PRODUCT MARKETING SPECLIAST

MICASSO PRODUCT MARKETING SPECIALIST (PMO) – NEW PRODUCT & SHOWROOM EXCELLENCE

Location: Nairobi, with regular distributor/showroom field visits

Employment Type: Full-Time

1. JOB PURPOSE

The Product Marketing Specialist (PMO) is responsible for coordinating MICASSO's New Product Introduction (NPI), product launch execution, distributor rollout, and showroom excellence programme.

The role ensures that every new product moves smoothly from development → launch preparation → distributor rollout → display → market feedback, while ensuring MICASSO distributor showrooms consistently meet approved brand, merchandising, display, and customer experience standards.

The PMO serves as a central coordination and execution-control point between Marketing, Sales, Factory, Product, Design, Procurement, and distributors. The role is responsible for tracking deadlines, identifying gaps, coordinating corrective actions, and ensuring that agreed actions are followed through to completion.

SIMPLE OWNERSHIP

NEW PRODUCT → PREPARE → LAUNCH → DISPLAY → CHECK → RECTIFY → TRACK → CLOSE

2. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

A. NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTION & COORDINATION

• Coordinate the end-to-end New Product Introduction (NPI) process from product development through market launch.
• Maintain a master New Product Launch Tracker covering upcoming, active, and recently launched MICASSO products.
• Coordinate with Factory, Product, Sales, Marketing, Design, Procurement, and other relevant departments.
• Track critical product information including:
• Product specifications
• Product codes
• Pricing
• Packaging
• Samples
• Product availability
• Marketing requirements
• Launch dates
• Follow up on outstanding actions and escalate delays that may affect launch timelines.
• Ensure Sales teams and distributors receive accurate and complete product information before launch.
• Maintain accurate product launch documentation and supporting records.
• Ensure each product progresses through the required launch stages.

Expected Process:

Product Development → Product Information → Marketing Preparation → Sales Preparation → Distributor Readiness → Launch → Display → Market Feedback

B. LAUNCH READINESS & TERMINAL CHECKS

• Coordinate and own the Terminal Check and Launch Readiness process for MICASSO new products.
• Maintain standardized Terminal Check and Launch Readiness checklists.
• Confirm that all requirements have been completed before market rollout.
• Verify the readiness of:
• Product specifications
• Product quality
• Product codes
• Packaging
• Pricing
• Product samples
• Product stickers
• POSM
• Display requirements
• Marketing communication
• Sales information
• Identify outstanding gaps and coordinate corrective actions before launch.
• Follow up with responsible departments until all critical requirements are closed.
• Coordinate final launch-readiness confirmation with relevant stakeholders.
• Prepare Terminal Check Reports and maintain supporting evidence.

C. NEW PRODUCT MARKET ROLLOUT

• Coordinate with Sales to ensure new products are introduced to the targeted distributor network.
• Track product dispatch and distributor receipt.
• Confirm that distributors receive the necessary product information, samples, POSM, and launch materials.
• Track implementation of product displays following product dispatch.
• Collect photographic evidence of product receipt and display implementation.
• Follow up with distributors where product display or launch execution is incomplete.
• Maintain a rollout tracker showing progress by:
• Product
• Distributor
• Region
• Dispatch status
• Receipt status
• Display status
• Outstanding actions
• Closure status
• Escalate rollout delays that may affect product visibility or market launch.

3. SHOWROOM EXCELLENCE & COMPLIANCE

• Coordinate MICASSO's distributor showroom checking and compliance programme.
• Develop and maintain a showroom inspection schedule covering the distributor network.
• Conduct scheduled and random showroom inspections.
• Assess showrooms against approved MICASSO standards covering:
• Product displays
• Branding
• Merchandising
• Price tags
• Product information
• POSM
• Display racks
• Sample houses
• Cleanliness
• Product presentation
• Customer-facing communication
• Collect clear photographic evidence during showroom inspections.
• Prepare structured showroom inspection reports highlighting gaps, actions, responsible parties, and deadlines.
• Coordinate rectification actions with Sales and distributors.
• Verify completed corrective actions and formally close outstanding issues.
• Maintain an up-to-date Showroom Compliance Tracker.
• Identify recurring compliance issues and escalate unresolved or repeated gaps to management.

Showroom Excellence Process:

CHECK → IDENTIFY GAP → ASSIGN ACTION → RECTIFY → VERIFY → CLOSE

4. DISPLAY & MERCHANDISING COORDINATION

• Ensure new and priority MICASSO products receive appropriate showroom visibility.
• Coordinate product display requirements with Sales teams and distributors.
• Check correct use and positioning of:
• Display racks
• Product samples
• Product stickers
• POSM
• Price tags
• Product information
• Identify outdated, damaged, incorrect, incomplete, or poorly positioned materials.
• Recommend practical improvements to showroom merchandising and product presentation.
• Support implementation of new showroom display standards and guidelines.
• Ensure showroom displays accurately reflect current MICASSO products and brand standards.

5. NEW PRODUCT MARKETING SUPPORT

• Coordinate marketing requirements required for successful new product introductions.
• Prepare launch briefs containing:
• Product information
• Target market
• Key selling points
• Product applications
• Required communication materials
• Launch timeline
• Coordinate with designers and relevant Marketing teams to ensure launch assets are prepared on time.
• Follow up on outstanding marketing materials required for launch.
• Ensure product communication is accurate, consistent, and aligned across distributor touchpoints.
• Support Sales teams with product information required for dealer communication and customer engagement.

6. FIELD & MARKET INTELLIGENCE

• Collect structured feedback from distributors, Sales teams, and showroom visits.
• Monitor customer and distributor reactions to newly launched products.
• Identify recurring:
• Product questions
• Customer objections
• Product concerns
• Availability issues
• Pricing concerns
• Display challenges
• Monitor competitor product introductions, showroom displays, merchandising, and market activities.
• Collect relevant competitor information relating to:
• Product launches
• Pricing
• Positioning
• Promotions
• Merchandising
• Display execution
• Provide actionable market intelligence to Marketing, Product, Sales, and Management teams.
• Identify opportunities for improvement based on field observations.

7. CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COORDINATION

The PMO will work closely with:

Marketing – launch communication, brand standards, marketing materials and campaigns.

Sales – distributor rollout, product displays, showroom compliance and rectification.

Factory/Product – product specifications, availability, quality and launch readiness.

Design – product communication, POSM, display concepts and showroom requirements.

Procurement – samples, display materials and other required launch items.

Distributors – product rollout, display implementation and showroom compliance.

Management – progress, risks, escalations and corrective actions.

The PMO is responsible for ensuring that agreed actions do not stop at meetings, emails, or instructions but are followed through to completion.

8. REPORTING & TRACKING

Prepare accurate and concise weekly and monthly reports covering:

• New Product Launch Tracker
• Product launch readiness
• Terminal Check status
• Distributor rollout status
• Product dispatch and receipt
• New product display status
• Showroom inspection progress
• Showroom compliance scores
• Outstanding rectifications
• Rectification closure status
• Field observations
• Competitor observations
• Key risks and issues requiring management attention

All reports should clearly communicate:

REQUIREMENT → CURRENT STATUS → GAP → RESPONSIBLE PERSON → DEADLINE → EVIDENCE → CLOSURE

9. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Education

• Bachelor's Degree or Diploma in Marketing, Business Administration, Project Management, Retail Management, Communications, or a related field.
• Additional training or certification in Project Management, Product Marketing, Trade Marketing, Retail Merchandising, or Showroom Management is an advantage.

Experience

• 2–4 years of relevant experience in Product Marketing, Project Coordination, Trade Marketing, Retail Marketing, Showroom Operations, Merchandising, or a similar role.
• Experience coordinating new product launches or NPI projects is highly desirable.
• Experience conducting retail/showroom inspections or audits is an advantage.
• Experience working with distributors, dealers, agents, or dealer networks is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating multiple departments, stakeholders, and deadlines.
• Experience in building materials, tiles, interiors, FMCG, consumer durables, or other distributor-led industries is an advantage.