PRODUCT SPECIALIST I

Product Specialist I

Act as a business center and liaison to internal cross-functional divisions to plan and implement product management by integrating diverse functions to maximize product profitability and achieve company strategic goals while meeting customer needs. Analyze, plan and facilitate multiple processes with critical impact on profitability including cost, price, inventory, volume, demand, production, capacity, product/account mix, and other related factors.

Major Areas of Accountability

Sales forecast management and planning: Analyze sales forecasts, market demand, costs, pricing, production capacity, and inventory to develop and recommend short- and long-term targets and plans. Evaluate performance against targets, identify variances, and recommend actions to support profitability objectives.

Production/inventory management: Work with Sales to analyze sales targets, customer requirements, costs, production capacity, and logistics considerations; identify potential issues and recommend actions to maintain appropriate inventory levels. Analyze and report monthly activity, trends, and variances.

Pricing/account profitability management: Analyze market conditions, costs, demand, pricing, and business considerations; evaluate alternatives and make recommendations to support pricing and account profitability objectives.

Order/supply chain management: Review and analyze orders, contracts, shipment requirements, and supply-chain considerations; identify potential issues and coordinate appropriate solutions with relevant parties to support effective order fulfillment and supply-chain performance.

Sales contract management/customer service standards: Review and negotiate contract terms within established guidelines and recommend terms or exceptions requiring management approval. Coordinate with relevant functions to support customer service standards and contract fulfillment.

Sample/potential customer management: Maintain pricing information, analyze market pricing trends, investigate pricing discrepancies, and recommend appropriate adjustments or resolutions.

House account management: Serve as a liaison between Sales, Management, Production, Technical functions, and customers to evaluate account needs, identify issues, and recommend or coordinate appropriate business solutions.

Complaint/discrepancy handling: Investigate customer complaints and discrepancies, evaluate relevant information and potential solutions, and recommend appropriate resolutions in coordination with applicable functions.

Analysis/special projects: Gather and analyze business information and make recommendations regarding pricing, volume, product/account mix, costs, logistics, rail-car fleet utilization, contracts, samples, potential accounts, competitive benchmarking, inventory, and profitability. Identify trends, risks, and opportunities and recommend appropriate business actions.

Qualifications

Previous Related Experience Required

1 ~ 5 years' experience in Petrochemical industrial job related field.

Technical Skills Required To Perform This Job

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.

Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.

Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conforms to prescribed style and format.

Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.

Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry.

Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Strong analytical and computer skills in Microsoft Office, AS400 skills a plus but not required.

Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication (oral & written) skills a must.

Ability to read, review, analyze and prepare computer reports, spreadsheets, and sales ledgers

Understanding of Spanish a plus

Education (Minimum Education Needed)

4 year college degree

3 yrs. business experience, preferably in sales/marketing, in Chemical/Plastics (with cost analysis experience preferred)

Check Out Our Benefits

Health Coverage and Perks Excellent medical, dental, and vision insurance plans Flexible spending accounts for health, dependent care Short-term Disability Long-term Disability Group Term Life, Dependent and Supplemental Life Insurance Tuition Reimbursement

Work/Life Balance 10 Paid Holidays Paid Time Off for a balanced life (Vacation, Sick and Personal Time) FlexTime Available Competitive Compensation Competitive salary, incentive/bonus, 401(k) plan with company match, Cash Balance, Pension Plan