Product Management Director - Tankless Water Heating

About the Role

Rinnai America Corporation (RAC) is the leader in tankless water heating, offering efficient, endless hot water solutions. We are seeking a strategic, innovative leader to drive product launches and accelerate our innovation product roadmap as the Director of Product Management for our growing Tankless Water Heating business. This role involves owning customer research, product roadmap development, design, and expanding new product lines, including the Parts & Accessories businesses.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver a 5-year product and technology roadmap for the Residential Tankless Water Heating business, focusing on growing the product portfolio by a minimum of 15% year-over-year.
• Own and grow the related Parts & Accessories businesses.
• Understand existing and potential customers (3-step distribution) and their unique needs.
• Lead design thinking initiatives to develop solutions that exceed customer expectations.
• Define customer features, benefits, and experience.
• Conduct market research and identify trends, technologies, and opportunities in North American markets.
• Perform competitive analysis and manage the competitive landscape.
• Manage all aspects of OEM products, including communications with Japan.
• Define unique selling points and market differentiators.
• Establish a partnering strategy, analyzing potential partners, OEM opportunities, and technology innovations.
• Define channel(s) of distribution.
• Develop and execute the entire project plan from concept to launch.
• Drive assumptions in financial models and meet targets.
• Follow and execute the Rinnai New Product Development (NPD) Process.
• Facilitate project teams and lead product specification development and approvals.
• Partner closely with Marketing & Sales teams to ensure flawless execution of go-to-market plans.
• Lead pricing strategy and develop bundling options and proposals.
• Develop the product launch strategy, including identifying products for key shows and building the product strategy for these events.
• Actively contribute to global product initiatives, including platform development, roadmaps, market analytics, competitive analysis, and partnering strategies.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of product-line management, development, or marketing experience, including OEM account management.
• Knowledge of durable goods.
• Experience working with Retail/Big Box partners, especially in-store product placement and annual line reviews.
• Experience in 3-step distribution models.
• Experience in business financials.
• Experience in Design Thinking and Agile product development processes.

Skills

• Storytelling capability to build alignment and advocacy on key strategies.
• Strong project management skills.
• Advanced communication skills.
• Strong organization, time-management, and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to create and write professional documents with exceptional knowledge of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Abilities

• Ability to partner closely with Rinnai Japan teams and liaisons.
• Ability to exercise discretion with confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to work professionally with various levels of employees, customers, and business partners.
• Commitment to achieving business goals.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and respond to high-urgency situations with accurate results.
• High levels of personal integrity, honesty, and commitment.
• Ability to travel up to 40%.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

• Constant communication with others to exchange information.
• Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Occasional ascending or descending ladders, stairs, and ramps.
• Sedentary work primarily involving sitting/standing.
• Light work involving lifting up to 20 pounds.
• No adverse environmental conditions expected.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Prescription coverage.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options for Medical and Dependent Care.
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and Floating Holidays (FH).
• Paid Holidays.
• 401(k) Plan with Company Match.
• Company Paid Life Insurance.
• Voluntary Life Insurance.
• Short- and Long-Term Disability.
• Professional Development and Tuition Reimbursement.
• Annual Incentive Plan (AIP).
• Referral Bonuses.
• Paid Volunteer Community Service Day.
• Tobacco and Drug-Free Campuses.
• Employee, family, and friend’s discount.