The role of the Product Manager - Exports is critical in managing the export product portfolio and order planning for Hotpoint’s export customers. This position is responsible for ensuring that each export market has the optimal assortment, pricing strategy, promotional support, and necessary training. This is achieved through disciplined PSI (Planning, Sales, Inventory) and inventory analytics. The role proposes customer orders (SKU mix and quantities) based on sales movement, stock positions, and country lineup strategy, while ensuring product availability through proactive coordination with the bonded warehouse and internal teams.
Job Responsibility and Accountability
- Portfolio and Assortment Management:
- Build and maintain an export assortment plan per customer/country (including category mix, price ladder, hero SKUs, and phase-in/phase-out plans).
- Collaborate closely with internal Category Product Managers to align on models, specifications, positioning, and new product introductions.
- Recommend range rationalization and expansion based on sell-out performance, margin contribution, and market requirements.
- Planning and Inventory Management (PSI):
- Own export PSI discipline: maintain accurate sales, stock, and forecast inputs.
- Run a structured monthly PSI cadence for all export customers.
- Track bonded warehouse stock availability by customer and SKU; flag stockout risks early and recommend allocations/priorities where shortages exist.
- Pricing and Commercial Strategy:
- Maintain export price lists by customer/country and recommend adjustments based on FX movements, competitor activities, positioning, and profitability guardrails.
- Conduct competitor benchmarking (in-market and online) and provide actionable insights to internal Product Managers and Export leadership.
- Develop an export promotions calendar per customer/country, aligned with seasonality and commercial objectives.
- Introduce structured quarterly price lists for the exports division to provide price stability, predictability, and confidence for export customers.
- Develop standardized price waterfalls for each export market to ensure full cost transparency and margin discipline.
- Work on annual distributor contracts for the different countries, moving from transactional export relationships to annual contractual partnerships.
- Training and Market Support:
- Plan and deliver (or coordinate) product trainings for distributor teams, covering product features, comparisons, selling points, and new model launches.
- Visit export markets periodically to assess sell-out drivers, assortment fit, pricing, display quality, and competitor activity.
- Produce market visit reports with insights and recommended actions across lineup, pricing, promotions, training, and quality.
- Quality and Issue Resolution:
- Capture recurring product quality issues and coordinate resolution with Service/Quality teams and relevant Category Product Managers.
- Support distributors with technical clarifications and ensure issues are tracked to closure with preventive actions.
- Reporting and Cross-functional Alignment:
- Build tailored QLIK dashboards to provide real-time, actionable visibility for the exports department.
- Run structured monthly alignment meetings with Exports, Product, Warehouse/Operations, and Finance teams; circulate actions, owners, and timelines.
- Perform any other duties assigned.
Qualifications and Experience
Qualification:
- Minimum qualification of a degree in business or any other relevant field (BA/BSc/HND).
Experience:
- 5+ years’ experience in product/category management, commercial planning, or a related role (appliances/electronics preferred).
- Strong analytical capability (PSI, inventory analysis, pricing, and demand planning concepts).
- Proficient in Excel and comfortable with ERP/BI tools and dashboard-driven management.
- Willingness to travel to export markets regularly.
Key Skills
- Strong ownership mindset with the ability to work cross-functionally and influence without formal authority.
- Commercial judgement: balances availability, growth and profitability.
- Structured and delivery-focused with excellent planning and follow-through.
- Clear communicator with strong stakeholder management and customer-facing confidence.
- Curious and market-oriented; converts insights into practical actions and measurable improvements.
