Product Manager - HVAC Airside Products

As a global pioneer in oil-free centrifugal chiller technology with an expanding portfolio of thermal management solutions, Smardt is dedicated to delivering high-efficiency and energy-saving systems for industries, real estate developments, health care and educational centers worldwide. We operate manufacturing facilities in the US, Canada, Germany, China, and Australia, with a team of over 900 employees. With a focus on reliability, performance, and environmental stewardship, Smardt continues to redefine industry standards through advanced engineering and a commitment to a more sustainable future.

What We're Looking For:

The Product Manager – HVAC Airside Products is responsible for SMARDT is seeking a seasoned Product Manager to lead its HVAC airside and air-handling product portfolio across The Americas. This role carries responsibility to the global ownership of assigned product lines, including strategy, roadmap, pricing, positioning, and lifecycle performance.

The Product Manager is the recognized technical and commercial authority for the product family and serves as the central integrator between regional business units, engineering, manufacturing, sales, and marketing. Success in this role is measured by market share growth, margin performance, specification wins, and long-term portfolio relevance, not just execution of tasks.

This is a senior, outcomes-driven role designed for product leaders who understand both engineering depth and commercial reality.

What You'll Do:

1. General Product Management

• Own P&L performance for the assigned product line, including revenue, margin, cost, and market share
• Track and report KPIs across regions, identifying trends, gaps, and corrective actions
• Drive cost-reduction initiatives in collaboration with engineering, sourcing, and manufacturing
• Support preparation of timely and accurate financial plans and forecasts for business planning. Identify major deviations between actual and plan and recommend corrective actions.
• Maintain tracking of our products and competitors’ products success within assigned product line globally (detailed by region) and identify opportunities and gaps.

 2. Sales & Customer Interface

• Act as senior technical and product escalation point for complex applications and strategic opportunities
• Support regional sales leaders, manufacturer representatives, and key customers as needed
• Develop and maintain product content, training materials, and sales tools
• Represent assigned product lines across global commercial business units
• Support major customer engagements, industry forums, and strategic pursuits
• Develop written guide specification documents for the SAE

 3. Marketing

• Define and maintain product positioning and messaging aligned with Smardt’s strategy
• Ensure consistent internal and external communication across the Americas
• Support product launches, transitions, and end-of-life planning
• Partner with marketing to develop high-impact technical and commercial collateral
• Support regional training initiatives
• Maintain deep, region-specific understanding of customer needs, regulatory requirements, and competitive offerings
• Lead competitive benchmarking and positioning analysis
• Identify white-space opportunities, product gaps, and emerging market requirements
• Anticipate competitive responses and proactively adjust roadmap and positioning

4. Product & Strategy Roadmap

• Partner with Research and Development engineers to ensure the product roadmap is driven by market intelligence, voice-of-the-customer and requirement specifications.

• Define product extensions, options, platform evolutions, and lifecycle phase-in / phase-out strategies
• Lead cross-functional alignment to deliver roadmap initiatives on time, on cost, and on target performance
• Identify and develop new business opportunities within the assigned product segment
• Own core product documentation including business cases, competitive analysis, and value propositions
• Ensure development programs meet technical, commercial, and schedule objectives
• Serve as the bridge between engineering execution and market success

 5. Pricing & Costing

• Lead market-based pricing strategy in coordination with regional leaders
• Establish target cost models and margin objectives for new product development
• Ensure pricing and selection tools remain accurate, competitive, and aligned with current cost structures
• Support initiatives to improve product competitiveness and profitability

 6. Business Planning & Competitive Analysis

• Capturing market product needs by collaborating with the Regional Managers (as well as direct engagement with customers and sales when appropriate) to develop product requirements for product extensions, enhancements, options, or new product developments.
• Assemble competitive benchmarking and position needed to complete requirements for product development projects.
• Support development and management of key documents; VSR, competitive analysis, and business plans
• Manage or play a key role in leading the product development projects to meet critical dates and the requirements of the product development process.

 7. Direct Field Support / Application Engineering

• Coordinate with applications and design engineering on complex or high-impact special requests
• Track special quote activity to identify recurring needs and product improvement opportunities
• Guide prioritization of engineering resources based on strategic value and return
• After sales technical support when needed

What You'll Bring:

Experience

• Minimum 7+ years of experience in the HVAC industry, with strong exposure to Air Handling Units (AHUs)
• Proven experience in product management, program management, technical marketing, or commercial sales within HVAC or mechanical systems
• Experience working in cross-functional environments (Engineering, Sales, Operations, Service)
• Strong understanding of BAS (Building Automation Systems) and integration with HVAC systems

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field required
• MBA strongly preferred
• Relevant HVAC or industry certifications (ASHRAE, LEED, etc.) considered an asset

Technical Skills

• Strong technical knowledge of:
  • Air Handling Unit design, application, and performance optimization
  • HVAC systems integration and controls (BAS)
• Ability to translate customer requirements into technical-commercial solutions
• Proficiency in:
  • Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
  • Power BI for data analysis and reporting
• Familiarity with ERP/CRM systems and product lifecycle tools
• Ability to balance technical complexity with commercial objectives

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to lead product strategy and lifecycle management
• Strong business acumen with experience in:
  • Pricing strategy
  • Market positioning
  • Competitive analysis
• Ability to create tools and processes that enable:
  • Faster decision-making
  • Seamless interaction between technical and commercial teams
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence both technical and executive stakeholders
• Willingness to travel 20–30%

Core Competencies

• Strategic Thinking & Product Vision – Ability to define and execute product roadmaps aligned with market needs
• Technical & Commercial Integration – Bridges engineering depth with revenue impact
• Cross-Functional Leadership – Influences across Sales, Engineering, and Operations without direct authority
• Customer-Centric Mindset – Deep understanding of customer use cases, especially in complex environments (e.g., data centers, industrial applications)
• Execution & Accountability – Drives initiatives from concept to market with measurable impact
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement – Introduces scalable tools and processes to improve efficiency and competitiveness

What We Offer: 

• Competitive compensation.
• Health, Vision, Dental, STD, LTD and Life insurance, from day one.
• 401K, matching up to 6%
• A collaborative global environment with opportunities for growth.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Smardt is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

As part of our hiring process, Smardt conducts background checks in compliance with applicable laws.

Please note that Smardt does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Services Agreement with agency/recruiter, we will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter fee.