Product Director, Marine Systems

Nikkiso Applied Technologies, a business unit of Nikkiso Clean Energy and Industrial Gas, is one of the world’s foremost suppliers of cryogenic equipment and systems, offering customers world-class reliability, quality, and safety.

About the Role

As a strategic senior member of the Product Management team reporting to the Sr. Vice President of Applications and Product Management, the Product Director will lead the end-to-end success of all Marine Systems for the Business Unit. This role drives products from concept through development, launch, and beyond, ensuring global market penetration by combining industry knowledge, innovation, best engineering practices, and cross-functional collaboration within Nikkiso Applied Technologies.

The Product Director is responsible for life cycle management, product strategy and roadmap, market research, value proposition, continuous product improvement, customer needs identification, market trend analysis, competitor landscape assessment, new product development, sales support, customer engagement, and global product marketing to increase sales, market share, and optimize manufacturability.

Product Family

• FSRU Product Offerings
• Vaporizer Packaged Systems
• FGSS Vaporizer Packaged Systems
• BOG Recovery
• Main Process Equipment Packaged Systems

Note: This role also oversees the integration of products from other product families into the Marine Systems portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Life Cycle Management: Oversee each product’s journey from initial idea through development, manufacturing, service, maturity, and eventual retirement.
• Product Strategy & Roadmap: Develop and execute a clear product strategy and multi-year roadmap aligned with business objectives, including defining and evolving the product vision.
• Market Research & Value Proposition: Conduct market, industry, and competitive analysis to identify customer needs, trends, and gaps. Use insights (including direct Voice of Customer feedback) to define compelling value propositions for new and existing products.
• Continuous Product Improvement: Enhance manufacturing processes, operating configurations, features, and benefits. Leverage low-cost manufacturing techniques and centers to create competitive separation through closed-loop feedback with engineering, operations, sales, and customers.
• Identifying Customer Needs: Maintain close interaction with customers and the sales team to define requirements and consistently deliver optimal product offerings.
• Understanding Market Trends: Leverage in-depth market knowledge to proactively pursue opportunities for developed or innovative new products, whether closely related or distant from current offerings.
• Understanding Competitor Landscape: Gain key insights into competitor offerings, differentiators, and use this information to strengthen product positioning.
• New Product Development and Innovation: Identify and evaluate new product opportunities and enhancements. Build robust business cases for investment, including ROI analysis. Lead Voice of Customer research and translate customer pain points into clear product requirements for engineering. Serve as an active core team member in product development projects.
• Working with Cross-Functional Teams: Collaborate with sales, marketing, and engineering to align product configurations and features with customer and market needs. Work with Sales and Marketing to develop strategies and materials in coordination with Nikkiso Applied Technologies’ overall marketing scheme.
• Inorganic Developments / Growth Opportunities: Develop at least one inorganic opportunity per quarter (e.g., acquisitions, joint ventures, conglomerations) aligned with the Business Unit’s growth strategy for the product family and Nikkiso CEIG’s overall strategy. Opportunities may include Horizontal/Vertical Integration, Product/Market Extension, or Roll-Up Potential.
• Sales Support & Customer Engagement: Serve as the product expert and champion. Provide ongoing support to the global sales team and channel partners by addressing product-related inquiries, joining customer calls, and delivering product training. Gather customer feedback to drive continuous improvements and advocate for customer needs internally.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Product Line Revenue Growth: Year-over-year increase in sales revenue for the product category, measured in total dollars and percentage growth.
• Profitability & Gross Margin: Profit generated by the product line after costs, tracked via gross margin percentage and overall contribution to profit.
• Market Share Expansion: Growth in the product category’s share of the relevant market, or proxy metrics like win/loss rates against competitors or growth in key customer accounts.
• New Product Introduction (NPI) Success: Effectiveness of launching new products on time and within budget, including time-to-market and percentage of annual revenue from new products (e.g., launched in the last 1-3 years).
• Product Adoption & Sales Mix: Uptake of products in the portfolio, measured by units sold or revenue by product, especially for recently launched products.
• Customer Satisfaction: Metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys, warranty claim rates, or return rates.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of industry experience with related equipment, preferably in technical sales, project management, or general management.
• Proven track record of overachieving business development targets, sales targets, forecasting, strategic planning, and budgeting.
• Proven experience developing teams for technical business development.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering, or Business with relevant work experience. Previous experience in a manufacturing/engineering environment is strongly preferred.
• Equivalent combination of experience and skills may be considered.
• Knowledge of industry best practices and standards of excellence.
• Extensive experience with relevant product lines and specific industry knowledge in cryogenics, LNG, industrial gas, hydrogen, or clean energy.
• Exceptional problem-solving, negotiating, time management, and general management skills.
• Strong financial acumen, including familiarity with revenue, bookings, gross margin, EBIT, project budgeting, and cost structure/management.
• Ability to motivate a results-driven team and collaborate across departments to achieve meaningful outcomes.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• May require standing, walking, sitting, reaching, climbing, stooping, kneeling, talking, hearing, and using hands/fingers to feel objects or tools.
• Overtime may be necessary, including weekdays, weekends, nights, and holidays.
• Ability to lift up to 40 lbs. may be required.
• Primarily office-based but may require extensive international travel to client sites, production facilities, industrial/construction job sites, trade shows, or industry events.
• Extensive periods of sitting and standing during meetings, presentations, and travel may be necessary.
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving abstract required for travel between Nikkiso facilities and client sites.

Environmental Safety Requirements

• New Employee Safety Training required for all newly hired employees, including Safety Awareness.
• Job-specific training modules as deemed necessary by management.
• Required to wear Nikkiso-provided PPE as needed, including safety shoes, safety glasses, face shields, FR clothing, cryogenic gloves, cryogenic apron, cut-resistant gloves, safety gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, and dust masks.
• Non-compliance with safety requirements may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, reasonable accommodations will be provided to meet the work environmental and physical demands listed above.