Product Marketing Manager - Asia Pacific

Job DescriptionLeads product portfolio planning for Asia Pacific/China’s overall portfolio to ensure the right balance of product launches across categories and the right calendar planning for the region. Key focus to lead Skincare, Color and Nutrition categories.Lead AP region product planning, calendar planning to identify gaps and opportunities and negotiating product needs with corporate partners. Assist to define product strategy for AP region especially on AP exclusive products and manages products through the entire life cycle.Lead in active communication and process planning cycle with markets and Corp partners to ensure every stage of the product planning cycle and product life cycle are communicated and understood effectively.Active participation in the development and implementation of the Corp brand development plans by independently gathering information and providing key review at various points in the planning process, develops analyses of pricing, cost and competitor information, develops options for products and packaging, and ensure the accurate, consistent communication of information to manager and key partners.Represents the region’s views at meetings and product development process by ensuring product portfolio are aligned with regional product strategy and timing. Acts as a resource to communicate AP regional product details and needs to corporate partners (AP markets, Brand Development, Program Management, Global Inventory Control, and Finance, R&D, PMO etc.).Essential Duties And ResponsibilitiesLead the AP product portfolio planning by working with corporate brand development team and other relevant corporate partners (R&D, Research, Legal, Regulatory, GIC etc) to represent AP/China market needs in the product development plan for all categories. Collaborates with corporate teams to help lead resolution efforts of any project challenges to keep the project moving toward launch date. Partners with Corporate Brand Development to develop the core product positioning and messaging for new products in the AP Region.Identify the gaps and opportunities for AP region and gather all relevant data and support.Develop new product concepts and strategies in collaboration with Corp partners, region/market teams, external vendors and manager.Seek solid understanding and awareness of both internal/external market environment and category inputs.Completes market, competitive and internal sales performance to understand business/product opportunities.Monitors trends in the competitive landscape and provide insights into product portfolio.Partnership with market/regional/global vendors to keep up with new formulas, trends, and product opportunities.Lead to develop AP/China business case/product request collaborating with markets and Corp partners from Finance, PMO, Brand Development, Regulatory etc and all members of the DLT team. Identify the gaps and opportunities for AP region in different product categories and gather all relevant data and support to build the project request. With the assistance of Regional Finance teams, provides financial information including cost of goods, cannibalization, margin, pricing, and projected forecast for business cases and each gate within new product development process. Assumes ownership of specific Agile tasks representing regional soft and firm commits. Provide post product launch analysis and future product launch recommendation.Works closely with all AP/China markets to understand the market needs. Be responsible for the feedback/questions from local markets regarding new and current product development projects. Advises each market in the development of their product mix, pricing, category assessment, launch plans. Must be able to respond to and manage divergent requests and points-of-view to lead to an aligned solution. Communications skills should be advanced to manage complexity of working across cultures and departments.Support Director, Product Marketing to manage AP/China product launch calendar planning, development of region product strategy, region pricing, sampling strategies, promotion strategies, regional SKU management and SKU rationalization, local market product/concept research planning and post launch analysis. Provide the necessary analysis and recommendation to gain approval and alignment and proceed to execution. Conducts competitive analysis for products and research to report on market trends and industry best practices.Acts as liaison for the Promotional and RL Forecasting and Analysis process. Consult markets on forecast, pricing, promotions, and margin management during NPD and promotional forecasting process. Proactively seeks feedback from markets and Dallas-based partners to strengthen and improve processes especially related to managing excess inventory. Oversees periodic SKU audits and then analyzes and manages phase-out plans to minimize obsolescence prior to ordering new products. Ensures product assortments are in accordance with established regional objectives & strategies.Partners with Corporate Brand Development and other Corp functions team to identify communication efficiency between Region and Corporate and implement cross-functional New Product Development process improvements that will accelerate product commercialization and the reduction of non-value-added costs; evaluates and facilitates resolution of problem activities. Provide training and coaching to marketing associates and/or administrative support.Knowledge, Skills And AbilitiesEducation:

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business administration or related field (MBA preferred)Experience:

Minimum 6-10 years of relevant Skincare / personal care / beauty / fragrance experience in product development, product marketing development / management, participating in the development of global product marketing management plans. Relevant international experience coupled with Asia Pacific experience required. Nutrition Category experience is a bonus.Must have an understanding of Mary Kay Asia Pacific markets, Mary Kay’s manufacturing operations worldwide, and other cultures. Knowledge of Mary Kay products, project processes, and business fundamentals is critical.Proven track record of product development management required to lead the tactical aspects of the product marketing cycle from product plan through product commercialization and end-market launch. Must demonstrate a high level of problem solving, planning and negotiating skill.Excellent communication skills required to establish credibility and form business partnerships with clients locally and globally, to provide clear product/brand positioning, and to exchange information with individuals at various levels of the organization. Must be strong, assertive personality balanced with a respect for others.Must be a strategic thinker with a broad perspective and, at the same time, demonstrate an acute attention to detail and the ability to execute flawlessly.Must have the ability to perform duties under general direction and independently perform assignments with only general criteria for expected results and possess a high level of time and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and tasks under pressure.Must be able to work across time zone of regional (AP) and global (Dallas TX, USA) times.Travel required up to 15% of time in order to visit Asia Pacific region for the regional meeting and market study, attend special events to include; beauty and marketing trend seminars.Strong verbal and written skills needed both local in-market (Mandarin preferred) language and excellent in English language.

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