International Product Executive

ABOUT THE ROLE

Reporting directly to the Insights & Product Manager and based in Northern Ireland, this role supports and facilitates the management of current products and services together with the development of new products and services.  It will lead to new innovations across global markets and a user-based approach to all messaging, communication and development of both service and product propositions. This involves gathering, analysing and directing market insights and identifying clearly those which we should progress to inform new innovations across global markets and managing the development and launch of new products and the product life cycle in line with our overall product portfolio management strategy.

KEY ACTIVITIES

Portfolio and Product Management

• Provide analysis and input to support the creation of strategic targets for product portfolio management based on commercial strategy.
• Facilitate the management of products through their life cycle by maintaining/creating the product life cycle template and managing products through this. 
• Plan product management activities strategically with key stakeholders within the Commercial Team and consult on product positioning.
• Provide support to the Product Manager by maintaining the Artwork Control Log, and the Complete Product Catalogue, assisting with Stock Keeping Unit management.
• Owning full responsibility for product packaging and its timely delivery, with the support of key internal stakeholders such as R&D, Operations, Quality, Marketing, Purchasing, Accounts.

Key participant in the New Product Introduction process, managing product through to launch

• Liaise closely with the Insights Executive to fully understand and use customer insights to translate into requirements.
• Creation of specification documents ‘User Requirements Specification’ and ‘Market Requirements Specification’ for new product introduction.
• Project manage commercial aspects of product launches to markets.
• Collating product information (codes, descriptions, quantity, measurements, capacities).

An advocate for continuous improvement

• Keep abreast of market trends and competitor activity.
• Actively encourage and closely monitor post-market feedback and complaints, highlighting any areas for improvement.
• Instigate and run any Design Change Evaluations relating to product.
• Play an active role in the continuous improvement process

Other 

• To adhere to the company’s Equal Opportunities policy and Dignity at work policy in all activities and to actively promote equality of opportunity wherever possible.
• To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues, in accordance with the company’s’ Health and Safety policy.
• To adhere to the company’s Quality policy and Environmental policy.
• To undertake other duties as may be reasonably required.

KEY SKILLS

Essential

• Degree level education or equivalent
• Minimum of 3 years product management experience
• Proven experience of managing a product portfolio and developing new products
• Excellent IT skills in Excel, PowerPoint
• Access to transport

Desirable

• Experience of Class 1 medical devices
• Experience of healthcare brands and understanding of market dynamics, quality and regulatory requirements of medical devices or health-related products.
• Formal marketing, product design, product/project management qualification
• Fluency in a foreign language.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS 

Internal

Sales & Marketing Team: Sharing end user insights; to drive a culture of insights led approach to Sales & Marketing. Providing updates on New Product Introduction milestones to ensure timely execution of commercial tasks relative to product launches.

Research & Development Team: providing user insights to inform various stages of the New Product Introduction process and ensure new products are user-focussed and commercial inputs are available at the relevant time.

Clinical Team: cross functional collaboration on nurse and consumer interaction; to identify and validate end user insights

Innovation Team: build on insights that the innovation team are working on and validate insights they have found; ensure that innovation and insights teams work collaboratively.

External

Nurses: at nurse panel meetings, when groups of nurses visit Comber or at international conferences; to identify and validate end user insights.

Consumers: at consumer panel meetings; to gain insight into their lives as consumers, to validate those insights and ultimately drive forward the development of innovative, user-based products.

Business Partners: remotely or during customer visits; to build knowledge of our customers and identify any unmet needs.

Other stakeholders: i.e. surgeons, tissue viability nurses etc, ad hoc contact, to identify and validate end user insights.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• People: Reports directly to the Insights & Product Manager
• Travel Requirements: International travel may be required

COMPETENCIES

Problem solving – Generates and promotes solutions.  Sees clearly which is the best way forward.  Able to make decisions and commitments within appropriate time frame.

Commercial Orientation – Ensures appropriate data is used to evaluate risks.  Looks at the wider implications and is likely to try to assess the long-term impact.  Influences others and intervenes to get appropriate results

Resilience – Can work under pressure, remains calm, thinks clearly and manages emotion under pressure. Addresses issues without being aggressive or controlling and can easily bounce back from setbacks. Is open to feedback and doesn’t dwell on past events.

Networking – Feels relaxed about relating to people and soon forges and builds relationships.  Works well in an environment of mutual support and information sharing.  Is not afraid to direct people or ask for their help.

Information Gathering – Enjoys dealing with and refers to factual data.  Likes to be well informed and drills down into details.  Prefers to access wide range of information and opinion before making decisions and when solving problems.

Quality Orientation – Is precise, pays attention to details, checks things and ties up ‘loose ends’.  Has a strong conscience about getting things right and seeks to ensure that decisions and solutions do not involve undue risk, adheres to policy and standards.

Interpersonal / Influencing – Deals with other in a convincing way that leads to gaining agreement without relying on hierarchy and shows sensitivity to working relationships.  Doesn’t give up easily in the face of opinions that differ from their own.  Influences others to reach conclusions and gain agreements.