Product Manager - Automation and Controls

• Perform user research and usability testing, analyze feedback and translate to use-cases, product requirements, features and roadmaps.
• Define and own product strategy for pool automation and control systems with a deep understanding of adjacent products, company objectives and market demands.
• Develop and maintain a 5-year strategic product roadmap including new product development, research opportunities and product rationalization. Ties to 3-year Business Plan
• Annually develops/updates rolling 3-year Product Line Business Plan including top-line revenue, sizing the total addressable market, market share, market penetration, product development, gross margin, operating income and strategies for achievement
• Collaborate with the Advance Engineering research pipeline to realize product platforming, technology evolution, and autonomous solutions.
• Integrate sensors, cloud-based data, mobile connectivity, and machine learning into automation platforms to achieve an autonomous and intuitive backyard experience.
• Monitor market changes and marketing needs, competitors’ product technology changes and manufacturing processes to recognize market opportunities for new and expanding products and identify marketing weaknesses.
• Becomes product line “Voice of the Customer” representative to all internal Hayward departments.
• Align strategy with the broader product categories in the context of the pool and backyard as a system.
• Represents Hayward to the industry as the expert for all aspects of automation products, ultimately establishing themselves and Hayward as the Industry expert for the business.
• Becomes product line “Voice of the Customer” representative to all internal Hayward departments.
• Leads product line marketing activity and development to optimize opportunity.
• Determines the effectiveness and impact on the company and provides reports and presentations to management.

• Reports as follows exhibiting comprehensive insight and command of business performance including all financial metrics

• Monthly Top-line Business Review
• Monthly Field Response
• Quarterly POB Business Review with full P&L
• Quarterly Market Share Report
• Quarterly Competition Activity Report
• Other business and product related reports as necessary

• Develops and recommend pricing strategy for the product line which will result in maximizing profitability as measured by revenue, margin $s and margin %
• Maintains price list/terms of sale information.
• Works closely with Sales and Marketing developing special programs for product line.

• Develop and maintain forecasts for all control and automation products.
• Is responsible for forecast accuracy to establish goal.
• Deliver market segmentation analysis, market trends and opportunity analysis

• Is the “champion” of all new Automation product development.
• Team member for all product development projects incorporating automation controls.
• Responsible for the successful on-time, on-budget launch of new products
• Directly responsible for all Product deliverables of Hayward’s internal Phase/Gate process, including Return on Investment analysis, Voice of Customer, Project Request Document (PRD) and Capital Appropriations Request (CAR)
• Develops/updates 5-year product plan
• Champions new product idea generation supporting growth of the business
• Responsible for internal and field training plan for product line

• In combination with the Marketing Communications team, develops annual plan and budget for all marketing collateral, events and product-specific programs including advertising, literature and trade shows in context of overall sales strategy and budget.
• Supports all Marcom efforts with timely direction or approval of product-specific collateral.

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in technical Product Management or Product Engineering
• Experience in UI/UX design
• Extensive experience in new product development and introduction
• Proven ability to lead cross functional teams
• Strong business management and reporting skills
• Solid understanding of marketing, engineering and sales functions
• Excellent interpersonal and team building skills
• Strong presentation skills with ability to communicate to sales, customers, and executive team

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or Product Management, MBA preferred

Hayward Industries