Automotive Product Manager
The Automotive Product Manager at Confidential Client leads the strategy, development, and lifecycle management of automotive aftermarket products, ensuring alignment with customer needs and financial goals. This role requires strong cross-functional leadership to drive product innovation, manage product launches, optimize product portfolios, and collaborate closely with engineering, sales, and supply chain teams to maintain competitive advantage across multiple sales channels.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Motor Vehicle Manufacturing.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
What You’ll Do
The Product Manager will drive strategy, development, and full lifecycle management for automotive aftermarket products for a confidential client in the Motor Vehicle Manufacturing industry. This role combines technical insight, commercial judgment, and cross-functional leadership to ensure product lines meet customer needs, hit financial targets, and remain competitive across retail, distribution, dealer, engine builder, and e-commerce channels.
- Lead product strategy and create clear business cases, use cases, technical requirements, revenue forecasts, and ROI analyses.
- Conduct market and competitive research to identify opportunities for differentiation and customer-driven product concepts.
- Define and own product roadmaps, manage product lifecycle from conception through release and obsolescence.
- Collaborate with R&D/Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Sales, and Operations to deliver products to spec, on time, and within cost targets.
- Drive SKU optimization, margin analysis, warranty tracking, and quality feedback loops to improve product performance.
- Coordinate and execute new product releases, pilot production, and product change requests using continuous improvement and agile principles.
- Support Sales with product data, channel listings, and technical sell-in materials; provide internal and external product training.
- Maintain and improve product data (fitment, specs, website data), working closely with product information management and analytics teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Create 24‑month rolling forecasts and new product release plans.
- Lead product rationalization to prune low-value SKUs and expand high-value segments.
- Own product data integrity—drive accurate fitment tables and catalog data using advanced Excel skills.
- Work with cross-functional teams to improve NPD processes and implement best practices (agile/scrum recommended).
- Use customer feedback, surveys, and performance data to recommend product improvements and prioritize roadmap items.
- Support go-to-market and sales enablement efforts for commercial channels and strategic accounts.
- Travel as required for cross-functional collaboration and supplier/customer meetings.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, engineering, or related field — or equivalent experience.
- 4+ years of product management experience, preferably in automotive, aftermarket, or related manufacturing environments.
- Strong analytical skills with experience in margin analysis, forecasting, and product performance metrics.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel (advanced functions, pivot tables), ERP systems, product information tools, and analytics platforms.
- Demonstrated project management ability and experience leading cross-functional initiatives.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to present to technical, commercial, and executive audiences.
- Highly collaborative, able to influence without authority, and customer-centric.
Nice-to-Have / Preferred
- Experience with automotive product fitment data and channel/catalog integrations.
- Background working with supply chain and quality teams on product launches.
- Familiarity with Agile/Scrum in new product development.
Location & Travel
- This position is based in Mentor, OH. Some travel required to support product launches, supplier visits, and cross-functional meetings.
Employment Type
- Full-time
Confidential Client & Industry
This role is for a confidential client in the Motor Vehicle Manufacturing industry.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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