Technical Product Manager

Apr 13, 2021

Job Purpose

  • The Technical Product Manager is responsible for the product planning and execution throughout the Product Lifecycle, including gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, defining the product vision, and working closely with Sales, Marketing and Operations Departments to ensure revenue and customer satisfaction goals are met. The Technical Product Manager also needs to ensure that the products support the company’s overall strategy and goals.

  • Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic:

  • Together with management take part and give overall input to company strategy
  • Develop and maintain the product strategy and roadmap
  • Responsible for white papers and opinion polls on new products and developments
  • Develops the business case for new products and improvements to existing products

Operational:

  • Develop and maintain complete VHF product set with all related product documentation and presentation material
  • Develop and maintain Market Requirement Documents (MRD’s) and Product Requirement Documents (PRD’s)
  • Work with external third parties to assess partnerships and supplier opportunities
  • Develop and maintain proper competitor analysis and market trend analysis together with Sales Manager
  • Responsible for all product demos to customers
  • Develop sales tools and product collateral
  • Develop strong relationships with customer’s technical teams and provide technical sales support during customer meetings
  • Provide product training to all internal personnel – Sales, Marketing and Operations
  • Based on customer request, provide product training to national and international clients
  • Support Sales manager with new business development and market research
  • Obtains product market share by working with sales manager to develop product sales strategies
  • Participating and reporting in monthly management team meeting with regards to all product information
  • Facilitates inventory turnover and product availability by reviewing and adjusting inventory levels and buying schedules with Procurement department
  • Implement and maintain adequate inventory management and control procedures with Procurement and Finance departments
  • Assist Head of Sales and Marketing and Procurement Manager to manage and ensure slow moving stock is addresses and reported on
  • New product development into market by analysing proposed product requirements and product development programs together with key suppliers and manufacturers
  • Create item codes and descriptions in line with respective policies and procedures
  • Develop, implement and maintain correct material handling procedures for the warehousing and distribution of the product
  • Assist the sales department and Warehouse with all product quality related queries
  • Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies
  • Performs any ad hoc duties deemed appropriate by the Managing Director

Financial

  • Together with management engage and give input to annual company budget
  • In collaboration with the VH Fibre MD, Head of Operations and Head of Sales and Marketing, determine monthly, quarterly, and yearend financial objectives.
  • Together with the Management Team, set product pricing to meet revenue and profitability goals
  • Together with the Head of Sales and Marketing, deliver a monthly product revenue forecast
  • Propose an overall product development budget to ensure success
  • Determines product pricing by utilizing market research data; reviewing production and sales costs; anticipating volume; costing special and customized orders.

  • Negotiate pricing and terms with third party product suppliers

  • Legal/Compliance

  • Oversee the monitoring, tracking and compliance of agreements with third party product suppliers.

  • Required Qualification and Experience

  • BTech or similar qualification.
  • 5 years’ experience as Product or Technical Manager in telecommunications industry.
  • 5 years’ technical experience in Fibre products
  • Technical experience in Wireless and active products will be advantages

  • Experience in writing white papers on products and solutions

  • Key Performance Areas

Performance against strategic objectives:

  • o Defines the product vision, strategy and roadmap.
  • o Manage product lifecycle of complete VH product portfolio
  • o Market research and competitor analysis – set matrix/goal
  • o Works closely with suppliers, sales, marketing, and operations to ensure proper technical solutions to satisfy all client requirements.
  • o White papers, case studies, product comparisons and user stories – set goals
  • o Assistance in managing stock levels and bulk buying – develop matrix
  • o Assistance in managing and minimising aged stock
  • o Develops the business case for new products and improvements to existing products – develop matrix
  • o Train and enable staff on complete product portfolio
  • o Provide product training to all external client as and when required
  • o Develop, implement and maintain correct material handling procedures for the warehousing and distribution of the product
  • o Assist with product related queries – 100% (zero unresolved)
  • o Create unique product codes for all products and deactivate all old codes.

Skills and Knowledge

  • Extensive knowledge on all product sets in the fibre industry
  • Extensive knowledge on active products and solutions (Wifi, microwave/radio. IOT, AI, SDN/NFV DWDM/APON) will be advantageous
  • Extensive knowledge on all product sets of the active products will be advantages
  • Knowledge of procurement and specifically import of products is advantageous
  • Technical skills on product composition as well as installation methods
  • Extensive knowledge on product development and product life cycle management
  • Extensive knowledge on requirement analysis and solution building
  • Knowledge on warehousing and inventory management and control.
  • Reporting skills
  • Strong training and presentation experience
  • Excellent verbal, communication and technical writing skills
  • Excellent communications and people management skills
  • Strong leadership skills

Attributes and Competencies

  • Well organized
  • Attention to detail
  • Team player
  • Strategic, Analytical Thinker
  • High level of energy
  • Self-confidence
  • Self-driven
  • Perseverance
  • Problem solver
  • Assertiveness
  • Ability to communicate at all levels of the Company
  • Proactive
  • Positive attitude
  • Ability to operate under pressure
  • Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams without formal authority

Desired Skills:

  • BTech or Similar
  • Technical Experience
  • Sales And Marketing
  • Set Gols
  • Develop Matrix
  • Technical Product Manager
  • Product Manager

Desired Work Experience:

  • 5 to 10 years

Desired Qualification Level:

  • Degree

Employer & Job Benefits:

  • Medical Aid
  • Provident Fund
  • Funeral Cover
  • Cell Allowance

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