Recruitment

JOB TITLE: PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER YAMAHA GUITARS & AMPEG AMPS

REPORTS TO: Director of Sales & Marketing - CMP

DEPARTMENT: CMP Department

SUMMARY: As a Product Marketing Manager, you will be responsible for the outbound marketing activities for your products which include Yamaha Guitar products and Ampeg Amplifier products as well as related accessory products. You will craft the messaging and positioning for products. You'll conceive and develop innovative marketing programs that drive consumer and dealer demand. You are responsible for planning production, sales and inventory for all products throughout their life-cycle. Attention to detail and an eye for quality, along with the ability to grasp and translate technical capabilities into benefits is crucial. In your role as a Product Marketing Manager, you will be the expert in buyers/customers, how they buy and their buying criteria and will transfer that knowledge to the sales channel.

Product Lines:

  • Acoustic Guitars
    1. F/FX/FG/FGX Series
    2. APX/CPX Series
    3. A Series
    4. L Series
    5. CSF Series
    6. TransAcoustic & Silent Guitar
    7. Classical Series
  • Electric Guitars and Basses
    1. Pacifica Series
    2. Revstar Series
    3. SG/Artist Series Guitars
    4. BB Series
    5. TRB/TRBX Series
    6. Artist Series Basses
  • Guitar and Bass Amplifiers
    1. THR Desktop and Stage Amplifiers
    2. Ampeg Bass Amplifiers
  • Related Accessories
    1. Guitar cases, strings, straps, tuners, etc…

    • KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
    • Develop product positioning and messaging that differentiates your products in the market
    • Sales enablement – communicate the value proposition of the products to the sales team and develop the sales tools that support the selling process of your products
    • Product launch – plan the launch of new products and releases and manage the cross-functional implementation of the plan
    • Market intelligence – be the expert on your buyers, how they buy and their buying criteria; be the expert on your competition and how to differentiate from them
    • Demand generation – develop the strategy and manage the marketing programs that drive demand for your products
    • Planning - plan monthly production forecasts to support sales objectives and appropriate inventory levels in the sales channel
    • Training – as an expert in your product category, create training materials using Yamaha on Demand to create customer-focused training videos for Yamaha sales staff, retail sales staff and consumers. Conduct in-person one-on-one and group training as needed
    • Artist Relations – Establish and maintain formal and informal relationships with influential artists in order to conduct market research, product R&D, create demand, and create visibility for Yamaha products. Review the artist roster to ensure appropriate coverage of genres and geography are covered
    • Customer/technical Support – Respond to consumer pre-purchase and post-purchase support inquiries using CRM system with the support of other technical support agents
    • Manager and maintain product presence on B2B and B2C websites in order to optimize consumer and dealer demand


    FUNCTIONAL SKILLS AREAS:

  • Product Management
    1. Pricing, sales forecasts, inventory management, set consolidation, special order handling
    2. Create marketing communications documentation and digital assets to support dealer and consumer communications regarding product launches and updates
    3. Plan and execute advertising and promotional activities to support consumer demand
    4. Participate in and coordinate product R&D projects as requested
    5. Advanced MS Excel skills, experience in forecasting, solving complex problems
  • Technical Support
    1. Historical knowledge of Yamaha Guitar and Bass products as well as Ampeg and related accessories markets
    2. Knowledge of how Guitars, Basses, and Amplifiers are designed and manufactured
    3. Yamaha specific historical product knowledge
    4. Hands on experience in playing the guitar and/or bass at a high level, able to demonstrate features and sounds of acoustic, electric and technology focussed products
    5. Strong customer service experience
  • Marketing Coordination
    1. Planning national and regional promotional events with artists/clinicians including all elements of planning, promotion, artist/product coordination, co-sponsors, artist relations, and travel
    2. Coordinate artist support required for touring and festivals through backline companies
    3. Maintain and actively manage a large sample account of products to be used for training, demonstration, shows etc… using Yamaha’s asset management system
  • Business Support
    1. Maintains detailed market condition statistics on all applicable products in relation to competitive products, sales potential for new products, the retail situation for existing products and competitive product reports
    2. Attends appropriate trade/consumer shows and major industry functions where/when directed by management
    3. Maintains a level of awareness amongst sales consultants by selecting and distributing articles pertinent to products from applicable trade magazines
    4. Acts as a representative for local and national music festivals and competitions, as required
    5. Maintain corporate image with Yamaha business affiliates, recognizing that the company’s image and profile are directly linked to the behaviour and demeanour of the employee

    • REQUIREMENTS:

    • 5+ years of product marketing experience with at least 5 years experience in a field facing role
    • Very strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills in English, French bilingual an asset
    • Strong organizational, prioritizing and problem solving skills
    • Excellent computer skills, including the Microsoft suite of products- Intermediate to advanced Excel skills required
    • Some physical lifting may be required- move and set up amplifiers and other products at trade shows, conference displays, retail displays
    • Deep understanding of music, musical instruments, and music technology as they pertain to guitar culture and customer segments
    • Willing and able to travel ~25% of the time
    • Previous experience with SalesForce.com or any CRM software preferred
    • Excellent people and management skills to interact with staff, colleagues and cross-functional teams, and third parties

    Yamaha Canada Music Ltd. is committed to fostering a positive work environment. We will provide equitable treatment and accommodation to ensure barrier-free employment. In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Company’s Accommodation Policy, a request for accommodation will be accepted as part of the Yamaha Canada Ltd.’s hiring process.

    To avoid any delays in the recruitment process, if you require accommodation to apply or if selected to participate in an assessment process, you must provide your accommodation needs in advance. You may also be required to submit adequate documentation to Human Resources to support your request for accommodation.


    Interested parties should forward a cover letter and resume to jobs@yamaha.ca. Submission deadline is July 20th, 2018.

    Yamaha Canada Music Ltd. is committed to fostering a positive work environment. We will provide equitable treatment and accommodation to ensure barrier-free employment.

    In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Company’s Accommodation Policy, a request for accommodation will be accepted as part of the Yamaha Canada Ltd.’s hiring process.

    To avoid any delays in the recruitment process, if you require accommodation to apply or if selected to participate in an assessment process, you must provide your accommodation needs in advance. You may also be required to submit adequate documentation to Human Resources to support your request for accommodation.

    To submit your resume, please send it (along with a cover letter) to