Position Summary:We are seeking a Product Manager to lead the direction, performance, and lifecycle management of Class 1 forklift truck portfolio and Energy Systems for the North American market. This role is responsible for executing the full product lifecycle from market analysis and product information to portfolio optimization. You'll collaborate with global and regional in executing regional product strategy, driving commercial success, and ensuring alignment with global product development initiatives.
The ideal candidate brings expertise in industrial equipment, electrification, and/or energy systems, and has a proven track record of translating market insights into profitable, customer-centric product strategies. This role operates as a key bridge between regional market needs and global product development teams
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:- Product & Portfolio Execution
- Own the end-to-end product lifecycle management of assigned product lines in North America.
- Manage the assigned product roadmap ensuring alignment with global strategy while tailoring to North American customer and regulatory requirements.
- Manage product launches, updates, and enhancements in the region.
- Own portfolio optimization includes, but not limited to, product positioning, pricing strategy, and lifecycle decisions.
Market & Business Insight
- Lead market, competitor, and customer analysis to identify growth opportunities and emerging trends (e.g., electrification, automation, lithium-ion adoption).
- Translate insights into business cases, product requirements, and investment priorities informing and contributing to product development decisions.
- Partner with Sales and Marketing leadership to support go-to-market strategies, value propositions, and commercial targets.
Cross-Functional & Global Collaboration
- Manage cross-functional alignment across Sales, Service, Marketing, Engineering, and Finance to ensure successful product launches and lifecycle execution.
- Act as subject matter expert to senior leadership and global team on assigned product portfolio performance and market dynamics
- Partner with global teams to translate regional needs into requirements
- Serve as the primary regional interface with global product management and engineering teams on assigned products, influencing product development based on North American market demands.
Product Development & Execution
- Manage requirements definition and product shaping, ensuring alignment with customer needs and commercial priorities.
- Manage product launches, including readiness across training, service, documentation, and sales enablement.
- Monitor product performance, KPIs, and customer feedback to drive continuous improvement and innovation.
Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure all products comply with ANSI/ITSDF, OSHA, and North American regulatory standards.
- Proactively identify risks related to safety, compliance, and product performance, and implement mitigation strategies.
Qualifications/Experience:- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Product Management, Business Administration (with technical focus), Engineering, or equivalent experience in a related field.
- 8+ years of progressive experience in Product Management or Technical Commercial roles within industrial equipment, material handling, or related sectors.
- Proven track record of managing product portfolios and delivering measurable business outcomes (revenue growth, margin improvement, market share).
- Experience working in a global matrix organization with strong influence across cross-functional teams.
- Strong knowledge of forklift truck products (Class 1 strongly preferred), electrification, battery technologies, or adjacent industrial systems.
- Understanding of ITA classifications, OSHA standards, and North American regulatory requirements.
- Experience with energy systems, lithium-ion batteries, or EV technologies is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated ability to execute product strategy and influence stakeholders across complex organizations.
- Skilled in building business cases, financial modeling, and investment prioritization.
- Strong stakeholder management with the ability to operate effectively at both executive and operational levels.
