Chief Product and Operations Executive at GVA Partners

Duties & Responsibilities

• Responsible for providing leadership in all activities related to the development and delivery of the company's technology from software design, software development, quality assurance, release, enhancement, and implementation.
• Define product development directions (features, user experience, application flow and optimizations) and drive ongoing product initiatives in close collaboration with the development team.
• Monitor market trends, analyze competitive products and activities; find, communicate and leverage relevant benchmarks (including business models) outside of the core market.
• Build and execute marketing plans and promotional activities to drive traffic and increase brand awareness and sales.
• Present and champion the product vision within the organization and coordinate the execution of the marketing plans with the various stakeholders and departments.
• Develops strategies to increase revenue and performs cost-benefit analysis and return-on-investment analysis.
• Manage profit and loss account of products and relevant Strategic Business Units.
• Track and report progress and performance of marketing projects and recommend improvements.
• Develop and implement product strategies consistent with company vision.
• Collect and analyze feedback from customers, stakeholders and other teams to shape requirements, features and end products.
• Work with senior management to create product strategy and roadmaps.
• Lead product managers and coordinate cross-functional teams.
• Ensure products and releases are launched correctly and on schedule.
• Make creative recommendations to expand product base and vision.

Key Performance Deliverables
In light of the identified responsibilities, the following are specific deliverables that the position is designed to achieve:

• Cycle time excellence and on-time product delivery to market
• Quality of Service and customer satisfaction
• Retention and recruiting
• Employee satisfaction and motivation
• Development of staff e.g. Goals completed, performance reviews completed etc
• Functionality and performance of the system and applications
• Budget management as well as technology cost
• Developer Productivity
• Responsiveness e.g. to technology advances, consumer behavior trends
• Achievement of overall corporate goals

Job Requirements

• Prior senior level management experience is required
• Experience in product lifecycle management and software development
• B.Sc/BA in Computer Science, Engineering, Business or related field
• 10-15 years relevant experience is required

Skills:

• Strong delivery and proven execution skills.
• Strong organizational change management skills.
• Strong team management skills.
• Ability to think strategically whilst achieving results in immediate area of responsibility.
• Excellent communicator able to communicate at all levels and adopt a flexible and consultative approach.
• Commercially astute.
• Strong analytical and data manipulation skills.
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills.
• Ability to adapt to a changing business and market place.
• Ability think creatively and exploit business opportunities
• Methodical and detail conscious.
• Problem-solving aptitude.

Competency Profile
Role Expertise:

• Demonstrates critical technical or professional knowledge/skills related to the role.
• Has thorough knowledge of relevant products, services and methods.
• Expands technical knowledge/skills and keeps up-to-date in own area of expertise.

Planning and Objective Setting:

• Systematic in approach to work.
• Produces action plans in which objectives are defined and steps for achieving them are clearly specified.
• Plans by breaking down large task into subtasks.
• Develops plans that anticipate obstacles. Is realistic about time-scales and builds in appropriate checkpoints, milestones and controls in order to ensure that desired results are realized.

Team Skills:

• Helps to create a sense of team spirit and harmonious relations through cooperation and support.
• Balances personal goals with those of the team.
• Fosters collaboration among team members

People Management:

• Establishes and communicates clear priorities and sense of direction.
• Clarifies roles and responsibilities.
• Adapts management style to achieve optimum results.

Developing and Coaching Others:

• Accurately assesses strengths and development needs of employees.
• Adjusts coaching style based on each employee's ability and motivation level.
• Challenges others to improve their abilities and actively supports their development.
• Continually provides timely and constructive feedback, coaching and challenging learning opportunities

Customer/Client Orientation:

• Strives to provide customers/clients with personalized and efficient service.
• Anticipates customers'/clients' needs.
• Quickly follows up on customer/client contacts and complaints.
• Monitors and acts on measures of customer/client satisfaction.

Industry and Market Awareness:

• Seeks to anticipate and respond to industry and market changes/challenges by understanding key characteristics, issues and the factors driving them.
• Aware of competitor's products, services and position.