08-16 Director, Product Management (Ottawa, ON)
Purpose of position
Reporting to the Vice President, Marketing, the Director of Product Management is responsible for ensuring that March Networks is supplied with cost-effective, market-driven products on an ongoing basis to maximize the profitable growth of its business. Responsible for March Networks' product elements that underscore the March Networks portfolio of vertically-segmented marketing solutions.
Duties
Key management responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Technology Product Ownership:
Responsible for ensuring March Networks is supplied with cost-effective, market-driven products on an ongoing basis so that March Networks continues to profitably grow its business in software, hardware or services.
Manage Product Management:
Given the varied elements in the March Networks portfolio, the candidate in question should have a strong background in managing product initiatives throughout the life cycle of software, hardware and/or services. The Director will lead a team of technology Product Managers in order to achieve the corporate goals. The position calls for a strong matrix management capability to work effectively with all departmental stakeholders including Marketing, R&D, Finance, Operations, Sales, Customer Service, etc. to achieve portfolio objectives. In addition, the candidate must also interact with external parties to get at the forefront of various technologies and to consider alternative technology options on behalf of the company.
Lifecycle Management:
- Manage product lifecycle (PLC) and submit plans for life cycle development and end-of-life activities
- Support product sustaining and enhancement processes
- Report on product and portfolio status to management as required, including:
• 1. Financial performance vs. budget as requested
• 2. PLC milestone status
• 3. Development status and updates
• 4. Push to identify and resolve key technical product issues. Document issues, trade-offs, solutions
- Develop and maintain 12 to 36-month technology product roadmaps
Product Development Leadership
Monitor product development at predefined gates to ensure compliance with functional specifications and market strategy. Responsible for hitting time, scope and budget for technical product deliverables. As required, provide reports and recommend risk mitigation strategies. Translate marketing requirements into technical Product Requirements Specifications. Participate in design and Q&A reviews to ensure products comply with technical product requirements.
Steward of March Networks Resources
- Responsible for validating and ensuring adherence to cost targets
- Build vs. Buy Decisions - Provide build, buy, and partnering recommendations for specific technical product elements. Develop strategic technical relationships with key partners. Conduct financial analysis of potential options (ROI, NPV, etc.).
Maximize Portfolio Integration
Ensure hardware, software and services integration is technically tight for the various solutions. Drive cost-effective synergies throughout the various vertical solution sets. Ensure technical elements provide adequate strategic or financial contribution.
Provide Industry Leadership
Work to benefit March Networks in driving industry standards. Lead March Networks patent process to ensure the company’s intellectual property is well-documented and protected.
Quality Metric Focus
Ensure product excellence in terms of performance and match with customer need. Ultimately responsible for product usability and functionality.
Provide Market Assistance
- Help Sales Engineering for RFPs
- Provide product or technical support to internal and external stakeholders as necessary
- Assist Sales and Channels in responses to strategic or Tier-1 RFPs
- Drive the creation of part numbers, BOMs and other operational deliverables as necessary
- Conduct knowledge transfers and training sessions as necessary
People Management
- Coordinate and schedule projects and staff
- Assign and monitor objectives, and report on progress
- Provide formal guidance and leadership to assigned staff, focussed on the tactical elements of people management
Education / Qualifications
- Successful candidates must have a post-secondary degree in Finance, Marketing, Engineering, Computer Science or related field, as well as a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in Product Management or in Product Marketing or Product Design and Development, with a demonstrable business and strategic aptitude. Some level of customer, channel or field experience is an asset
- This position requires strong leadership and communication skills. Successful individuals will possess a unique blend of technical and business savvy, a big-picture product and market vision, and the drive to make that vision a reality. Strong presentation skills and the ability to travel on average once per month is essential.
Experience
- Appropriate experience to coincide with the typical duties noted above
- Demonstrated skills and abilities in collaborative efforts, with experience in team/project-oriented activities
- Excellent human relations skills to effectively interact with, and maintain, positive working relationship with management, peers, and internal and external clients
- Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams without formal authority
- Demonstrated openness to new ideas and approaches
- Demonstrated ability to prioritize tasks based on relative importance and urgency
Complexity
The most complex aspect of the position is the ability to help drive and author comprehensive product requirement specifications. The individual must be able to prioritize their own and internal team efforts based on portfolio strategies and objectives, and customer needs. They must be able to extract clear and concise product requirements from marketing, customers, channels and sales resources. They must be able to deal with varying and multiple issues and demands on a day-to-day basis, and do so with professionalism under pressure
Responsibility
Financial and strategic management responsibility for the technology elements within the product portfolio, leveraging the appropriate corporate resources (Marketing, Sales, R&D and other) and defined processes
Apply Now
Please send your resume in confidence to opportunities@marchnetworks.com quoting position #08-16