Our client is a leading worldwide supplier of U.S. designed and manufactured tools and equipment for the HVAC/R and AUTOMOTIVE industries.  They are committed to providing their customers with innovative quality products, ongoing training and education, and superior service.  They continually strive for excellence while developing and nurturing successful relationships through honesty, trust and respect.  They have been in the business of manufacturing HVAC supplies and refrigeration supplies for over 70 years. Currently, we are seeking a National Business Development and Product Manager for the Automotive Sector.

The successful candidate will be well-qualified to identify and analyze opportunities for new products or changes to existing products based on market needs, competition, and product performance; Drive new products by prioritizing opportunities and working with engineering in the development process through product realization; Develop and execute training programs for customers, internal employees, and end users.

RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES

• Research to identify potential new products based on market opportunities
• Evaluate new product idea generation from a multitude of sources, including internal personnel, end users, salespeople, and outside inventors
• Evaluate competitive product offerings to identify gaps for new product opportunities
• Work with potential new vendors who have new product offerings
• Keep abreast of new refrigerants, new laws, etc. that impact current and future products
• Establish target requirements for new products; Create and manage business cases for new products
• Manage all aspects of product development towards the goal of timely new product introduction
• Manage product life cycles; evaluate existing products for profitability, market share, and trends
• Collaborate with engineering to write new product manuals to ensure customers understand proper equipment operation
• Train salespeople and customer service on new product and additional new product rollout tasks
• Develop and execute training for sales, internal employees, and end users
• Assist Technical Support with real-time product application support and field customer product complaints
• Lead user focus groups and collect feedback on new and existing products
• Work with marketing to provide features and benefits and other marketing materials
• Attend Sales Meetings and conferences to discuss product and market trends
• Participate and lead technical meetings and presentations while attending conferences, trade shows, and visiting colleges
• Ability and willingness to commit to 25 to 35% overnight travel; role can be performed primarily remotely with the expectation of being in the office a minimum of 25%; preference will be given to local candidates.

REQUIRED EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE

• 5 years of experience in the automotive industry
• 2 years of leadership experience with direct reports
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Management, or similar
• ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) Certification