Category Manager

We have an exciting position available in the Rosebank area for a Category Manager (Product Manager)

Requirements :

• Matric
• BSc (Sports Science) or similar will be an advantage
• Must have a love for sports
• 5+ years' experience within a similar role (or Account Management, Country Manager, Key Account Manager, Sales Manager. etc.)

Attributes :

• Demonstrate success defining and launching excellent products
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong presentation skills
• Strong problem solving skills
• Ability to interpret and analyze data
• Domain knowledge
• Excellent teamwork skills
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams without formal authority
• Must be customer focused
• Must have integrity and trust
• Ability to prioritise
• Excellent time management skills

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Approach

• Define the product strategy and roadmap
• Work with external parties to assess partnerships and business opportunities
• Be an expert with respect to own products and competitive knowledge, and keep up to date with technological advances
• Develop the core positioning and messaging for the product
• Research products, markets and competitors
• Identify new opportunities, product enhancements, and line extensions
• Strive to provide superior value to both internal and external customers

Inter-departmental

• Manage and communicate effectively with cross-functional teams
• Develop and maintain relationships with internal customers
• Work closely with the Sales Team to gain a comprehensive understanding of channels and the competitive positioning within these channels
• Work closely with marketing to ensure marketing plans meet the requirements of both product attributes and consumer communication strategy
• Liaise with Marketing to assess the suitability of current and planned promotional material and to ensure that such material is being used optimally, is factual, and highlights product features and benefits
• Use detailed knowledge of the specialist markets to provide assistance and direction to the sales team
• Communicate and work closely with the financial team to specify the reporting required to support the management of the product
• Ensure that all relevant sales tools are accurate and updated
• Ensure that all product questions and escalations are answered and resolved
• Communicate all current and new product information on the product price list including product specifications.

Training

• Brief and train internal customers as well as channels
• Responsible for reviewing product data to ensure that internal customers are kept up to date
• Responsible for providing the sales team with the necessary knowledge to enable them to sell the product. This involves printed and electronic material, product training and competitive information.

Communication and Reporting

• Provide recommendations to the Head of Product Management regarding new opportunities including new products, services, business models and partnerships
• Develop and maintain open communication channels with all relevant individuals and principle partners in respect of the performance of the product
• Produce monthly reports & sales charts with supporting commentary to enable a performance overview of the specific vertical market

Planning

• Maintain awareness of competitors’ products and pricing and competitive distributors actions

General

• It is specifically recorded and agreed that it may be necessary to assign additional duties to the employee to those envisaged in this job description, or to re-assign those duties from the employee to other persons from time to time and to add to and delete responsibilities of the employee from time to time.
• Maintenance and adherence to systems and procedures