Director, New Products & Market Development

OUC – The Reliable One, an industry leader as the second largest municipal utility in Florida, is looking for qualified individuals to be part of our growing team. We are looking for self-motivated, creative professionals who can assist with achieving our vision of being an innovative solutions provider and the partner of choice.

Job Purpose:

Responsible for determining market opportunities and implementing growth strategies that result in the adoption of current offerings while developing new innovative products, services and programs in a repeatable method that leads to new revenue and/or cost savings. Responsible for the entire life-cycle management process from concept to end of life. Oversee market strategy development and the research necessary to gain insights that drive results.

 Primary Functions:

·        Lead, direct and set the strategy for market and new product development;

·        Direct and monitor all products and solutions through the various phases of product life cycle including but not limited to: market research, competitive analysis, positioning, requirement gathering, competitive analysis, business plan development, partner identification and product launch;

·        Ensure that new products meet the evolving needs of the organization, through continual innovation, evaluation, and implementation;

·        Develop business plans with targeted goals, objectives, methods and quantifiable outcomes and timeline to define financial and market viability of programs and services;

·        Identify and evaluate new product development opportunities as they arise including enhancements to existing products or product extensions into usable and marketable products;

·        Partner with key stakeholders and business units to define, prioritize, develop and manage product roadmaps and growth initiatives to ensure that results and target project objectives are met;

·        Research, select and manage appropriate vendors for implementations and integrations;

·        Communicate roadmap plans and gain acceptance/buy-in as well as progress and outcomes to stakeholders;

·        Build strong and collaborative relationships with internal and external partners to pilot, scale and implement solutions;

·        Develop operational implementation plans and engage necessary partners to successfully implement, ensuring that training, marketing, billing and other ongoing support needs are addressed;

·        Use research, data and insights to benchmark adoption to adjust strategies as necessary for the entire Chief Customer and Marketing Office including actionable intelligence on the latest marketing trends and brand positioning for OUC and its products and services;

·        Provide data, insights and reports that track enrollment/engagement and highlight areas of opportunity for growth and/or improvement;

·        Collaborates with internal business partners and external clients to translate the voice of the customer feedback into actionable items that highlight or address product and program gaps and advantages;

·        Oversee operations of New Product & Market Development; provide consistent and measurable reports to management on insights and progress; develop the annual budget for the area; ensure that operations are managed within authorized budgets; advise, develop, review and approve budgets, plans, and business goals;

·        Oversee and lead a staff of direct and indirect reports to provide direction of day-to-day activities towards accomplishing the department’s strategic plan including, but not limited to, employee coaching, development, and performance evaluation;

·        Develop and communicate strategies and goals for the business unit;

·        Evaluate and align talent to current and future business needs; mitigate talent risks;

·        Support and maintain effective business unit work groups and leadership team; foster a culture of respect and continuous learning;

·        Develop, measure, and take action on performance metrics for teams and individuals within the business unit; communicate performance expectations, support staff professional goals, and brief all related issues, initiatives, and actions, risks or concerns with Leadership;

·        Manage selection and promotion procedures including reviewing applicants and interviewing potential new employees to select candidates for open positions within the business unit;

·        Practice Continuous Improvement; continually assess the competitiveness of all programs and practices against the relevant comparable organizations, industries, and markets; remaining up to date on trends in the marketing and utility industry;

·        Perform other duties as assigned.