The product manager (“PM”) will be responsible for marketing several new and/or existing Gowan branded products. The PM is the lead resource for everything related to regional EMEA products, including marketing, supply chain, development, regulatory, and sales support. The PM plans and coordinates other groups within the organization to source the information necessary to develop and execute in three main areas: 1. Product Management; 2. Project Management; and 3. Portfolio Management.
Product Management: Creation of marketing plans which include pricing strategy, regional communication strategy, product specifications, and product positioning. They must develop familiarity with the markets and competitive products to support their plans. The PM is responsible for educating the commercial country groups on differentiation and developing clear brand benefit messaging. The Product Manager has bottom-line total profit contribution responsibility for his or her assigned products.
Project Management: In addition, the PM is responsible for the management of assigned AIDE projects, which may include the registration and launch of new products, label/crop/geographic expansion for existing products, and the creation of new formulations or brands for the portfolio. The PM is responsible for the stewardship of these strategic initiatives from inception to completion.
Portfolio Strategy: Finally, the PM is tasked with creating, implementing, and maintaining strategic initiatives to refresh and expand the regional portfolio. Such initiatives may drive the inclusion of new classes of offerings such as biocontrol, biostimulants, or seed treatments. Other initiatives may involve the winding up of certain assets or products such as product range exercises, rationalizations, or wind-down exercises. The PM should interface with global asset teams in all aspects of longer-term strategy related to the regional portfolio.
The PM reports to the Head of Marketing and Development for the region and will work closely with the EMEA development team and other functional stakeholders (i.e. sales, regulatory, finance, supply, etc.).
Examples of Duties:
- GENERAL DUTIES:
- Originator/Builder of vision and strategic plan for products, projects, and associated active ingredients for Region EMEA.
- Decision maker for all the strategic & operational activities related to their assigned products and projects in the region.
- Coordinator of all the necessary tasks supporting product lifecycle
- Provide active communication and a link to the global office and supporting functions in Yuma/Gowan
- Ensure that EMEA specificities are taken into consideration into the overall active ingredient strategy.
- To coordinate/implement Global product strategies.
- To coordinate activities between Production, Regulatory, Development, Sales & Marketing activities at EMEA and local level.
- To support the Head of Marketing and Development to build and maintain regional activities & negotiations with 3rd parties.
- To build a project management platform and coordinate the project team and lead the project to completion.
- The EUMEA PM will establish and maintain a product P&L, ensuring the long-term profitability of our regional portfolio.
- SPECIFIC DUTIES:
- Establish guidelines for appropriate product positioning and pricing across the territory, taking costs into account to optimize the returns on the asset.
- Identify further marketing and sales opportunities for the specific Gowan product assets in the territory, including mixtures, new crops, and new pests.
- Support product development efforts in the territory by establishing market potential for all uses of the asset so that all Annex 3 submissions have a business justification.
- For all mixtures for which adequate market potential has been demonstrated, plan, lead and coordinate the development of the mixture including negotiating the acquisition of rights to the mixture partner on the best possible terms. As supporter of 3rd party manager
- Provide technical support and information in the territory, with assistance from development colleagues.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Degree in Marketing, Biological Sciences, Agriculture/Agronomy OR
- Equivalent field experience and familiarity with crop protection products.
The Ideal Candidate:
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Experience with project analysis, costing, and budgeting
- Knowledge of market strategy, segmentation, and positioning.
- Comfortable presenting to audiences of different sizes.
- Experience launching new products or rejuvenating existing products.
- A mix of specialty and broad acre crop production knowledge.
- Entrepreneurial attitude.
- Ability to work with others to build consensus.
- Advanced Microsoft Office skills.
- Willingness to travel up to 30% to visit Gowan EMEA sales group and customers; primarily domestic travel.
What We Do
Gowan Company is a Yuma, AZ-based, family-owned company that has evolved into a global player in the agricultural input industry. Over 50 years ago, Jon Jessen began his venture working in the fields alongside farmers to help them identify, and solve pest problems that threatened to compromise the health of their crops and their livelihood.
Today, the Gowan Group employs over 950 employees globally with entities in 11 countries including France, Italy, Spain, UK, Canada, and Mexico. The company’s products and services include crop protection products (insecticides, fungicides, etc.) as well as seeds and fertilizers. Contract formulation, manufacturing, and warehousing are also included in the comprehensive suite of products and services provided by Gowan. Based on recent sales growth over the past 5 years, Phillips McDougall has cited Gowan Company as one of the fastest growing agrochemical companies in the world.
Gowan employees are proud to be a part of this family-owned tribe, working together towards a common goal. Weekly “happy half hour” celebrations on Friday, monthly company luncheons, profit-sharing bonuses, excellent benefits, and many other perks make Gowan a truly great place to work.
