Product Manager

Role Purpose

• The role involves applying technical expertise and a deep understanding of sensor technology to enhance existing products' performance, robustness, and reliability, while ensuring alignment with bf1 group's strategic goals and market needs.

• Drive continuous improvement in current product offerings to maximise their effectiveness and longevity, laying the foundation for future product innovations.

• Provide input to the business plan to deliver commercial growth in line with strategic objectives.

• Manage a defined portfolio of bf1 products throughout their entire lifecycle, ensuring they meet technical and commercial success criteria.

• Own and communicate the vision, strategy, and technical roadmaps for the product line, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to ensure delivery and alignment.

• Act as the bridge between technical and commercial teams, translating market and technical requirements into actionable plans that drive value and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

Market Intelligence & Market Studies

• Conduct thorough market analysis to identify current and future needs, particularly in sensor technology applications, translating findings into clear product requirements.

• Monitor the competitive landscape and technological advancements to guide product improvements and innovations.

• Assess the Intellectual Property (IP) landscape and its implications for product development and market strategy.

Voice of Customer (VOC) & Collaboration

• Gather and analyse Voice of Customer (VOC) insights from internal and external stakeholders to identify opportunities for product improvements and feature enhancements.

• Collaborate closely with customers to identify key challenges and translate feedback into robust product solutions.

• Develop relationships with partners, suppliers, and academic institutions to leverage complementary technologies and drive technical innovation.

Business Case & Product Justification

• Define cost targets for new products, design changes, and material/technology enhancements to balance performance and profitability.

• Build and present business cases for product improvement initiatives, including financial forecasts, pricing strategies, and return on investment analysis.

• Perform cost-benefit analysis for new technologies and product updates to support decision-making and resource allocation.

Product Portfolio & Lifecycle

• Manage the full product lifecycle for sensor-based technologies, with a focus on improving robustness, reliability, and manufacturability.

• Prioritise the enhancement and growth of existing product lines, identifying opportunities to enter adjacent markets where applicable.

• Proactively manage product obsolescence, ensuring continuity of supply and identifying alternative solutions as needed.

Product & Technical Roadmaps

• Develop, own, and communicate detailed technical roadmaps for the product portfolio, with a strong focus on product robustness, software reliability, and sensor performance.

• Prioritise product fixes, feature enhancements, and technical improvements to meet customer and market expectations.

• Work closely with Functional Engineering leaders to align product roadmaps with technical capability and development timelines, involving frequent travel to bf1 facilities.

• Support the preparation of early-phase product documentation to enable timely and informed decision-making processes.

Product Positioning, NPI & Delivery

• Collaborate with key stakeholders to define product positioning and develop go-to-market strategies that ensure successful execution.

• Work closely with Project Management, Technical Management, and Sales teams to deliver products to market on time and to specification.

Product Line KPI’s & Financial Performance

• Support Finance and Project Management in defining and reporting key KPIs for product performance, including business cases, product line P&L, and ROI.

• Monitor, report, and continuously improve the profitability of products within the portfolio, working closely with Finance.

• Collaborate with Finance and Project Management to effectively manage product budgets and identify opportunities for cost optimisation.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Experience

The Product Manager should demonstrate expertise in at least one area, while being passionate about all three, and able to collaborate effectively with practitioners across the following disciplines:

• Business: Product Management is, above all, a business function focused on optimising product performance while maximising value throughout the product lifecycle.

• Technology: Identify, evaluate, and integrate new technology ideas and opportunities in alignment with company criteria.

• User Experience: Act as the voice of the user within the organisation, ensuring that product developments align with end-user needs and expectations.

Knowledge, Skills & Qualifications

• Strong technical background, with excellent commercial awareness and sound business acumen.

• Preferably a degree in engineering or a related discipline.

• Relevant experience with sensor technologies or equivalent products.

• Ability to articulate vision and ideas effectively to internal and external stakeholders at all levels.

• Capable of tactfully challenging assumptions and building strong internal networks to influence outcomes positively.

• Proficient in interpreting and communicating financial and accounting information from a product perspective, with an understanding of the financial impact of decisions.

• Proactive approach to problem-solving, identifying and prioritising issues effectively.

• Creative thinker, able to produce workable ideas and innovative solutions.

• Collaborative mindset, fostering teamwork and shared success in achieving results.

bf1 Vision - why do we exist?

• To Be the Competitive Advantage

Values - how do we behave?

• Commit Be Courageous Have Fun