Product Manager, Detection & Control
Ashland, MA
Company Overview
KiddeFenwal is a global leader in industrial and commercial fire protection, delivering advanced fire suppression, detection, and control solutions that protect lives, safeguard property, and ensure business continuity. Our flagship brands—Kidde Fire Systems and Kidde Fire Protection—serve mission-critical sectors including industrial, commercial, marine, and special hazard environments. Fenwal Controls complements this portfolio with OEM-focused gas ignition, temperature control, and overheat detection solutions.
With global operations spanning the U.S., U.K., and India, KiddeFenwal combines deep domain expertise with global reach to deliver innovative, compliant, and reliable fire and safety systems. Learn more at www.kiddefenwal.com.
Our Purpose
We protect lives, livelihoods and icons with innovative solutions, deep relationships and outstanding customer experiences. Guided by a foundation of integrity and safety our values speed, innovation, excellence, and teamwork—drive how we work, lead, and grow.
Position Summary
The Product Manager, Detection & Control (PM) is a critical business leader responsible for driving product strategy and lifecycle management for KiddeFenwal’s global detection-alarm-control product portfolio. Together with the Product Management team, the PM is responsible for managing and implementing activities to maximize internal awareness of market and customer needs as one of the key initial steps in managing the product lifecycle. The PM also collaborates with Marketing Communications and Global Sales to build market and customer awareness to enhance the positioning, sales and profitability of these products.
Reporting to the Product Management Director, the PM serves as the voice of the customer, providing strategic direction for product development, positioning, pricing, and sales enablement initiatives. This role partners cross-functionally with internal stakeholders - sales, engineering, customer support, operations, supply chain, and finance—to drive growth, profitability, and innovation.
Key Responsibilities
Market Intelligence & Strategy
- Be the expert on customers, competitors, and market trends within the fire alarm and suppression controls industry.
- Identify emerging opportunities and threats; communicate insights and recommendations to leadership.
- Drive strategic direction of the fire product portfolio in collaboration with the Product Management Director, Chief Product Officer and Product/Marketing teams.
Product Development & Lifecycle Management
- Lead new product development (NPD), sustaining engineering, and value engineering projects.
- Conduct Voice of Customer (VoC) research and translate findings into product requirements.
- Develop business cases, pricing models, and implementation plans.
- Manage product lifecycle from concept through sunset, including ongoing margin reviews and performance tracking.
Sales Enablement & Go-to-Market
- Define and communicate value propositions and product positioning.
- Collaborate with Marketing Communications on sales tools, collateral, white papers, and technical documentation.
- Deliver internal and external product training, including development of supporting materials.
- Support the commercial, technical, applications, and training services teams as needed.
Business Performance & Forecasting
- Monitor product line performance against targets; identify areas for improvement.
- Collaborate with the Market & Pricing Analyst to update pricing models and strategies.
- Maintain volume forecasts and communicate anticipated changes based on trends or events.
Cross-functional & External Engagement
- Represent the company at events such as trade shows, customer visits, and internal sales meetings.
- Build strong internal relationships across all functions and externally with key customers, partners, and suppliers.
- Stay current on relevant global codes and standards (NFPA, UL, FM, ISO, EN, etc.).
Qualifications
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or other Technical Field
- Strong commercial and financial acumen
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
- High proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
- Ability to travel up to 25%, including international travel
Preferred:
- MBA or relevant business qualification
- Certifications in Product Management or Project Management
- Experience in the fire protection industry (especially in fire alarm and/or specialty fire detection systems)
- Multilingual abilities are a plus
Core Competencies
- Strategic thinking and market insight
- Project management and organizational skills
- Cross-functional collaboration and leadership
- Self-motivated, growth-oriented mindset
- Problem-solving and decision-making in complex environments
KiddeFenwal, LLC. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other federally protected class.