Product Manager Mitsubishi

Astara: Global Mobility for a World on the Move 🚀

At Astara, we’ve been redefining mobility for over 40 years, connecting people with cutting-edge technology and staying one step ahead. Today, with operations in 19 countries, annual revenues exceeding 5 billion euros, and a diverse team of 3,000+ people from 50 nationalities, we lead the way in automotive distribution and innovative mobility services. We are committed to sustainability, offering environmentally friendly solutions for a cleaner and more responsible future.

Our portfolio goes far beyond vehicles: we offer flexible mobility solutions including ownership, subscription, and B2B/B2C services, all powered by our own digital platform. With a culture that values diversity and talent, Astara offers a collaborative, inclusive environment where you can grow and make an impact.

Are you ready to join a company driving the future of mobility? At Astara, your ideas and talent move us forward!

The Role

The overall mission of a Product Manager is to align the product lineup with market demands, optimize the vehicle portfolio for profitability and growth, and ensure that each product contributes to the company’s success. This involves a mix of market research, strategic planning, product development, and ongoing collaboration with manufacturers, sales team, and marketing department. The Product Manager’s ultimate goal is to offer vehicles that meet customer needs, are competitive in the market, and drive revenue and brand success for the company.

Main Functions/Responsibilities

• Product Strategy and Planning
• Market Analysis: Conduct market research to understand consumer trends, preferences, competitor activities, and regional demands to inform product decisions.
• Product Line Planning: Define the product lineup based on market needs, ensuring the selection of the right models, trims, features, and specifications that will resonate with the local audience.
• Strategic Alignment: Align product offerings with the company’s overall business objectives, ensuring that the imported vehicles meet sales, revenue, and brand goals.
• Product Lifecycle Management
• Product Introduction: Oversee the entire product lifecycle, from launch to discontinuation, ensuring each phase is planned and executed effectively.
• New Model Launches: Manage the introduction of new models, coordinating with sales, marketing, and supply chain teams to ensure successful market entry.
• Product Refreshes: Plan and execute updates or refreshes for existing models, introducing new features, design elements, or technologies to keep the product competitive.
• Pricing and Profitability
• Pricing Strategy: Develop competitive pricing strategies for each model, balancing affordability, profitability, and market positioning. This involves understanding factors like import costs, taxes, and competitors' pricing.
• Revenue Management: Ensure that each product contributes to the company’s revenue and profit targets. This involves working with finance and sales teams to optimize profitability while staying competitive in the market.
• Product Customization and Configuration
• Localization of Products: Adapt the imported vehicles to meet local market requirements, whether it’s adjusting for regulatory standards, customer preferences, or climate. This could include offering specific features, configurations, or colors that appeal to local customers.
• Customizing Offerings: Work with manufacturers to ensure that the product lineup reflects local demand, offering various configurations, trims, or special editions that are unique to the market.
• Product Positioning and Marketing Support
• Product Messaging: Define clear product positioning and messaging that communicates the unique selling points (USPs) of each vehicle. This helps guide marketing campaigns, advertising, and sales presentations.
• Competitive Positioning: Analyze competitor products and create strategies that highlight how the imported vehicles are superior or offer unique advantages.
• Supporting Marketing Campaigns: Collaborate with the marketing team to develop campaigns that effectively showcase the product’s features, value, and benefits to the target audience.
• Collaboration with Manufacturers
• Liaison with Manufacturers: Act as the primary point of contact between the car manufacturer and the importing company. The Product Manager works closely with manufacturers to ensure timely deliveries, product quality, and that models meet regional requirements.
• Negotiating Product Features: Negotiate and influence which features or models are made available for the local market, based on customer preferences and demand data.
• Sales Support and Dealer Training
• Supporting the Sales Team: Provide the sales team with all necessary product knowledge, including features, specifications, competitive advantages, and key selling points.
• Dealer Training: Ensure that dealerships are well-trained and equipped to sell the vehicles, providing detailed product information and sales strategies. The Product Manager ensures that dealers understand how to present the vehicle’s features and benefits to potential customers.
• Customer Feedback and Continuous Improvement
• Gathering Feedback: Collect feedback from customers, dealerships, and the market to understand product performance, areas for improvement, and unmet needs.
• Product Adjustments: Use customer and market feedback to influence future product changes, adjustments, or the introduction of new features, ensuring the product remains competitive and desirable.
• Regulatory and Compliance Management
• Compliance with Local Regulations: Ensure that all vehicles meet local regulatory standards, including emissions, safety, and other legal requirements.
• Adapting Products to Regulations: Work with the manufacturer to modify vehicles as necessary to comply with regional laws and environmental standards.
• Technology and Innovation Integration
• Monitoring Automotive Trends: Stay on top of global automotive trends, including electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous driving, connectivity features, and other technological advancements.
• Integrating Innovation: Advocate for the inclusion of innovative features that meet local market demand, positioning the company as a leader in automotive technology.
• Inventory and Supply Chain Coordination
• Demand Forecasting: Analyze demand trends to make informed decisions about inventory levels and ensure a proper supply of vehicles to meet market demand.
• Coordination with Supply Chain: Work closely with the supply chain and logistics teams to ensure that the right models, trims, and configurations are delivered on time, minimizing delays and stock shortages.
• Environmental and Sustainability Considerations
• Promoting Sustainable Models: Promote environmentally friendly models, such as electric vehicles or hybrids, in line with the growing demand for green mobility solutions.
• Sustainability Messaging: Ensure that the company’s sustainability efforts are part of the product's value proposition, helping to attract environmentally-conscious consumers
  
  

ESSENTIAL KPI's

• Sales Performance KPIs
• Units Sold: The total number of vehicles sold over a specific period, segmented by model or product line.
• Market Share: The percentage of total vehicle sales captured by the company's imports in the local market compared to competitors.
• Sales Growth Rate: Year-over-year or quarter-over-quarter growth in vehicle sales to measure overall business expansion.
• Sales Forecast Accuracy: How closely actual sales align with projected sales, reflecting accurate market predictions and planning.
• Profitability KPIs
• Gross Margin per Unit: The profit earned on each car sold after accounting for the costs of importing, local adaptation, and other expenses.
• Product Line Profitability: Total profitability generated by the product portfolio, measuring the financial success of each car model or variant.
• Average Transaction Price: The average selling price of vehicles, indicating the effectiveness of pricing strategy in maximizing revenue while staying competitive.
• Inventory and Supply Chain KPIs
• Inventory Turnover: How quickly vehicles move through inventory, indicating the balance between supply and demand.
• Days Inventory Outstanding (DIO): The average number of days vehicles remain in stock before being sold, a key metric in optimizing stock levels and reducing holding costs.
• Lead Time for Vehicle Delivery: The time taken from vehicle order to delivery, assessing supply chain efficiency and importation processes.
• Customer and Market Satisfaction KPIs
• Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) or Net Promoter Score (NPS): Feedback from customers about their satisfaction with the vehicles, services, and overall product experience.
• New Product Introduction Success: The market reception of newly introduced models, including the success of launch campaigns and initial sales performance.
• Feature Adoption Rate: Measures how well new features or options are accepted by the local market, reflecting the effectiveness of product customization and localization.
• Pricing and Competitiveness KPIs
• Price Competitiveness: The pricing of imported vehicles relative to competitors, tracked through competitive analysis and market surveys.
• Discounts and Incentive Utilization: The effectiveness and impact of discounts, rebates, and promotions in driving sales without eroding margins too much.
• Regulatory and Compliance KPIs Are you ready to embrace the challenge?