Product Specialist

Product Specialist – ICAUR

We are looking for a Product Specialist – ICAUR to join our product planning team and work closely with the Product Director to support the execution of our product development strategy and ensure the successful delivery of market‑relevant vehicles for Chery International.

In this role, the successful candidate will play a key part in gathering and analyzing market intelligence, consumer insights, and regulatory requirements to inform vehicle specifications and product positioning.

The candidate will also contribute to cross‑functional collaboration with Engineering, Sales, and Manufacturing to translate market needs into actionable technical requirements.

To succeed in this position, the ideal candidate should be analytical, detail‑oriented, and deeply familiar with the South African automotive market.

Strong communication skills and the ability to bridge technical and commercial teams are essential.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct in‑depth research with end users, dealers, and industry experts through field interviews, focus groups, and on‑site observations.
• Build and maintain demand‑side databases based on research findings.
• Analyze local consumer behaviour, including feature preferences, price sensitivity, and usage scenarios, to define and refine product specifications.
• Design and distribute surveys across multiple channels, including e‑mail, web, in‑app, social media, and phone.
• Monitor survey response rates and implement tactics to improve participation.
• Maintain an organised and up‑to‑date database of responses for ongoing trend analysis and reporting.
• Support the Product Director in obtaining national certifications (e. g., SABS, NRCS) and ensuring emissions compliance.
• Monitor and report on regulatory updates and policy changes, including SACU automotive standards, and their impact on product strategy.
• Track competitor activities (e. g., Toyota, Volkswagen, Ford), with a focus on pricing, product features, and market share movements.
• Prepare and present monthly reports in English: “South African Automotive Market & Competitive Landscape Analysis.”
• Work closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, and Sales teams to translate market requirements into clear, technical product specifications.
• Lead and support local validation tests (e. g., high‑temperature/high‑altitude adaptation, road durability testing).

Requirements

• Minimum 3 years of experience in automotive OEM product development or planning.
• Proven exposure to the full vehicle lifecycle.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the South African automotive market, including competitive positioning and regulatory environment (please provide specific examples in your application).
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Design, Business, or a related field (preferred).

Skills

• Strong analytical abilities; proficient in Microsoft Excel, Power Point, and Word.
• Ability to correlate technical vehicle specifications (e. g., powertrain, infotainment systems) with consumer preferences and market performance.
• User empathy: Able to build rapport with a wide range of stakeholders and uncover unspoken customer needs.
• Analytical rigor: Comfortable interpreting both quantitative and qualitative data for decision‑making.
• Communication: Skilled in conveying complex information between technical and business teams through clear and concise reporting and presentations.
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