Product Manager - Oval Dirt

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2023, Continental generated preliminary sales of €41.4 billion and currently employs around 200,000 people in 56 countries and markets. 

Tire solutions from the Tires group sector make mobility safer, smarter, and more sustainable. Its premium portfolio encompasses car, truck, bus, two-wheel, and specialty tires as well as smart solutions and services for fleets and tire retailers. Continental delivers top performance for more than 150 years and is one of the world’s largest tire manufacturers. In fiscal 2023, the Tires group sector generated sales of 14 billion euros. Continental's tire sector employs more than 56,000 people worldwide and has 20 production and 16 development sites. Are you ready to shape the future with us? 

Hoosier Racing Tire, the largest race tire manufacturer in the world, has continually promoted passion, pride, and success in the racing industry since 1957. Based in Plymouth, Ind. their state-of-the-art facility, including a fully integrated technology and R&D center, is solely dedicated to engineering, designing, supporting, and manufacturing the over 1,000 different types of racing and high-performance tires currently produced. Instilled with the heritage of champions, Hoosier utilizes a model sales and distribution network to deliver winning results globally. Hoosier Racing Tire is a 100% subsidiary of Continental AG. 

The Product Manager Oval Dirt is responsible for managing the Oval Dirt product portfolio throughout its lifecycle. This role requires significant technical knowledge of Oval Dirt racing and extensive collaboration with plant engineering, compounding, and R&D teams. The Product Manager will perform benchmarking, monitor technical performance in the field, and work closely with the Technical Customer Service Manager to resolve customer complaints. This position involves frequent travel and active participation in seminars, training sessions, and tradeshows.

Key Responsibilities:

• Product Lifecycle Management: Oversee the entire lifecycle of the Oval Dirt product portfolio, from development to market introduction and phase-out.
• Technical Expertise: Maintain significant technical knowledge of the Oval Dirt product lines to effectively collaborate with plant engineering, compounding, and R&D teams.
• Field Performance Monitoring: Execute benchmarking and monitor the technical performance of products in the field, requiring extensive travel.
• Customer Support: Collaborate with the Technical Customer Service Manager to address and resolve customer complaints efficiently.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with the Sales Department to understand customer needs and with Marketing to coordinate product rollouts.
• Market Analysis: Conduct market analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and competitive threats.
• Product Improvement: Identify opportunities for product improvements and work with R&D and engineering to implement changes.
• Stakeholder Communication: Communicate effectively with stakeholders to ensure alignment on product strategies and objectives.
• Event Participation: Represent the company at industry seminars, training sessions, and tradeshows.

The successful candidate will possess the following skills: 

• Strong technical background and understanding of product engineering.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong project management abilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a cross-functional team.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field. 
• Willingness to travel up to 50% during peak race season. Travel will include evenings and weekends.
• Minimum of 3+ years of experience in product management and/or exposure, preferably in a technical or manufacturing environment.
  • 5+ years experience preferred, 7+ years without Bachelor's degree

Working Conditions:

• Office environment with standard business hours.
• Frequent travel to race events, customer sites, manufacturing facilities, and industry events.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

EEO-Statement:

EEO / Disabled / Protected Veteran Employer. Continental offers equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals, without regard to unlawful consideration to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. In addition, as a federal contractor, Continental complies with government regulations, including affirmative action responsibilities for qualified individuals with a disability and protected veterans, where they apply. To be considered, you must apply for a specific position for which Continental has a current posted job opening. Qualifying applications will be considered only for the specific opening(s) to which you apply. If you would like to be considered for additional or future job openings, we encourage you to reapply for other opportunities as they become available. Further, Continental provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with a disability. If you need assistance in the application process, please reply to [email protected] or contact US Recruiting at 248.393.5566. This telephone line and email address are reserved solely for job seekers with disabilities requesting accessibility assistance or an accommodation in the job application process. Please do not call about the status of your job application, if you do not require accessibility assistance or an accommodation. Messages left for other purposes, such as following up on an application or non-disability related technical issues, will not receive a call back.

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