Global Product Manager

About Us:

Founded in 1966, Niterra North America, Inc. (formerly NGK Spark Plugs) is a global leader in spark plug and oxygen sensor design, driven by technology, innovation, and world-class quality. Today, that tradition continues as we transform our organization’s portfolio, expand our core ceramic technologies, explore capabilities beyond traditional areas, and challenge ourselves to develop solutions and services that leverage technology to address social issues while contributing to a sustainable society.

Summary:

The Global Product Manager leads global new product development for assigned aftermarket product lines, from opportunity identification and concept validation through commercialization and launch, with a focus on multi-year strategy. This role builds a forward-looking product pipeline based on global market trends, develops business cases and launch plans, and owns revenue, gross profit, market coverage, and release-velocity targets. As the primary program liaison among global headquarters, regional business units, technical centers, and functional teams, the Global Product Manager drives new products from development through ongoing lifecycle management across multiple global regions.

Classification: Salary, Exempt

Salary Range: $130,000-$145,000 per year

Work Model: Hybrid for candidates within commuting distance of Wixom, MI; 100% Remote for US-based candidates outside the area.

Responsibilities:

• Lead global new product program development for assigned product lines, from opportunity identification and concept validation through commercialization and launch execution, with a focus on multi-year strategy.
• Research and prioritize global market trends related to new products, technologies, applications, and market opportunities across applicable regions to build a forward-looking product development pipeline.
• Achieve target expansion revenues for global product lines (e.g., 5B JPY pipeline targets) across key global markets.
• Maintain a predictable release velocity, targeting one major global new product line launch every two years, on time and within budget.
• Meet 3-year and 5-year post-launch gross profit targets and absolute margin expectations.
• Drive gap coverage to target levels (e.g., >65% total market coverage) and ensure catalog findability and fill-rate alignment with Supply Chain.
• Establish processes to evaluate market opportunities, technology, competitive gaps, customer needs, technical feasibility, sourcing options, and financial viability for proposed new product programs.
• Build and maintain new product program plans, business cases, timelines, launch milestones, and documentation for global and regional markets.
• Define launch support requirements, technical training needs, digital content, and commercialization materials for new product introductions in partnership with regional teams.
• Provide technical leadership to regional sales teams and internal departments during new product validation, launch preparation, and market introduction.
• Produce competitive, customer, pricing, and positioning analysis to support new product program recommendations and launch decisions.
• Develop new product positioning, feature-and-benefit messaging, value propositions, and launch training for sales teams, customers, distributors, and internal stakeholders across markets.
• Serve as the primary program liaison among global headquarters, regional business units, technical centers, sourcing, and functional departments to advance new product requirements and resolve launch barriers.
• Manage new product development programs and related workstreams, including application research, feasibility reviews, competitive analysis, catalog data readiness, pricing input, sourcing coordination, launch schedules, and stage-gate reporting.
• Coordinate required departments across regions to enable new part setup, launch readiness, production availability, and go-to-market execution.
• Oversee post-launch handoff activities, performance tracking, lessons learned, and transition plans to ensure new products move effectively from program development into ongoing lifecycle management.
• Deliver new product introductions on time, within approved budgets, and in alignment with agreed program objectives, launch criteria, and regional market needs.
• Monitor New Part Number Introductions (NPI) and rationalize slow-moving parts, including leading the application research and validation needed to define new product coverage (gap coverage), fitment, specifications, and launch scope.
• Benchmark key competitors on an ongoing basis to ensure we maintain our target value proposition.
• Consolidate demand forecasting to help supply chain management teams achieve optimized inventory levels.
• Complete other tasks and projects as assigned to further personal development or meet department objectives.
• Adhere to all company policies and procedures as applicable.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of total product management experience, including 5+ years in automotive aftermarket product strategy, new product development, and multi-region commercial launches.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Engineering, Automotive Technology, or a related discipline; equivalent global aftermarket experience considered.
• Experience with cataloging and industry standards (ACES, PIES, TecDoc) and catalog management platforms (PIMS).
• Proven track record of executing stage-gate discipline, developing business cases, and managing strategic cross-functional programs using collaboration tools (e.g., Asana, SAP, QlikView, Google Workspace).
• Strong technical comprehension of vehicle systems and automotive component lifecycles.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills, with demonstrated multicultural diplomacy across global business units in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, as well as global headquarters in Japan.
• Flexibility to join early-morning and evening meetings across global time zones (Europe, Japan, Australia).
• Fluency in Japanese or German preferred.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment:

This role requires domestic and international business travel (up to 15%), operating a vehicle, lifting up to 40 lbs., and working around normal office and travel-related hazards.

What We Offer:

• Comprehensive Health Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• Financial Security: Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with a generous company match of up to 6%.
• Time Off: Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Work-Life Balance: Paid maternity and paternity leave.
• And much more!

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Niterra is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

Notice to Staffing Firms:

Niterra does not seek or accept unsolicited resumes or CVs from recruitment agencies. We are not responsible for, and will not pay, any fees, commissions, or other payments related to unsolicited resumes or CVs, except as required by a written contract between Niterra and the recruitment agency or party requesting payment of a fee.

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