How to Become a New Products Coordinator

A new products coordinator generally helps a company to find a proper marketing position for a specific product in terms of cost, profitability and margins. The person in this position is responsible for ensuring the integrity of new products by overseeing the inventory and distribution processes, and maintaining all vendor and price files. New product coordinators should have a background in accounting, marketing or finance, and should possess excellent math and organizational skills.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• A Bachelor's Degree in accounting or marketing, or some occupational experience in these fields

1. Complete the necessary schooling and gain the experience required to become a new products coordinator. While a Bachelor's Degree in accounting or marketing is definitely a plus, many companies may merely require that you have employment experience in these areas, as well as sales or finance.
2. Familiarize yourself with database software such as Microsoft Excel, Power Point, Word and Outlook, which will be vital to maintaining the integrity of your vendor and price files. A large portion of your day as a new products coordinator will be spent on the computer, assembling and analyzing data as well as generating spreadsheets and communicating with other departments via email.
3. Develop your interpersonal and communication skills. As a new products coordinator, you will be acting as a liaison between vendors, the marketing staff, accountants, buyers and customers. Being pleasant to deal with and able to express yourself professionally in person, as well as through written communications, is a must.
4. Gain the necessary job experience for a new products coordinator position by working with product inventories and becoming familiar with price files, maintaining UPC codes and conducting price changes. Know how to work with SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) systems, and understand how to control shrinkage (loss) in a company that maintains an inventory.
5. Find a job as a new products coordinator using traditional methods, such as classified ads or bulletin board listings at local employment agencies, or consider a more efficient online resource such as Monster.com, which can isolate the specific type of position you are looking for in the location you want (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Brush up on your math skills. When you become a new products coordinator, you will be expected to have basic accounting skills, especially in regards to calculating profit margins and maintaining Universal Price Code (UPC) files. If mathematics is not your strong suit, this may not be the job for you.

Who Can Help:

• Earn an Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's Degree from the University of Phoenix
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