Assistant Product Line Manager

Role Purpose

This purpose of this position is to lead and manage elements of the product line strategy for the rapidly growing Solar business serving the US market.  The position will ensure the Solar team develops a deep understanding of the US solar market and growth drivers to ensure new product value props are compelling and create preference for Corning’s domestic manufactured portfolio of products.  The role will support the business in delivering the target market share, revenue and profitability objectives.  The role is a vital team part of the team of product line professionals focused on the US solar market, manufacturers, developers and energy operators.  This position will have direct responsibility to established product lines strategies for the solar modules and future new product innovations including glass and coatings.  The role will require the need to work closely with the sales organization and business directors to maximize the commercialization of the product portfolio.

Product Line Management Responsibilities

Develop and implement product strategies

• Articulate product attributes, specifications, basis of competition, product trajectory and strategies for solar modules, wafers and polysilicon
• Put in place product roadmap process and work in conjunction with CTM and BTM activities to prioritize development activity
• Articulate all solar value propositions to include product attributes, specifications, basis of competition, product trajectory to ensure an advantaged product
• Manage across the product line responsibilities for solar modules manufactured in Arizona.

Develop pricing strategy and jointly deploy with Module Sales Director

• Develop pricing strategy based on cost analysis, competitive analysis and value analysis
• Ensure pricing strategy is integrated across all products, and is logical and defendable across all nodes in the value chain

• Partner with the solar module sales director to develop effective pricing communication, deal structures and commercial proposals to maximize share and gross margin

Develop Sales and Commercial Effectiveness Tools

• Develop deep understanding of the customers’ products through frequent customer engagement and how they impact our value proposition
• Work with sales to segment and prioritize customer base at a product level
• Create, implement and maintain process documents to continuously improve the selling decks for customers to maximize effectiveness
• Ensure the sales organization has the supporting information to effectively deploy product line strategies and establish Corning as the innovation leader

Competencies (knowledge, skills and behaviors):

• Ability to manage critical impact of market speed efficiently
• Ability to lead and build consensus among cross-functional, multi-cultural teams and lead change on a global basis
• Strong communication skills internally and especially in front of customers
• Manage through significant pockets of uncertainty
• Identify/prioritize information gaps; build strategies to address
• Able to take a leadership role to establish plans, processes, coordinate team activities and assure successful completion of objectives
• Communicate succinctly and directly with Senior Management
• Remain mindful and aware: “define reality”
• Turn data/information into analysis and implications to the business
• Ability to understand and anticipate market trends and translate into actionable feedback for product launch and life cycle decisions
• Ability to work effectively across a complex, global organization and drive projects to successful completion

Experience/Education

• MBA or equivalent demonstrated experience (i.e. extensive experience in business operations and leadership)
• 1+ years of business or management experience
• Experience leading a team
• Participation in, or leadership of, multicultural and/or multi-geographic projects

Direct Reports: Potential for future direct reports as the business scales.