New Solutions Product Development Manager

ACA (AAA, NCNU Holding Company)  New Solutions Product Development Manager

Individual will be a key contributor in the New Solutions Groups in ACA leading the exploration, identification and realization / delivery of breakthrough / new product solutions driving extraordinary value for AAA /ACA partner clubs and their members.  (Ideal area of experience will be Telematics, Wireless, Telecom etc)

Individual’s strategic focus will be to serve as the evangelist and catalyst for breakthrough solution development, working closely with the Executive and the cross functional teams to develop a compelling vision for the solution and to execute, measure, and adjust the product strategy, roadmap and development path accordingly.

A consummate product, innovation evangelist, and thought leader, individual will work with internal/external functional groups, thought leaders and alliance partners to meet the above objectives. He/she will drive product strategy as well as new solutions development processes for these breakthrough solutions by leading a cross functional matrixed team across ACA partner clubs.

This position will lead and manage the following tactical activities and will work with cross functional teams to ensure that these deliverables are met:

•     New Solution/Product innovation concept exploration (generation, intake, idea distribution)

•     Solution / Market / Product research

•     Define solution and Product strategy

•     Direct the business case development with Finance and others as appropriate 

•     Determine product/solution roadmap and portfolio if applicable

•     Lead and direct cross-functional core teams to ensure product/solution development is on-track, on-budget, manage           and escalate issues as necessary 

•     Determine and drive Product launch strategies and tactics

•     Work with Technology teams and Technology Manager ensuring technology needs /solution support are met

•     Drive and develop solutions’ customer and functional requirements and features

•     Drive overall planning for solution exploration and delivery including team resource planning, workload distribution as well as project plans to ensure solution exploration and delivery

•    Plan Drive and develop solutions’ customer and functional requirements and features

•     Drive market sizing and target market acquisition potential

•     Drive and ensure business system requirements are developed (working with technical and systems teams)

•     Drive and ensure solutions’ systems and technology requirements are defined, developed (working with technology manager and technical teams)

•     Drive and ensure appropriate product pricing working with x-functional teams

•     Define and drive solution testing

•     Drive and manage solution / product launch (until handoff to business line teams as and if applicable)  

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Innovative, entrepreneurial and solution evangelical outlook and mindset a must


• High energy, detail-orientation, initiative and an interest in and comfort with technology required as well as ability to manage through change


• Bachelors degree or equivalent, advanced education preferred (e.g. MBA)


• 7-10+ years of progressively more responsible experience within solution / product development, preferably with experience developing breakthrough and/or radical innovation


• Depth in a specific functional area that is critical to development of innovative solutions such as business development, sales and market management, product management, or technology development


• Strategic thought leadership, deep understanding of stage and breakthrough product development methodologies, product life cycle frameworks, gathering and analyzing input from focus groups/customers


• Superior collaboration and leadership skills to influence executive and teams directly and indirectly; work with cross functional teams and executive team to deliver solution set


• Preferred experience in partner and vendor interaction to accelerate and augment product development and go-to-market velocity.  Alliance management a plus


• Demonstrated leadership abilities through successes in prior supervisory/management positions.


• Ability to manage multiple complex projects at a time (depending on size and complexity)


• Ability to synthesize large quantities of information from a wide variety of sources in order to formulate a concrete product offering from all of these previously seemingly unrelated bits of data, notions and early stage ideas.


• Excellent at utilizing leadership tools such as clear goal setting, relationship building, communication and motivation to develop and encourage cross functional teams to work at the top of their abilities so as to leverage all of their collective skills and expertise toward the best possible outcome for the customer.


• Excellent presentation and communication skills to positively influence, gain support for, and keep executive leadership apprised of, ongoing and projected key milestones