Group Manager - Market Development & Product Strategy
About the job
- At least 5 years of experience in Market Development, Product Management, Product Strategy, Business Development, Strategic Marketing, Technical Sales, or related experience.
- Experience working directly with customers to identify business, technical, or application requirements.
- Experience influencing cross-functional teams and driving initiatives across commercial and technical organizations.
- Lead and develop a global team responsible for market development, customer engagement, and growth initiatives across key target markets.
- Build deep relationships with customers to understand business challenges, technology roadmaps, emerging application needs, and future market opportunities.
- Drive Voice of Customer initiatives and translate customer and market insights into product strategy, portfolio investments, and new product development priorities.
- Identify market gaps, whitespace opportunities, adjacent markets, and emerging technology trends to help shape the long-term growth strategy of the business.
- Partner with Product Management, Engineering, Technology, and Project Management teams to develop innovative application-based solutions that address customer requirements and strengthen the company's market position.
- Develop and execute market strategies that support revenue growth, market share expansion, profitability, and long-term business objectives.
- Serve as a strategic leader for assigned markets and key customer accounts, providing insight into competitive dynamics, industry trends, and future growth opportunities.
- Collaborate with global Sales Engineers and commercial teams to align customer engagement strategies, support technical discussions, provide market intelligence, and accelerate growth opportunities.
- Support strategic business planning through investment analysis, business case development, capital expenditure justification, pricing strategy, and portfolio planning activities.
- Represent the company as a subject matter expert through customer presentations, technical seminars, industry events, trade shows, and thought leadership activities, while supporting the development of technical and marketing materials that enable successful product launches and growth initiatives.
- Bachelor's degree, preferably in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Experience in connectors, interconnect systems, industrial components, electromechanical products, or related technologies.
- Proven ability to translate customer and market needs into new product development opportunities and portfolio growth strategies.
- Strong understanding of Voice of Customer methodologies, market segmentation, and opportunity assessment.
- Experience evaluating competitive landscapes, market trends, and emerging technologies to identify growth opportunities.
- Experience leading teams and developing talent within technical, product, or market-facing organizations.
About the company
Koch Industries is a large, private, diversified conglomerate that operates in energy, chemical processing, and manufacturing. It started from an innovation that turned heavy crude oil into gasoline and grew through long‑term investments rather than short‑term market moves. The company generates value by refining fuels and producing chemical products, and it operates Georgia-Pacific, a major maker of paper and building products. Its business model relies on reinvesting most earnings back into the company to fund steady, long‑term growth rather than paying out frequent dividends or seeking quick profits. Koch differentiates itself from many competitors by staying privately owned, which reduces pressure from public markets and enables longer‑range planning. The company’s goal is to build scale and durability across its holdings by sustainable, multi‑decade growth rather than rapid, episodic gains.
Company Size
5,001-10,000
Company Stage
Growth Equity (Non-Venture Capital)
Total Funding
$985.2M
Headquarters
Wichita, Kansas
Founded
1940
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Koch raised $224.4 million in equity financing on March 10, 2026, preserving dry powder.
- Koch's Africa fertilizer foothold expands global phosphate reach from Morocco's Jorf complex.
- Closed Tacoma gypsum plant concentrates capital into stronger Georgia-Pacific assets and higher-margin lines.
What critics are saying
- DOJ opened a fertilizer antitrust probe in March 2026, risking criminal charges and damages.
- Farmers filed class actions in March and June 2026 against Koch Agronomic Services.
- Georgia-Pacific will close Tacoma's gypsum plant on October 30, 2026, cutting 125 jobs.
What makes Koch Industries unique
- Private since 1940, Koch reinvests earnings for decades, not quarterly Wall Street optics.
- Koch Fertilizer expanded into Morocco on June 30, 2026 through Jorf Fertilizers ownership.
- Georgia-Pacific and Koch Agronomic Services give Koch integrated positions across packaging and fertilizers.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
- Paid Vacation
- Professional Development Budget
- Fertility Treatment Support
- Parental Leave
- Adoption Assistance
- Hybrid Work Options