Product Specialist Job Description

Product specialist is a professional occupation that combines sales, marketing and technical skills to design, promote and sell a product for an organization. These professionals are involved with a product's entire life cycle--from conception to completion--to ensure optimal sales results for an organization's profitability.

Educational requirements include a bachelor's degree in one of several disciplines: technical, business or marketing. Most professionals in this occupation have expertise related to the product they support, and may move into this role from another related technical, sales or marketing position. In March 2010, Salary.com lists a national average salary of $82,294 per year for a product specialist.

Function

A product specialist's goal is to ensure the profitability and continued growth of a product for an organization. These professionals are the experts about a specific product, strategically plan production, marketing and sales, and interact with many organizational departments and customers.

Design

Working with the design engineering team, a product specialist reviews a product design, suggests enhancements, and oversees development to ensure marketability of the product. This includes redesign of the product to stay competitive in the marketplace.

Education

Throughout the design of the product, a product specialist gains knowledge of the product's functionality and abilities. Serving as an expert about the product for the organization, the product specialist trains employees such as salespeople and customer service representatives to assist in optimizing sales and customer satisfaction.

Promotion

Working with an organization's marketing professionals, a product specialist analyzes current market trends related to the product and ensures marketability. This includes finding the best resources to market the product, attending industry conventions and events, and joining and contributing to related professional organizations.

Sales

This professional works with sales staffers to ensure customer satisfaction by interacting directly with customers to improve the product and understand the customers' needs and the product's future direction. This includes accompanying sales professionals to client meetings to sell the product, and understanding potential limitations of the product.

Financial

Overseeing the product life cycle includes overseeing product financial budgets, production and promotional spending to ensure maximum profitability. This can include working with purchasing professionals to find the best, most cost-effective materials to produce the products and enhancing the production process.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Sales Engineers

Resources

• Indeed.com: Product Specialist Jobs