Product Portfolio Leader

Company / Location Information

A.O. Smith is a global leader applying innovative technologies and energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and marketed worldwide. The company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment and boilers, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment products for residential and light commercial applications. A. O. Smith is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with approximately 12,000 employees at operations in the United States, Canada, China, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

Primary Function

As the Product Portfolio Leader, you will be accountable for developing and deploying a comprehensive product vision and strategy for all product segments within the business to help ensure the financial health and viability of the business. You will act as the product line General Manager measured on the profitable growth and lifecycle of the Water Treatment product line.

Responsibilities

Drive product portfolio P&L Outcomes through various activities:

• Drive product portfolio profitable growth
• Execute integration activities of previous and future acquisitions
• Drive product and channel strategy
• Drive other levers that lead to profitable growth.

 

Product lifecycles from conception to obsolescence

• Identify sustaining product development activities to be completed to ensure business needs are met and ensure these developments are completed and deliver the expected results. 
• Using the AOSNPD process, ensure new products are launched on-time and meet market and cost requirements by managing the abnormal and driving the organization to make the critical decisions on-time
• Product line integrations from acquisitions, including product selection, rationalization and future roadmaps

 

Product Strategy

• Lead the development and maintenance of products strategies for all product segments. 
• Lead the development of 3-year product plans.  These plans are to be updated no less than annually or as market conditions require.
• Drive alignment on product strategies and roadmaps with the business leadership team to ensure appropriate support from all business functions as part of product planning and development activities

 

Product Management/Portfolio Management

• Direct, manage and develop Product Management resources to support the needs of the product strategy and development activities
• Represents customer needs and deliver products that best meet market needs
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify new product opportunities and ensure current product lines are competitive
• Drive profitable growth (Net Sales and Gross Margin) as General Manager of the product lines for NAWT

Leadership

Lead by influence to coordinate cross-functional product activities to drive profitable growth

• Ensuring health and financial viability by monitoring P&L of the products segments and identify opportunities to further optimize financial performance of each one.
• Develop, execute, and maintain a communication strategy to ensure Sales, Marketing, Field Service, Contractor Service Providers, Technical Call Centers, and the Training departments have relevant, timely and accurate product information to perform their roles within the organization 
• Maintain and report innovation metrics

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing or Engineering
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in a senior product or general management role, ideally as a Leader/Director of Product Management, or General Manager
• Demonstrated success in developing and launching successful products that meet market needs and drive business growth.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of building and managing high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive relationships at all levels of the organization and with