Product Manager - Blood Safety Solutions at Roche Kenya

The Position

Roche Diagnostics is seeking a Product Manager in Kenya to communicate and implement the ideal product strategy for the allocated product portfolio taking into account market intelligence and trends, in order to ensure optimum positioning, profitability and growth.  The role involves working with external partners and stakeholders to form strategic alliances for maximum market penetration.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy

• Contribute to the development of the product marketing plan for the specific products, by managing the product life cycle, collaborating with relevant departments, gathering information, aligning with corporate objectives and implementing as required.
• Generate and implement new business concepts aimed at supporting and growing specific product sales by gathering information, analyzing data and submitting for approval. 
• Respond timeously to market dynamics by tracking trends, identifying risks and opportunities, developing proactive solutions and implementing in time to minimize risks and optimize opportunities.

Product Communication and Implementation

• Disperse product specific information to the relevant internal and external stakeholders in order to support the various business processes (promotional materials and communication) by identifying appropriate platforms, aligning with internal team and distributing as agreed.
• Implement training on product specific information by preparing the materials, conducting the training with the sales team, providing oversight and support to the sales team for training roll out and to track roll out of the training and feedback.
• Coordinate the internal knowledge sharing and notification on any product issues or developments identified by gathering information, drafting and distributing communication and distributing.
• Manage all marketing, promotional (including budget) and pricing related issues for each product by receiving information, aligning with relevant teams, providing inputs and implementing when approved.
• Provide marketing support (promotional materials, strategy, etc.) and advice to the Sales department in order to achieve the specific sales targets set for the various products by receiving requests and providing information/detail aids.
• Maintain accurate understanding and knowledge of market trends and competitor activities by sharing and receiving information from various internal and external stakeholders on an ongoing basis.
• Monitor the effectiveness and appropriateness of the marketing plan and on-going achievement of the set sales targets by interacting and liaising with the Sales Manager and Sales Representatives, gathering feedback, interpreting and amending plan.
• Implement product tactics (such as workshops, conferences, marketing events etc.) in conjunction with the Sales teams by participating in brainstorming, leading the planning and managing the roll out of the product tactics activities.
• Manage the Advertising Agency or similar by providing latest product information, briefing updates and enhancements, defining delivery deadlines and coordinating that deliverables are received as budgeted, specified and within deadline.
• Track the effectiveness of marketing plan implementation by conducting regular customer feedback evaluations on product applications, evaluating the feedback and providing information to the relevant internal, global structures and / or customers.
• Draft reports by collecting required information, drafting the inputs and submitting for discussion monthly.
• Develop awareness and knowledge of Roche products and service offerings with potential customers for the allocated product portfolio through direct engagements and customer presentations. 

Demand Planning

• Complete ongoing life cycle product management (e.g. forecasting of launch products, phase in / phase out, evaluations etc.) by coordinating and liaising with Medical, Market Access, Regulatory Affairs, Supply Chain, Finance and Technical departments to understand needs and priorities.
• Work with Demand Planners to manage demand planning for products by completing stock level reviews, preparing forecasts and communicating with the relevant stakeholders monthly and quarterly.
• Manage bottlenecks and stock-outs by reviewing marketing notifications and engaging with Global, identifying solutions and managing the implementation of the solutions with the relevant stakeholders.

Stakeholder Management

• Be the commercial contact and/or liaison for Roche Diagnostics with the international Roche group relating to any product specific aspects and market/competitor trends by receiving questions and providing answers.
• Resolve stakeholder queries and complaints related to the specific products by receiving query, referring to relevant departments for input, resolving (when applicable) and providing feedback timeously.
• Build and maintain a strong network of brand advocates by identifying, developing, educating, conducting discussion groups and building mutually supportive relationships.
• Build a strong network and support structure to meet the overall product objectives by maintaining internal relationships with relevant departments at all times.

Legal Compliance

• To manage full compliance and support of the corporate culture and ethics of all product management activities by maintaining expertise, abiding with compliance requirements, managing compliance and communicating legal and compliance requirements at all times.

You, as an ideal candidate, will have the following skills, experience and education:

• Qualifications: Degree in a relevant field (Pharma, Life Sciences etc.)
• Experience: At least 4 years product management / sales / marketing experience in the Pharmaceutical or Diagnostics industry, ideally in the IVD space.