Product Manager

Location: South Africa

Recruiter: Elisa Bernal Alés

Keyloop bridges the gap between dealers, manufacturers, technology suppliers and car buyers.

We empower car dealers and manufacturers to fully embrace digital transformation. How? By creating innovative technology that makes selling cars better for our customers, and buying and owning cars better for theirs.

We use cutting-edge technology to link our clients’ systems, departments and sites. We provide an open technology platform that’s shaping the industry for the future. We use data to help clients become more efficient, increase profitability and give more customers an amazing experience. Want to be part of it?

About the Role:

The Product Manager role is focused on our enquiryMAX retail product where your purpose is to lead and contribute to a complex and cross-functional effort of redefining how enquiryMAX not only serves to the market’s industry needs but also how it supports the Keyloop strategic goals.

You will require the ability to build influential relationships across the business, propose bold ideas that provide scalable solutions and transition internal and external customers from existing processes and tools to services and applications that still need to be built. You will be accountable and responsible for the day-to-day product management of the product backlog, specifically, but not limited, to the prioritisation and adjudication of customer related support and PS incidents raised for BAU customers and newly onboarded customers. This could be everything from a single, simple product feature, up to a portfolio of multiple products catering to an enhanced E2E workflow. You will be responsible for the overall leadership of the product, promoting KL strategic developments and ideations within your sprint team, which will directly contribute to the results and performance for the enquiryMAX product and portfolio.

You will have a deep understanding of the enquiryMAX product performance and use that knowledge to take the necessary actions to meet and exceed the product goals and objectives. You will deeply understand the needs and problems of your customers, using that knowledge to contribute the overall product plans and roadmaps that set the direction for the portfolio and define the propositions and journeys that we’ll take our customers on. You passionately evangelise about our products to influence and lead opinion internally across the organisation and externally in the market. As the expert in your product, knowing it better than anyone else, you will be able to demonstrate it to multiple audiences, and speaking authoritatively on all aspects of it. You will work effectively as part of a product team with a product designer and developers, writing user stories and prioritising the backlog, and owning the value and business viability for your product within the team.

The product manager will be responsible for supporting and owning the definition of the product strategy, held responsible for translating the product vision to both internal and external stakeholders. This includes external integrations, Keyloop internal product integrations, and APIs. We will be looking for a product manager to deliver the improvements that underpin the consumer, dealer, and OEM operations.

The Product Manager is expected to collaborate with peers across the wider Sales and Omnichannel domain as well as closely with colleagues in other product teams for which we have integrations with. Key responsibilities will include justifying, scoping, defining, specifying, and managing key enquiryMAX customer journey related features, as well as API/integration capabilities.

This role is critical to the continued growth and success of the business and is well aligned to the global business strategy. Suitable candidates will have an “operational excellence” and growth mindset, intrinsically motivated with the imagination to do things differently and better.

Role Responsibilities

Contribute to the formulating of a product vision and strategy and communicating it effectively to anyone in the organisation - from the teams designing and building the products, through to senior leadership.

Own and manage the product roadmap, collaborating closely with the Sr. Product Manager and engineering team.

Be the evangelist of the product proposition internally within Keyloop and externally in the market.

Work with stakeholders across Keyloop to ensure the smooth delivery of the products, that great customer experience is achieved and any contractual KPIs are met.

Represent the product in governance and investment decisions where necessary.

Maintain a current and in-depth understanding of product data, operational, customer experience, and usage data in order to make effective backlog prioritization and business decisions.

Gather high-level development requirements, write user stories, and prioritize the backlog for the development team.

Write good product documentation for internal and external use with the use of Release Notes and Confluence.

Adjudicate on issues and queries raised about the product, determining whether new functionality or a code change is required.

Hold user acceptance responsibilities to ensure the product provides the value and user experience required.

Ensure quality execution of the product strategy, incorporating new product development and existing product in-life management.

Build a network of external and internal stakeholders to support you and your product, giving greatest chances for success.

Develop and maintain in depth knowledge of the product and industry area including competitor insight and market trends.

Regularly engage with customer users and internal functions (e.g. marketing and sales) to gain insight into their current challenges, needs and issues.

Be seen externally as an expert in the product area.

Engage with external stakeholders up to a senior level.

Skills / Knowledge & Experience

Minimum 3 years+ Product Management experience in Software or Automotive related industries is ideal.

Good understanding of our internal KL DMS systems, Drive and Autoline Rev8, particularly technical and/or backend knowledge of Vehicle Management and CRM modules, and having the ability to apply this knowledge to our existing integration with the DMS – this is key.

Capacity to understand technical integrations with APIs.

An understanding of the management of an Automobile Dealership, is an advantage.

Ability to articulate and explain complicated issues in a simple and accurate manner; using language that the non-technical stakeholder or customer can understand.

Well organized, driven, and self-sufficient team player, with the ability to prioritize and work autonomously and/or as part of a team.

Ability to analyse raw data in order to help make data-driven prioritisation decisions.

Knowledge or qualified in the SAFe Agile Framework

Previous experience of SaaS software product management

Previous experience working in Agile software development.

Driven, but with a collaborative team approach and a mind-sent that we help each other out. “You don’t win unless our team wins”.

Take initiative where you see gaps where improvements could be made to process and/or product.

Proven ability to network effectively and collaboratively in a complex, matrix environment comprised of diverse roles, interests, and geographies; demonstrated ability to build credibility and relationships across diverse cultures.

Knowledge and experience with the following is a plus: Jira, Confluence, MS Excel, Kendis, Miro

Why join us?

We’re on a journey to become market leaders in our space – and with that comes some incredible opportunities. Collaborate and learn from industry experts from all over the globe. Work with game-changing products and services. Get the training and support you need to try new things, adapt to quick changes and explore different paths. Join Keyloop and progress your career, your way.

An inclusive environment to thrive

We’re committed to fostering an inclusive work environment. One that respects all dimensions of diversity. We promote an inclusive culture within our business, and we celebrate different employees and lifestyles – not just on key days, but every day.

Be rewarded for your efforts

We believe people should be paid based on their performance so our pay and benefits reflect this and are designed to attract the very best talent. We encourage everyone in our organisation to explore opportunities which enable them to grow their career through investment in their development but equally by working in a culture which fosters support and unbridled collaboration.