Inside Look: Connection’s Product Management Department

Interested in becoming a Connection employee? You’ve come to the right place. Follow our “Inside Look” series to find out what it’s like to work at different departments within our organization. You will learn about our open positions and hear from our department leaders on what they look for in candidates during the interview process. This month we are featuring our Product Management organization.

What is the role of a Product Manager?

The Product Manager works collaboratively with the assigned partner(s) and internal resources to select key initiatives to drive growth and profitability. They are responsible for developing, implementing, and managing go-to-market strategies across all selling subsidiaries. They also direct cross-functional activities as detailed in the business development plan for their designated partner’s solutions.

What is it like to work in Connection’s Product Management Department?

No two days are alike. There are times you will focus on sales strategies, working closely with our sellers to help them with opportunities. Other times, you will be working on marketing campaigns with your partner—both internal with our sellers and external with our customers. There will be data analytics work, collaboration with our purchasing team on strategies, training sellers on the latest technology trends, direct engagement with our customers, operational improvement projects, and more.

How is the Product Management Department structured?

The department is set up between two technology pillars: Workplace Transformation and Data Center and Advanced Technology.

Think of Workplace Transformation as all the IT solutions that are close to you as you work—devices, displays, accessories, printers—all the hardware technologies a user needs to be productive.

Our Data Center and Advanced Technology team focuses on the products and solutions that help power the underlying infrastructure supporting business critical operations such as compute, storage, and networking solutions, as well as the requisite software to support on-premises, hybrid, or cloud infrastructures.

Each group has a leadership team that supports our Product Managers and Specialists as they work closely with our partners to develop strategies to help our sellers bring the latest technologies to market.

What are the relationships like between the Product Management Department and other areas of the company?

Product Management is unique in that we engage with almost every other department in the company. We work closely with sales, purchasing, marketing, finance, data analytics, the Technology Integration and Distribution Center, operations, and IT to bring our knowledge of our partners’ solutions to our customers.

What kinds of personalities mesh best within the company?

We are looking for new team members who are creative, results oriented, open to learning, collaborative, supportive teammates, entrepreneurial spirits, and those who like to leverage technology to apply creative solutions for customer challenges. Having a passion for technology helps our teams influence and excite others!

What does it take to be successful in the Product Management Department at Connection?

Understanding technology, our partners, our sellers, and our customers. We will help enable you to be successful by showing how each of these things are connected.

If someone reading this was coming to interview tomorrow, what interview tips would you give them?

Be prepared to speak to your experience and provide examples of transferrable skills. Our job requirements can be unique to our company and industry, and we have great results for people looking to migrate to a career in technology. The best way to do this is to help us understand your experiences.

What can new hires expect from joining the Product Management Department?

Our department is very collaborative and supportive of one another. We want everyone in our department and company to succeed. We want to set you up for success and continue that throughout your career. In addition, Product Management opens up various opportunities to advance one’s career into various roles, from team leadership to advanced technical positions. There is great potential for team members to build their career in the Product Management Department.

Why Connection?

Connection offers an opportunity to be part of a leading, Fortune 1000 national solutions provider in the IT industry and a chance to work closely with global IT OEM partners to help our customers calm the confusion of IT. The evolving landscape of IT allows for growth and new challenges every day. You will be working with a fantastic group of talented people who are grounded in the values that have been core to Connection since our founding in 1982: respect, excellence, and teamwork.

Ready to take the next step?

Can you see yourself working in our Product Management Department? We are hiring! Check out our open positions below or contact one of our hiring managers directly.