Product Development Specialist

Key Responsibilities 1. Market Research & Opportunity Identification - Monitor industry developments, market trends, customer requirements, emerging technologies and competitor activities relevant to the Company's business. - Conduct independent research to identify potential product categories, applications, suppliers and market opportunities. - Identify customer pain points and unmet market needs that may present opportunities for new products or solutions. - Assess market demand, competitive positioning and potential commercial opportunities. - Develop and maintain a pipeline of potential product development opportunities. - Present relevant findings and recommendations to management. 2. Product Development & Evaluation - Identify and evaluate new products, technologies and product improvements for potential introduction into the Company's portfolio. - Assess product suitability based on technical requirements, customer applications, market demand, pricing and supplier availability. - Conduct product research and benchmarking against competing products and solutions. - Work with Procurement and suppliers to identify suitable sourcing options. - Evaluate product samples, specifications, certifications and technical documentation where applicable. - Recommend whether products should be introduced, developed further, repositioned or discontinued. - Support product testing, evaluation and validation where required. 3. Commercial Product Proposals - Prepare structured product proposals for management consideration, including where relevant: Product description and key features, Technical specifications and application, Target customer segments and market applications, Market demand and opportunity assessment, Competitor and alternative-product comparison, Supplier and sourcing options, Product costing and landed-cost considerations, Recommended selling price and margin projections, Expected commercial potential, Initial launch and go-to-market considerations, Key risks, assumptions and implementation requirements. - Present product proposals and recommendations to management and relevant stakeholders. - Support management in evaluating the commercial viability and strategic fit of proposed products. 4. Customer Technical Solutions - Engage with customers to understand operational challenges, application requirements and technical needs. - Identify appropriate products or combinations of products to address customer requirements. - Conduct product and technical research to develop suitable solutions. - Prepare technical proposals, product recommendations and supporting materials. - Coordinate internally with Sales, Procurement and Operations to develop and deliver customer solutions. - Participate in customer meetings and site visits where technical explanation, product assessment or solution development is required. - Present product and solution recommendations to customers in a clear and commercially relevant manner. - Provide technical clarification and troubleshooting support during the sales process. - Follow up on technical solution cases and gather customer feedback for further product development. 5. Sales & Business Development Support - Work closely with Sales to identify opportunities where technical or product expertise can strengthen customer engagement. - Support Sales teams with product selection, technical information, product comparisons and proposal preparation. - Assist Sales in addressing customer technical questions and product objections. - Participate in joint customer visits where required. - Identify opportunities to cross-sell, up-sell or introduce alternative products based on customer requirements. - Provide technical input to support the conversion of qualified opportunities into sales. 6. Product Catalogue & Lifecycle Management - Review the Company's product portfolio regularly to assess relevance, competitiveness and commercial performance. - Identify products that are underperforming, obsolete, duplicated or no longer commercially viable. - Recommend products for introduction, repositioning, replacement or phase-out. - Identify gaps within existing product categories and recommend potential additions. - Support product catalogue optimisation and rationalisation. - Ensure product information, specifications and application details remain accurate and up to date. - Work with relevant internal teams to ensure new products are properly introduced into internal systems, catalogues and sales materials. 7. Supplier & Internal Coordination - Work with Procurement to identify, assess and engage potential suppliers for new product opportunities. - Obtain and evaluate product specifications, quotations, samples and technical documentation. - Coordinate with suppliers and principals on product information, technical requirements and commercial considerations. - Work with Operations to assess logistics, storage, handling and fulfilment requirements for new products. - Coordinate with Sales to understand market demand and customer requirements. - Ensure relevant stakeholders are aligned throughout the product development and launch process. 8. Product Launch & Implementation - Support the planning and execution of new product launches. - Coordinate product information, samples, sales materials, pricing and other launch requirements. - Work with Sales and Marketing to communicate product applications and value propositions. - Support internal product briefings and training for Sales and relevant teams. - Monitor initial market response and customer feedback following product introduction. - Recommend adjustments to product positioning, pricing or application strategy based on market feedback. 9. Analysis, Reporting & Continuous Improvement - Maintain records of product opportunities, evaluations, proposals and development status. - Prepare regular updates and reports for management on product development activities. - Track the progress and commercial outcomes of approved product initiatives. - Analyse product performance, margins, customer feedback and market response. - Identify opportunities to improve product selection, pricing, sourcing and portfolio performance. - Continuously research new technologies, products and applications relevant to the Company's business. Key Requirements - Diploma or Degree in Engineering, Business, Product Development, Supply Chain, or a related discipline. - Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in product development, technical sales, engineering products, industrial products, solution sales or a related commercial/technical environment. - Strong understanding of product evaluation, market research and commercial feasibility. - Ability to independently research products, markets and technical information. - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. - Ability to evaluate product costing, pricing and margin considerations. - Good understanding of customer needs and commercial decision-making. - Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain technical information to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. - Good stakeholder-management skills and ability to work across Sales, Procurement, Operations and external parties. - Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint. - Able to work independently, manage multiple opportunities and take ownership from initial research through to implementation. - Commercially minded, proactive and comfortable making recommendations based on research and analysis. Advantageous - Experience in industrial, engineering, tools, hardware, equipment, MRO or technical product environments. - Experience working with distributors, manufacturers, principals or suppliers. - Experience in technical sales or customer solution development. - Experience evaluating products from overseas suppliers. - Familiarity with product costing, landed costs, margins and pricing structures. - Experience with product lifecycle management or catalogue rationalisation. - Experience with ERP or product management systems. - Technical knowledge relevant to industrial products, equipment or applications.