Product Line Manager

Primary Role:

Primary role is the lead for your technology focus and expert on the OEM programs that we support. The charter is hitting gross margin goals for Active team by setting strategy for the year and executing on that strategy for growth. PLM role is for sales enablement and gaining sales mind share to hit our goals. PLM is the go-to person that all departments rely on for your assigned OEMs.

Responsibilities:

• Defining the vision, mission, and value proposition for the product line that you are responsible for. Presenting these to the leadership team annually to seek buy-in and agreement to support from their teams.

• Developing and executing product strategies annually.

• Aligning offerings with customer needs and company objectives.

• Reporting: Tracking product performance and making data-driven decisions. Timely and accurate reporting of POS and inventory reports for OEMs.

• Coordinating cross-functional teams when needed to solve problems

• Managing profit and loss responsibility for a healthy vendor. Including negotiation, VGI plans, bulk buys, cost reduction plans, freight, inventory turns, payment terms, incentive negotiations. Imperative to ensure cost reduction tracker is kept up to date at all times with all back up data for finance to validate.

• Schedule, prepare and execute quarterly business reviews. This is an important part of Netceed being in lock step with our OEM, reviewing strategy, partner program progress, and keeping executives aware of progress or concerns for a successful planned year.

• Networking within assigned OEMs to know Channel teams, Executives, PLMs, Product Marketing, purchasing, and Sales Account Managers.

• Development and execution of Marketing Plans that align with customer and sales strategies, based on product requirements and market applications.

• MDF Management. Planning, making requests, gaining approvals, execution and providing proof of performance to OEM. Marketing will provide assistance with billing and collecting of invoices.

• Deal registrations. Logging, tracking, updating information and changes to status during course of start to closure, negotiation, order fulfillment (work with actives team to enter, have current valid quote, and coordinate with buyer), communication to stakeholders, sales follow up on gaining necessary resources to win, or final negotiation to win. We are here to close opportunities.

• Product life cycle management. New product announcements to EOL. Keeping the executive, sales and engineering teams aligned with product development road map, strategy and new product announcements. EOL to consume information, report out to sales (including previous customers that have used and provide summary of notification), engineering (recommended replacement for sales to introduce), and procurement to change status of product.

• Price list updates (monthly, quarterly, annual cadence by OEM). Communicate to procurement to implement, and sales notification with details of timing, plan of action, and impacted customer list.

• Special pricing (T80 management). AQT to post special pricing on customer record for history, for Adtran provide customer look up for ISE/RAM assignments, notifications sent to assigned sales, and receipt of confirmed entry into the system from procurement.

• Vendor training. Coordinate strategic OEM training appropriate for audience of Inside Sales, Outside Sales and Engineering teams. Provide OEM guidance on content, cover Netceed needs, invitations, collection of attendance, provide slides and recording of training, and action items.

• New OEM launches. Provide comprehensive package with all details. Including contract details, contact and sales account manager details, part number set up, communication and advisement out to management and sales team, and launch by region on a team’s meeting.

• Inventory responsibility. Work with procurement and demand planning on appropriate inventory, scheduling of blanket orders, and stock rotations. Collect details of deployment schedules, forecasting etc from Sales team. Measure accuracy, make adjustments, and communicate out changes. Know months on hand, turns and amount of on hand inventory weekly.

• Escalation of expediting orders when procurement has not gotten the needed customer required dates.

• SKO. Provide details to OEMs, seek sponsorship approval, provide input into content/participation, and coordinate all details of event/attendance with OEMs. Work with OEM on content to match sales and executive requirements, and have in time to get final approvals.

• New Hire orientations (Engineering, Outside Sales and Business Operations associates), meeting with each new hire to explain and coordinate details of OEMs and map corresponding sales representatives.

• Conducting market research and analyzing trends as requested by management, as we are preparing for QBRs, as PLM is looking to fill gaps, as we are placing orders, or as we are doing new vendor analysis.

• Trade Shows. Coordinate with Genna and team responsible for trade show execution on all open product needs, documentation, positioning, representation, video/slideware for running active presentation on the screen, passing leads to OEM following show, work on ROI for any sponsorship from OEM to ensure investing in other events, and support OEM speaking opportunities with abstract/speakers/content.

Requirements:

• Must possess a comprehensive understanding of product solutions, data center technologies/solutions, and a sufficient understand of storage area network solutions

• Proficiency with all Microsoft Office applications required

• Strong organizational skills and capability of managing multiple tasks

• Professional: Ability to exhibit and maintain professionalism and integrity in accordance with corporate standards

• Communication: Ability to present solutions at various levels

• Analytical: Ability to analyze, develop, and make sound business transaction decisions with minimal supervision

• Multi-tasking: Ability to handle multiple tasks with concentration, speed, and accuracy, and to prioritize tasks appropriately

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, business administration, engineering, or a related field, along with several years of industry experience is preferred

• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time - including nights and weekend as needed