and organise promotional events such as trade shows, product launch webinars, and fan academies.

Key Performance Measurements:

• Implementation of the product roadmap & product launches.
• Revenue and profitability growth.
• Channel performance
• Team engagement

This job description is not regarded to be totally exhaustive of all duties and activities required by the post. The post is subject to the needs of the business and will develop and change in line with prevailing market conditions, competition and development of the territory.

Person Specification/Profile:

In return we offer the following package:

• Competitive salary
• 25 days Holiday (+ bank holidays)
• Hybrid Working
• Christmas Shutdown
• 4% Pension Scheme
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Company Sick Pay Scheme
• Enhanced Family Friendly Benefits
• Employee Discount Scheme
• Holiday Purchase Scheme
• Free Tea & Coffee
• Early finish on Fridays
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Woods Sports & Social Club (voluntary option to take part in events/activities for an additional small charge)
• Long Service Awards
• Free Car Parking
• Employee Assistance Programme & Access to Mental Health Support
• Learning and Development Opportunities

Equal Opportunities: We are an equal opportunities employer, recruiting individuals on their suitability for the role, qualifications and experience. We welcome applications from all communities and backgrounds.

Due to limits on sponsorship allocations, we are not currently in a position to offer sponsorship for this position. Therefore, applicants who do not have the right to work in the UK, and/or require visa sponsorship in order to continue working in the UK, cannot be considered for this role.

No recruitment agencies please