Product Management as a Connecting Link
Focus on Employees
Vanessa is product manager for the temperature, pressure and instruments and systems product portfolio.
Vanessa enjoys being the connecting link between the different departments and being able to actively drive product improvements.
Vanessa, what does your workday at E+E Elektronik look like?
We start every morning with a brief team get-together – and a cup of coffee, of course. After that, I go about my daily tasks. I am responsible for 13 products, so there is always something to do. My typical workday as a product manager involves market and competitor analyses, feasibility checks and the technical clarifications related to them, and preparations for launching new products. But we are also constantly improving our existing measuring devices, and so I also take care of regular product adaptations. What I like about my job is that I liaise between the different departments and can actively push forward the product improvements. To do this, I consult with the Development and Production departments and have regular appointments with the Sales department. Of course, this also includes branch communication with our sales subsidiaries. Because we have subsidiaries and distribution channels worldwide, there are many different requirements that need to be taken into account, depending on the country and branch of industry.
What skills do you need as a product manager?
You should like to work in a structured way without losing sight of what is essential, that is, you need to know exactly what to focus on. Be open to new things and also be imaginative – what might the further development of the product family look like, etc.? Being a good communicator goes without saying, because you collaboratively create the best and most innovative ideas in a team and networking takes top priority.
What is special about your work for you personally?
After extensive training in the new department, I am also allowed to work independently as an apprentice; I enjoy that. That's why I also benefit from the flexitime model and can schedule my work independently. This way, I am able to start early in the morning and leave earlier in the afternoon, no matter what my co-workers like to do.
I also think it's great that we apprentices get along very well with each other, and we're well networked. I also meet the electronics apprentices in the same way and we help each other with many things.
What makes E+E Elektronik the right employer for you?
Great cooperation, and first and foremost my daily work environment, that is, the people I work with at the office.
And besides taking an active role in the company professionally, I also have the opportunity to take part in leisure activities sponsored by E+E. Together with a member of staff from the Warehousing department, I initiated "Archery" as an employee activity. This met with huge interest, we never expected so many registrations. Now we regularly go to archery practice after work with about ten other people from the company.
And I appreciate the flexible working hours. I come from Steyr, and that's quite a bit of a drive, so I base my working hours on the traffic situation. This means starting my working day early in the morning and finishing early to match. Once a week, I work from my home office, which saves a lot of time.
Do you also want to make career at E+E Elektronik?