Global Product Manager

Own global product strategy and new product development for aftermarket product lines, guiding programs from opportunity to launch across regions.

Responsibilities

• Lead global new product program development for assigned aftermarket product lines, from opportunity identification and concept validation through commercialization and launch execution, with a multi-year strategy focus.
• Research and prioritize global market trends across applicable regions, including new products, technologies, applications, and market opportunities to shape a forward-looking development pipeline.
• Drive target expansion revenues for global product lines (example: 5B JPY pipeline targets) across key global markets.
• Maintain predictable release velocity, targeting one major global new product line launch every two years, on time and within budget.
• Deliver 3-year and 5-year post-launch gross profit targets and meet absolute margin expectations.
• Drive gap coverage to target levels (example: >65% total market coverage) and align catalog findability and fill-rate with Supply Chain.
• Create processes to evaluate market opportunities, technology and competitive gaps, customer needs, technical feasibility, sourcing options, and financial viability for proposed programs.
• Build and maintain program plans, business cases, timelines, launch milestones, and documentation for both global and regional markets.
• Define launch support requirements, including technical training, digital content, and commercialization materials with regional teams.
• Provide technical leadership to regional sales teams and internal departments during new product validation, launch preparation, and market introduction.
• Produce competitive, customer, pricing, and positioning analysis to support recommendations and launch decisions.
• Develop product positioning, feature-and-benefit messaging, value propositions, and sales launch training for sales teams, customers, distributors, and internal stakeholders across markets.
• Act as the primary liaison among global headquarters, regional business units, technical centers, sourcing, and functional departments to advance requirements and remove launch barriers.
• Manage development programs and workstreams covering application research, feasibility reviews, competitive analysis, catalog data readiness, pricing inputs, sourcing coordination, launch schedules, and stage-gate reporting.
• Coordinate required departments across regions to support new part setup, launch readiness, production availability, and go-to-market execution.
• Oversee post-launch handoff activities, including performance tracking, lessons learned, and transition plans into ongoing lifecycle management.
• Monitor New Part Number Introductions (NPI) and rationalize slow-moving parts, including application research and validation to define gap coverage, fitment, specifications, and launch scope.
• Benchmark key competitors on an ongoing basis to maintain target value proposition.
• Consolidate demand forecasting to support supply chain teams in achieving optimized inventory levels.
• Complete other assigned tasks and projects to support personal development or department objectives.
• Follow applicable company policies and procedures.

Requirements

• 10+ years total product management experience, including 5+ years in automotive aftermarket product strategy, new product development, and multi-region commercial launches.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Engineering, Automotive Technology, or a related discipline; equivalent global aftermarket experience considered.
• Experience with cataloging and industry standards (ACES, PIES, TecDoc) and catalog management platforms (PIMS).
• Proven stage-gate execution, business case development, and cross-functional strategic program management using tools such as Asana, SAP, QlikView, and Google Workspace.
• Strong technical understanding of vehicle systems and automotive component lifecycles.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills, with demonstrated multicultural diplomacy across global business units in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, plus global headquarters in Japan.
• Flexibility to attend early-morning and evening meetings across global time zones (Europe, Japan, Australia).
• Fluency in Japanese or German preferred.

Technologies

• ACES, PIES, TecDoc
• PIMS
• Asana, SAP, QlikView
• Google Workspace

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• 401(k) plan with company match up to 6%
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Paid maternity and paternity leave

Work Model

• Hybrid for candidates within commuting distance of Wixom, MI
• 100% Remote for US-based candidates outside the area

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

• Domestic and international business travel (up to 15%)
• Operating a vehicle
• Lifting up to 40 lbs
• Working around normal office and travel-related hazards