Job Description: Product Business Manager
Position Title: Product Business Manager
Reporting to: Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)
Stakeholders: BD Director, Branch Managers, HQ Engineering, Manufacturing, and 3rd Party Partners.
1. Role Purpose
The Product Business Manager (PBM) is the Commercial Owner of a specific product group (e.g., Hydraulic Cylinders or Undercarriages). You are responsible for the entire lifecycle of the productfrom identifying market needs and working with engineering on conception, to creating the marketing strategy and supporting the sales team in closing deals. Your goal is to treat this product group as your own business, ensuring its growth, profitability, and technical reputation in the global mining market.
2. Key Responsibilities
A. Strategic Business Ownership
- P&L Management: Own the revenue and gross margin targets for the assigned product group.
- Market Intelligence: Monitor competitor pricing, OEM movements, and mining industry trends to ensure Akaliko stays ahead.
- Growth Strategy: Identify new territories or customer segments for product expansion.
B. Product Development & Lifecycle (The Conception)
- Voice of Customer: Collect feedback from the field (Branch BDs and Mine Sites) to drive product improvements.
- Engineering Liaison: Work with HQ Engineering and Manufacturing to ensure technical specs meet the harsh demands of the mining environment.
- New Product Introduction (NPI): Lead the launch of new components, ensuring they are sales-ready with correct pricing, part numbers, and stock availability.
C. Sales Enablement & Marketing (The Sales Completion)
- The Sales Toolkit: Develop technical brochures, Why Akaliko battlecards, and ROI calculators to help BDs sell against OEMs.
- Training: Conduct technical and commercial training for Branch BDs, distribution partners, and service teams.
- High-Level Support: Join BDs on site visits to major mining clients to act as the Technical Expert to help close large-scale contracts.
D. Global Distribution & Partner Management
- Channel Support: Work with international distribution and service partners to ensure they have the training and tools needed to grow the product line.
- Consistency: Ensure the product brand and value proposition are consistent across all global branches and partners.
3. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Revenue Growth: % increase in annual sales for the product group.
- Product Margin: Achievement of target Gross Margin percentage.
- Market Penetration: Number of new major mining accounts or territories using the product.
- Quality Index: Reduction in warranty claims and field failures.
- Sales Readiness: 100% availability of marketing and technical kits for all active products.
4. Requirements & Experience
- Experience: 7+ years in the Mining or Heavy Machinery industry, with a background in Product Management, Category Management, or Technical Sales.
- Education: Degree in Engineering, Business, or a related technical field (MBA is a plus).
- Technical Savvy: Deep understanding of heavy machinery components (e.g., hydraulics, undercarriages, or powertrain).
- Entrepreneurial Mindset: Ability to work independently and take full accountability for a business within a business.
- Communication: Fluent in English; ability to communicate complex technical data to non-technical stakeholders across different cultures.
5. Organizational Context
This role sits at the intersection of Sales, Engineering, and Supply Chain. While you do not manage the sales teams directly, you provide them with the ammo they need to win. You will work closely with the BD Director to align on market priorities and the CSCO to ensure manufacturing can meet your growth projections.
