Product Manager- Chicago, IL

The Product Manager is responsible for the strategy, positioning, and lifecycle management of quarry / mining equipment, with a focus on hydraulic excavators 65 tons and up. This role combines product management and commercial execution to drive market success through data-driven insights, competitive analysis, and cross-functional alignment.

Partnering closely with Sales, Engineering, Service, Parts, and Komatsu's distributor networks, the role leads product direction, new product introductions / go-to-market execution, while maintaining product competitiveness through the continuous introduction of feature improvements. It also translates customer and field insights into differentiated product strategies and effective sales enablement.

Through hands-on product demonstrations, competitive evaluations, and sales enablement programs, the Product Manager plays a critical role in enabling and supporting the broader organization while strengthening the market position of the assigned products. The role requires approximately 30% travel to engage directly with customers, distributors, and internal stakeholders, ensuring alignment, gathering real-world insights, and driving continuous product improvement and growth.

1. Own product strategy and performance analysis
   Support leadership by developing market analysis reports and product strategies, including a comprehensive analysis of sales performance, profitability, market dynamics, competitive landscape, and achievement against goals. Translate insights into clear product roadmaps and prioritized initiatives for the upcoming year.
2. Drive competitive positioning and pricing strategy
   Lead in-depth competitive analysis, including SWOT and pricing studies, to identify market gaps and opportunities. Define and recommend strategic actions to strengthen product positioning, increase market share, and improve margin performance.
3. Lead cross-functional product launches and continuous feature improvements
   Own the end-to-end execution of new product introductions, ensuring alignment across Sales, Engineering, Service, Parts, Training and distribution. Drive launch readiness through clear positioning, messaging, sales enablement, and go-to-market planning to ensure successful adoption and sales performance, while continuously advancing product competitiveness through coordinated feature enhancements and improvements.
4. Act as the subject matter expert and provide technical sales support across the organization
   Deliver targeted product training and provide technical sales support to internal teams and distributor partners through demonstrations, customer engagement, and application guidance to drive sales effectiveness and profitability.
5. Develop and maintain effective sales tools and enablement content
   Support development and continuous enhancement of a comprehensive suite of sales enablement tools and promotional materials to support internal training and distributor/customer engagement. This includes sales brochures, specification sheets, product bulletins, competitive comparisons, technical documentation, videos, and other marketing assets. Additionally, support content development and execution for trade shows, conventions, and demonstration events.
6. Incorporate customer and market insights into product decisions
   Lead structured customer feedback loops, including surveys, field visits, and usage analysis, to uncover unmet needs, emerging trends, and competitive threats. Convert insights into actionable product improvements and innovation opportunities.
7. Drive continuous product improvement and lifecycle management
   Identify and build business cases for product enhancements, cost optimizations, feature upgrades, or portfolio rationalization. Prioritize initiatives based on ROI, customer impact, and strategic alignment.

1. University degree (B.S./B.A.) in fields of Engineering, Technical discipline, or Business is required. Advanced degree (MBA) is beneficial but not required.
2. 4-8 years of experience in product management / support, sales, or marketing in construction/mining industry, equipment supplier or dealer. Field experience will be considered a strong asset.
3. Demonstrated strong leadership skills with the ability to influence and align with cross-functional stakeholders. Experience leading or supporting product launches, training initiatives, and strategic programs.
4. Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to deliver compelling presentations, product demonstrations, and training sessions to diverse audiences, including leadership, customers, and distributor partners.
5. Strong understanding of equipment applications and customer workflows, with the ability to communicate technical concepts clearly and position product value effectively in real-world scenarios.
6. Highly organized and efficient time manager, especially relating to optimizing travel and customer/product visits with other work responsibilities.
7. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and relevant product or application tools.
8. Willingness and ability to travel (30%) to support customer visits, field validation, distributor engagement, product demonstrations, and internal collaboration.

Will consider candidates that have transferable skills that meets the requirements of a Product Specialist, or Product Marketing Manager level position.