The Specialized Innovation Center in Freiburg is looking for a Product Manager, Road & Gravel to join our international and highly skilled bike team to help craft the worlds’ best bicycles in ways the rider has never envisioned. This position will be based in Freiburg, Germany, and can be started immediately or by agreement.
How you’ll make a difference
- Understand core rider needs by being well-connected in the cycling market; define a vision for a product by interacting with stakeholders both within and outside Specialized
- Perform product and market research, competitor analysis, planning, positioning, and requirements and develop roadmap to build a product line that is innovative and commercially relevant
- Collaborate with a cross-functional team of category managers, engineers, industrial designers, and marketing to help create a plan to execute the vision for the road category
- Align stakeholders around this vision for the product and create product briefs in close collaboration with engineering, industrial design, and project management
- Outline what success looks like for the product by prioritizing product functions and capabilities with a clear understanding of the costs and benefits of each choice
- Create a shared brain across larger teams to empower independent decision-making
- Help facilitate communication of road & gravel product vision, features and functionality to sales team, retailers, service centers, Specialized University, as well as global markets.
- Attend product launch and events with Specialized retailers, bike journalists and professional cycling teams
What you need to win
- Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in businees, industrial engineering, or a field tied to the product’s sector (tech, finance, etc.) required, master’s in engineering or MBA a plus
- Certified Product Manager (CPM) or New Product Development (NPD) Professional Certification a plus
- 2-4 years’ experience in product management: 2+ years of experience in the cycling or related sporting goods industry. Optional: retail sales, product management or engineering
- Proven success as a product manager in a non managerial role
- Ability to empathize with riders to understand their needs and use that insight to define product functions and capabilities
- Stellar presentation skills with the ability to inspire others to share a collective vision – natural communicator, both written and oral
- Great social and networking skills: collaborative, team-player with an open mind and good listening skills
- Experience working with international cultures and a willingness to travel
- Profound IT user knowledge (MS Office, Outlook). Ability to master our internal product line management software in order to manage projects
- Technical understanding of bicycles and bicycle-related components including hands on skills such as bicycle repair and maintenance
- Passion for cycling and the Specialized brand
What we offer: We are a dynamic and multicultural team within an innovative and growing environment. You can look forward to a modern working space, lunch rides, social security- and many other benefits.
You are interested ? We look forward to receiving your compelling application stating your salary expectation and earliest starting date. Please submit your application exclusively via our online career portal – www.specialized.com/careers . Applications via e-mail, mail or employment agencies will not be considered.
Specialized Freiburg GmbH – Brombergstrasse 2 – DE-79102 Freiburg im Breisgau
First and foremost, we are riders. We share the core belief that bikes help make the world a better place. From product development and operations, to finance and marketing – every role at Specialized contributes to a culture of sustainable, global growth and innovation.
We want to increase representation of all races, genders, and body types in the cycling industry and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce where all people thrive. We encourage everyone – especially those from marginalized groups – to apply to our job postings and help us earn the position as the rider’s brand of choice. We are always looking for creative, innovative, and passionate people who are eager to contribute to our mission of pedaling the planet forward.