Product Manager - Miller Welding Automation

Company Description

Miller® is about building things that matter. We lead the welding industry in building advanced, solution-focused products and meeting crucial needs for welding safety and health.

We’re about the partnership and the work. Our products are designed with our users for manufacturing, fabrication, construction, aviation, motorsports, education, agriculture and marine applications.

Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, is headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, and wholly owned by Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW). The company maintains its industry leadership by setting the standard for reliability, quality and responsiveness. Our tagline, “The Power of Blue®,” is inspired by the blue color of Miller equipment.

The company began with an innovation that responded to customer needs, growing from a one-man operation in 1929, to the world’s largest manufacturer of arc welding products. Miller keeps the tradition alive by focusing on its top priority: people.

Job Description

The Miller Welding Automation (MWA) team is expanding, and we're on the lookout for a Product Manager to join our team. The product line focus will be to Automation Power Supplies.

As a Product Manager at Miller Welding Automation, your role involves steering the lifecycle and fostering profitable growth above market standards for our product lines. You'll be an integral part of our existing team, collaborating with product development, marketing, operations, sales, and weld application experts to shape and execute go-to-market strategies. Being a key player in the Welding Automation team, you'll work alongside market-facing experts who bring in-depth customer insights. Your primary focus will be the financial performance and market share of our product platforms, with a set of objectives to guide your efforts. By achieving this, you'll contribute to delivering solutions that empower our division and external sales teams to expand market share through targeted selling and core market expansion.

 

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT:

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

• Manage product roadmap and product lifecycle initiatives in alignment with strategic intent.
• Reduce business complexity through Product Line Simplification.
• New Product Development: Responsible for successful launch and commercialization of new products.
• Improve category profitability and position for continued success.
• Determine product pricing/quoting guidelines based on strategic analysis.
• Improve product profitability through cost reductions and recommended pricing adjustments.

MARKET INTELLIGENCE:

• Support market research activities to define priority markets & size, growth and trends including pricing, competition & opportunity.

• Develop a deep understanding of the end-user’s business and their unmet needs.
• Collect and synthesize customer insights and competitive intelligence through customer interviews, market research, and channel knowledge.

GO-TO-MARKET & SELLING SUPPORT

• Define and communicate data-driven value propositions for products and segments.
• Work with MWA Marketing Manager to create tactics to communicate and promote new products to both end users and distributors through integrated marketing /social campaigns and regional targeting activities.
• Represent Welding Automation as subject-matter-expert for internal team, channel partners and end users through both product and application knowledge.
• Review and support large (>$500k) or unusual quote opportunities.

BUSINESS PROCESSES & STRATEGIES:

• Collaborate with appropriate division personnel to streamline new product development process within ITW Customer-Back Innovation framework.
• Manage and rationalize demo fleet utilization.
• Contribute to long range and annual planning.

 

TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ROLE:

• Lead high-level projects with cross-functional teams including engineering, materials, manufacturing, and sales teams.
• Be a team player with a positive attitude, high motivation, and solid decision-making abilities.
• Analyze current business issues and end-user needs.
• Well organized, aggressive self-starter with the willingness to learn and grow.
• Independently establish plans based on external and internal inputs.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Comfortable presenting and facilitating before groups.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 3+ years’ marketing or engineering experience within a related field.
• Expected travel is up to 30%

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential. 

As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.