Director of Sourced Home Appliance Products

Director of Sourced Home Appliance Products

Montvale, New Jersey, United States

Reporting to the Vice President of Product & Brand Marketing, the Director of Sourced Home Appliance Products is responsible for leading Sharp’s Home Appliance sourcing initiatives, managing the complete lifecycle product planning, procurement and pre‑launch marketing of these products, and managing a third‑party supplier representative relationship. This position includes responsibility for product line definition, competitive benchmarking and new product launch.

• Identify, develop and manage Home Appliance sourcing relationships worldwide with particular focus on Asia and Europe.
• Negotiate commercial terms and execute supplier contracts.
• Employ strategic sourcing techniques to optimize procurement costs through formal competitive processes (e.g., RFP, RFQ, etc.).
• Coordinate with Sharp HQ the certification of sourcing suppliers to ensure Sharp quality standards for factory facilities and products are met.
• Work with suppliers to evaluate pre‑production samples for cosmetic and performance issues and resolve them.
• Take lead in preparing and reviewing product user manuals.
• Monitor and measure supplier service levels and resolve any delivery issues.
• Work and communicate with suppliers to help reduce costs and add value.
• Manage third‑party supplier representative relationship.

• Define Sharp’s sourced home appliance product strategy through a deep understanding of emerging HA trends and strong knowledge of competitors’ strategic direction.
• Lead sourcing manufacturers in the development of a comprehensive product roadmap across multiple sub‑categories consistent with Sharp’s goals and corporate initiatives. Define feature specifications, industrial design and user interface.
• Develop products to address specific channels and sales potential that has not been otherwise identified.
• Manage product development schedule for timely product launches.
• Identify unique Sharp technologies and product strengths that can drive new products targeting unfulfilled consumer needs.
• Identify marketplace trends and analyze third‑party forecast, sell‑in and sell‑through data, incorporating findings into development of go‑forward strategy.
• Conduct ongoing competitive analysis, identify threats and opportunities, and communicate competitive analysis to sales team and sourcing factories.
• Own the out‑of‑box experience, recommending improvements.

• Set overall marketing direction for sourced products through development of a detailed category marketing plan covering products, price points, promotions and placement strategy.
• Provide input to the New Product Introduction (NPI) team including members of Product Marketing, Brand Marketing, Sales, Service and Operations (SSG).
• Act as product category evangelist, working with the sales team and visiting retail accounts to communicate product roadmap, perform new product demonstrations and secure placement.
• Define category marketing objectives, including product messaging following the brand promise.
• Prepare turnkey product presentations for sales organization and dealer meetings on an ongoing basis, and issue regular product update communications.
• Represent and present product line at dealer previews, line reviews, national meetings and trade events.
• Support internal and external product training needs as required.
• Prepare initial OEM purchase plan and forecast in accordance with contractual terms.
• Present to senior management to outline and update plans and strategies, answer questions and respond to their requests.

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA is a plus.
• 15+ years product marketing experience in appliances or consumer electronics.
• Procurement‑related experience including contract negotiation and competitive process management.
• Strong project management and process skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Demonstrated business and financial acumen.
• Ability to get things done in a matrixed organization.
• Self‑starter with superior time management, detail orientation and organization skills.
• Excellent written and verbal…