Active, self-starter and always capable of multi-tasking, the product manager acts as liaison between departments in charge of designing, producing and selling a product. Positioned at the crossroads between technology, company’s profit and user requirements and experience, the product manager needs vision to reconcile all these seemingly incompatible domains and create products which will be easy to make, bring value to the client and profit to the company. If you feel this type of job is the right one for you, read on for a detailed product manager job description which will give you a better insight into its requirements and selection criteria.
Short product manager job description
The product manager position involves a varied selection of tasks and requirements. The product manager must analyze the company’s existing products, devise target public, create new products for certain niches, collaborate with development department in order to put production strategies in practice and finally, work with the marketing and sale departments in order to best position the resulted product on the market. A final analysis of the result, expenses and profit completes the tasks listed by the project manager job description. Complex and extremely dynamic, this job is one of the most demanding positions in a company, requiring a combination of technical knowledge with a great amount of creativity.
Tasks and responsibilities
The tasks and responsibilities associated with this position span over different sectors and departments, which make the project manager job description rather unfriendly for those who come in contact with such a document for the first time. We have made a selection of the most important project manager duties, useful for gaining further insight into this position’s requirements as well as for drafting personalized descriptions for your company.
• Researches the market to identify customer needs and preferences, as well as (possible) competitors in the niche;
• Assesses the position of actual products in clients’ preferences and identifies the opportunities for new, innovative products;
• Shares the analysis reports with the department team and works alongside them to develop new products and upgrade existing ones;
• Creates the necessary documentation for the new or upgraded products;
• Presents the product internally, so that all the departments involved in the process will have a good understanding of the concept and technology behind it;
• Ensure the company has the necessary supplies and technological support for the intended product;
• Supervises the production process and offers guidance whenever needed or requested;
• Creates drafts for packaging and tagging and discusses them with marketing staff for an optimal look which will ease future marketing campaigns;
• Develops pricing strategies;
• Works along with the marketing department to promote the product;
• Looks for new markets where the product can be introduced and discusses with suppliers in this direction;
• Conduct market research to find out clients’ opinion on the product and implement feedback in product upgrades;
• Find ways and strategies to improve profit while keeping the same production costs and product quality.
The product manager is usually in charge of a large selection of products (in some cases all products) of the same company, which may be in different stages of production/marketing. Therefore the tasks mentioned above may overlap in a short period of time.
Schedule
The product manager job description mentions a normal, 9.00am to 5.00pm working schedule, however, extra hours are not uncommon in this sector, especially before or after a product launch. Business trips play an important role in product promotion, therefore the ability to travel nationwide and internationally are essential for this position.
Education and experience
In points of education, most employers require a bachelor’s degree in marketing or business. A diploma in the field in which the company activates is also taken into consideration, especially when cumulated with previous experience in a similar position. In the context of the nowadays fierce competition, an MBA will help candidates secure a project manager working place more rapidly.
The ideal candidate for the job must also possess at least five years on a similar position in order to be considered for the job. While some product manager job descriptions may also accept 2-3 year experience in this field, most employers feel confident in handing this job to more experienced candidates.
Skills and personal features
Due to the nature of this position, the candidate must be detail oriented and able to rapidly solve any type of problem in a short time. Language skills are essential, since the project manager job description mentions presentations and client interaction. Interpersonal skills, negotiation abilities and leadership qualities are also sought after when looking at a project manager. Other abilities include creativity, multi-tasking, ability to prioritize workflow, capacity to achieve results in stress conditions and customer orientation.