The Toro Company is a Minnesota-based company that has been in business since 1914, focusing on providing world-class equipment for maintaining environments. The Product Associate/Product Manager I role involves managing assigned product lines, leading new product development projects, and collaborating with various teams to ensure customer needs are met and products are successfully launched.
Responsibilities
- Coordinate global Voice of the Customer (VOC) activities and other market research to fully understand customer requirements and drive decisions for assigned product line(s)
- Develop, present, and execute an annual MGPP for assigned product(s)
- Lead new product development projects, utilizing Toro’s product development stage gate process, serving as the advocate for the customer, developing and communicating clear product specifications, functionality, capability and performance requirements, and identifying necessary accessories
- Contribute to monthly project review meetings and project stage gate approval meetings
- Collaborate with engineering and test functions to ensure appropriate design criteria and test plan for quality and lowest possible warranty
- Develop product launch plans in collaboration with market managers and marketing communications teams
- Engage in the global Sales Inventory Operations Planning (SIOP) process, with primary responsibility for annual sales and inventory projections, as well as model line-up transition planning and execution as appropriate
- Monitor and analyze retail sales, distributor order activity, and field inventory position
- Deliver against annual net sales, retail sales, and inventory goals for product line(s)
- Collaborate with regional marketing managers, sales team, and finance team regarding market and product pricing strategies
- Prudently manage product line budget(s)
- Regularly participate in product Design and Cost Improvement (DCI) team meetings
- Participate in Product Quality Initiative (PQI) team analysis, action plans, and reporting
- Build and maintain strong relationships with engineering, sales and customer care teams
- Provide Toro internal sales people and channel partners with timely and accurate product information
- Plan and deliver product sales training, including participation in live training events and recorded product webinars
- Develop content for sales training tools and marketing collateral materials
- Monitor competitive product activity, and develop competitive product comparisons for use in training Toro and distributor sales teams
- Support industry trade shows, customer experience events, and other key divisional events, activities and initiatives
Skills
- Bachelor's degree in product management, marketing or engineering and 0-4 years of applicable experience
- Bachelor's degree in product management, marketing or engineering and 4+ years of applicable experience (or MBA with 2+ years applicable experience) in durable goods
- Ability to clearly understand target markets, clearly articulate customer needs, and propose product concepts and solutions to Toro internal personnel to drive incremental growth
- Experience to include new product development in durable, service-oriented goods
- Ability to effectively participate in cross-functional teams
- Ability to manage multiple projects
- Strong analytical skills
- Experience managing profit and loss (P&L) statements
- Excellent verbal/written communication skills and influencing ability
- Self-starter with a bias for action and ability to simultaneously lead multiple project teams
- Strong technical aptitude enabling communication, understanding, and collaboration with technical service and engineering
- Ability to quickly assimilate and synthesize a significant amount of complex information and work with team members to make sound business, product and financial decisions
- Strong analytical abilities to review and summarize data for presentation, direction and decision making
- Fluent in Microsoft Office suite of products
- Ability and confidence operating and training others on assigned product line(s)
- Physical ability and willingness to perform product set up and operating adjustments
- Travel requirement: up to 25%, including international travel
- Experience marketing through a business-to-business dealer/distribution system is highly preferred
Benefits
- An affordable and top tier medical/dental/vision plan
- 401k
- Dress for your day - We know you're more productive when you're comfortable, which is why TTC employees are encouraged to take advantage of our casual, corporate environment.
- Location – Conveniently located near both St. Paul and Minneapolis, we are centrally located for most commuters!
- Food - Take advantage of our onsite café, which serves both breakfast and lunch. With a Caribou Coffee attached, you can grab a snack and a coffee at any time during your day.
- Wellness - The Toro Company’s HQ offers complimentary use of our onsite fitness facility to employees.
- TTC offers a variety of mental health and financial health resources to all employees.
- Volunteerism - The Toro Company is proud to provide employees 20 hours of paid time to volunteer in the community.
- Summer Hours – Enjoy a flexible schedule during the summer! By working a little more during the first few days of the week, TTC employees at our Bloomington HQ are able to start their weekends early and leave by noon on Friday.
- Flexible Work Arrangements – This team is currently implementing a hybrid work schedule. The opportunity to collaborate in the office and work from home part-time, has promoted team-building and flexibility.
- You may be eligible to participate in an incentive program, which rewards employees based on individual and organizational performance. Eligibility and award amounts are determined by company policy and performance metrics.
- If you need to, you can access your pay early with the dailypay app.
Company Overview
The Toro Company provides solutions for the outdoor environment. It was founded in 1914, and is headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota, USA, with a workforce of 10001+ employees. Its website is https://www.thetorocompany.com.