VP of Product Innovation & Management
American Time - Dassel, MN
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Join Our Team - Lead the Future of Product Innovation!At American Time, we believe that Product Innovation & Management is essential to driving future growth and delivering value to our markets. That's why we're building a dedicated team focused on developing and launching new products and services.Are you naturally curious about identifying new market opportunities? Do you thrive in environments where collaboration, mentorship, and team building are key to success? Do you take pride in leading products from concept through implementation?If you're passionate about shaping the future and eager to make a tangible impact, we want to hear from you!SummaryThe VP of Product Innovation & Management is a key member of the Leadership Team at American Time and plays a pivotal role in leading product management efforts, driving the development, execution, and lifecycle management of new products and services. All of this must be accomplished while demonstrating daily our core values of Hungry, Humble, and Smart (Emotional Intelligence).Duties and ResponsibilitiesStrategic VisionDevelop and communicate a clear vision for product innovation aligned with the company's overall strategy. Use knowledge of market trends, customer needs, and Company capabilities to create a forward-looking vision for growth and development of American Time products.Consider all avenues of product development including, but not limited to, in-house development and manufacturing, acquisitions, and partnerships.Ensure appropriate prioritization of candidate product and service investments.Market ResearchConduct thorough market analysis to identify trends, customer needs, and competitive landscape to inform product development.Identify emerging trends in the marketplace that can be used to develop new products.Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify market needs and opportunities.Research and consolidate customer needs, desires, and barriers to identify opportunities for product development.Drive product innovation and continuous improvement based on customer feedback and market trends.Collaborate with sales & marketing functions to gain customer feedback data.Strategic Leadership & Team DevelopmentLead and mentor the Product Innovation & Management team and collaborate effectively with various teams, including sales, marketing, and engineering to ensure a cohesive approach to product development.Provide strong leadership and mentorship to the Product Innovation & Management team, fostering their professional development and maximizing their impact.Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including engineering, marketing, sales, and customer support, to ensure successful product development and delivery.Communicate product plans, progress, and performance clearly and compellingly to executive leadership and across the organization.Product Management & Roadmap Ownership: Lead the development and ongoing management of the product roadmap in close collaboration with the Product Strategy Team. Prioritize initiatives through a product management lens"”balancing customer needs, market opportunities, and business objectives to ensure strategic alignment and maximum impact.Define, maintain, and communicate a clear and strategic product roadmap that aligns with business goals and customer needs.Collaborate cross-functionally with Product Strategy, Engineering, Design, and Go-to-Market teams to drive roadmap execution and delivery.Conduct ongoing prioritization of product initiatives using data-driven frameworks that consider impact, feasibility, and strategic fit.Monitor product performance, sales data, customer feedback, and market reception to inform continuous improvement and future product iterations.Manage the full product lifecycle, including ongoing enhancements, cost optimization, quality improvements, and strategic end-of-life planning for existing products.User ExperienceAdvocate for user-centric design principles, ensuring that products meet customer needs and provide great user experience.Develop and implement customer on-boarding processes to ensure good customer experience with our products.Manage the rollout of new product initiatives from engineering development to customer experience.Innovation CultureFoster a culture of innovation within the organization by encouraging creative thinking and experimentation. Encourage an environment of risk-taking and experimentation without the fear of failure.Create an innovative culture within the product development teams, ensuring they are noting customer needs, market trends, and future product development opportunities.Collaborate with the Product Strategy team members to present, promote and drive future product development.Encourage experimentation and rapid prototyping without the fear of failure.Performance MetricsEstablish metrics to measure the success of new products and features, using data to inform future decisions.Stakeholder EngagementCommunicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels to gain buy-in for new initiatives and ensure alignment.Collaborate with the Product Strategy Team to present and gain buy-in for new initiatives.Regularly communicate with stakeholders relaying updates to the product and systems pipeline and priorities.Skills and QualitiesLeadership SkillsAbility to inspire and lead cross-functional teams, driving them towards a common goal.Analytical ThinkingStrong analytical skills to interpret data and make informed decisions.Creative Problem-SolvingInnovative mindset with the ability to think outside the box and tackle challenges creatively. Inherent curiosity about how our product works and what might be.Industry KnowledgeDeep understanding of the industry landscape and emerging technologies.Communication SkillsExcellent verbal and written communication skills to articulate ideas clearly and persuasively.Supervisory ResponsibilitiesDirectly supervise employees and managers within the Product Innovation and Management team. Hire, develop, coach, lead and retain top-tier talent, with a focus on building and improving a team and culture that is able to assist in employing best in class practices to support and drive high levels of internal and external customer satisfaction.Impact of DecisionsDecisions made by this job could significantly impact cost in time, money or customer goodwill. Could impact several departments. May cause considerable disruption and delay.Education and/or Experience Bachelor's degree preferred or 10+ years work experience in a business, engineering, or design position and 5-7 years in a leadership position. Proven track record of successfully launching products and leading teams is essential.Travel DemandsThis position involves approximately 25% travel, primarily for customer meetings, training sessions, and conferences.
Created: 2025-06-06