Product Manager

The Role

• Permanent
• Full Time

Role purpose

Own the development and commercial performance of the assigned product portfolio, ensuring technically suitable, competitive and profitable products backed by reliable suppliers. Support growth across OEMs, end users and the Rubix network through product expertise, sales support and well-defined proposals.

Provide product, technical and commercial support for bids and tenders, working with Sales, Technical Support, Operations and delivery partners to produce accurate and deliverable offers.

Product portfolio and supplier management

• Develop a product plan covering target applications, market opportunities, range gaps and priorities for profitable growth.
• Monitor portfolio revenue, gross margin, demand and competitor positioning; recommend pricing, range and promotional changes.
• Manage product introduction, substitution, withdrawal and obsolescence, including supply continuity and customer communication.
• Maintain accurate specifications, selection guides, compatibility information and application limitations.
• Own product relationships with assigned suppliers, progressing actions on pricing, availability, technical support, training and joint opportunities.
• Secure competitive supplier quotations and project discounts, confirming validity, lead times and warranty conditions.
• Assess new products and supplier partnerships; present the commercial case and capability requirements for approval.
• Work with Operations on demand forecasts, stock profiles, shortages and slow-moving stock.

Sales enablement and customer support

• Provide product training, application guidance and sales tools for Gapp and relevant Rubix teams, including qualified Insite referrals.
• Join customer visits and site surveys where product expertise is required; involve competent specialists to validate application requirements.
• Work with Sales and Marketing on accurate website and catalogue content, product launches and customer value propositions.
• Coordinate supplier support for complex enquiries, product issues and warranty investigations; document and share product knowledge.

Bids and tenders support

Lead product inputs to bids and tenders and coordinate proposal inputs where assigned. The account owner or nominated bid lead retains responsibility for the opportunity and submission.

• Support bid or no-bid reviews by assessing product fit, complexity, supplier capability, resources, commercial opportunity and delivery risk.
• Review specifications and tender documents; identify information gaps and coordinate customer clarification questions.
• Prepare product selections, bills of materials and technical schedules with Technical Support and engineering partners, recording assumptions, exclusions, interfaces and validation needs.
• Obtain and compare supplier and partner quotations, confirming scope, quantities, pricing, lead times, validity and documentation.
• Prepare product cost build-ups and support price and margin reviews, allowing for freight, currency exposure, warranty and other relevant costs.
• Produce technical responses, compliance matrices, datasheets and supporting evidence; clearly identify deviations, alternatives and dependencies.
• Coordinate inputs against bid deadlines, control document versions and maintain clarification and approval records.
• Support customer presentations, negotiations and internal reviews; escalate contractual, safety, performance and delivery commitments for authorised approval.
• Hand over the agreed scope, approved bill of materials, supplier quotations, assumptions, exclusions, lead times and open actions after award.
• Review bid outcomes and quotation-to-order changes to improve accuracy, competitiveness and margin protection.

Authority and working relationships

Operate within delegated pricing, discount and purchasing limits. Obtain approval for portfolio changes, stock investment and supplier appointments outside those limits. Contract acceptance, non-standard terms, guarantees and installation, commissioning or whole-system performance commitments require authorised approval and specialist validation. Project delivery ownership must be assigned for each opportunity.

Work with the General Manager, Sales, Technical Support, Operations, Finance, Marketing, Rubix Insite and Engineering Services, suppliers and integration partners. Maintain accurate business records and protect confidential information. Line-management duties are subject to the approved organisation structure.

Person specification

• Experience in product management, technical sales or applications support within automation, motion control or technical distribution, with relevant product knowledge.
• Ability to interpret specifications, select products, prepare quotations and support bids and tenders.
• Commercial understanding of costing, pricing, gross margin, supplier negotiation and stock investment.
• Clear communication, disciplined documentation and business-system skills; ability to manage competing deadlines and seek specialist input when required.
• Desirable: an engineering qualification or equivalent practical experience, plus experience with OEMs, end users and integrated automation proposals.