Associate Manager - Private Brands

Job Title

Private Brand Product Development Manager | Majid Al Futtaim Retail | India

Role Purpose:

The Retail Private Brand Product Development Manager is responsible for overseeing the creation and lifecycle management of products to support the growth and development of private label brands based on the category management and shopper insights methodologies. Their role is multifaceted, involving market research, product design, and ensuring that products meet quality, cost, and timeline expectations. This role works cross-functionally with sales development, sourcing, merchandising, and marketing teams to ensure decisions are informed by insights into consumer behavior, market trends, and category performance.

Key Responsibilities:

Product Strategy and Planning:

• Develop and execute product development strategies aligned with the company’s business objectives.
• Identify trends, customer preferences, and market gaps to guide new product development.

Product Design and Development:

• Collaborate with design teams to conceptualize and create innovative, market-relevant products.
• Work with internal teams and external partners to refine product features, packaging, and branding.

Market Research and Analysis:

• Conduct market analysis, competitor benchmarking, and customer surveys to inform product decisions.
• Stay updated on industry trends and emerging technologies.

Project Management:

• Oversee the end-to-end product development lifecycle from ideation to market launch.
• Set and monitor project timelines, budgets, and deliverables.

Quality Assurance:

• Ensure products meet quality, safety, and compliance standards.
• Work closely with quality control teams to address any issues during production.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Private Brand team and country Private Brand teams to drive the financial success of private brands through the 4Ps of Category Management.
• Partner with marketing, sales development, and merchandising teams to align product launches with business goals.
• Provide insights and training on new products to internal stakeholders.

Financial Oversight:

• Manage product development budgets and forecast costs.
• Ensure profitability by balancing product cost and pricing strategies.

Performance Monitoring:

• Track and analyze the performance of launched products, using sales data and customer feedback to inform future development.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Education

  : Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, finance, or a related field; an MBA is a plus.

• Experience

  : 5–7 years in product development, either in the consumer goods industry (the top 10 biggest international manufactures) or in the private label development (the top 5 leading international / local retailers).

Skills

• Proactive behavior.
• Strong analytical and project management abilities.
• Proficiency in market research and trend analysis.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes and supply chain dynamics.
• Creative thinking with a customer-centric approach

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Timeliness of product launches.
• Product quality and customer satisfaction scores.
• Sales performance and revenue contribution of developed products.
• Number of successful product innovations introduced.
• Successful new products references and positive customer feedback.