Director, Product and Market Strategy - NGS

Overview

Takara Bio USA, Inc. | Posted Feb 13

Full-time — San Jose

Negotiable — Unknown

Job Title: Director, Product and Market Strategy NGS

Reports to: VP, Marketing

FLSA Class: Exempt

Learn more about our company and how we support you: Takara Bio USA (TBUSA) empowers life science discovery. We bring innovation and inspiration to every scientist — promoting discoveries that improve health and the environment. We value Innovation, Teamwork, Integrity, Respect, Growth, Diversity and Quality, and we support employees in skill development. We aim to deliver best-in-class products and impactful research results.

How this role drives the company forward: The Director, Product and Market Strategy NGS leads strategic initiatives and product management efforts to drive global growth and innovation of Takara Bio’s Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) solutions. This role combines deep technical and domain expertise in NGS with cross-functional leadership to develop and execute market-driven product roadmaps aligned with corporate objectives and R&D capabilities. The Director oversees the full product lifecycle, including phase gate alignment, go-to-market planning, and tactical marketing execution, mainly for North America. They also manage strategic partnerships, collaborations, and business ventures, negotiating contracts and tracking performance metrics to ensure sustained market growth and impact. By translating scientific and market insights into actionable strategies, the Director enables short- and long-term growth through targeted campaigns, development of sales enablement tools, and cross-functional initiatives that support commercialization and adoption of NGS technologies.

The Director, Product and Market Strategy is an onsite role located in San Jose, CA. Approximately 30% travel and some international travel may be required.

What will you do?

In this role, you will be pivotal in shaping the future of Takara’s RNA-based NGS portfolio and driving its success in the global life sciences market. You will lead a high-performing team of product managers to deliver customer-centric solutions that address real-world research challenges and deliver measurable value. Your strategic oversight will guide the development and launch of impactful products, optimize portfolio performance, and ensure the creation of targeted messaging and promotional activities that resonate with key market segments. By aligning scientific innovation with strategic business execution, you will expand Takara Bio’s reach, accelerate growth, and contribute to long-term success in a rapidly evolving genomics landscape.

Responsibilities

• Product Management & Commercialization
• Leads and mentors a team across multiple product lines, overseeing product lifecycle, development timelines, and resource allocation for NGS-related projects.
• Collaborates with R&D Directors and cross-functional teams to prioritize and execute product roadmaps aligned with strategic goals.
• Tracks NGS product development projects and leads the team through challenges in product development, including timelines, technical risks, vendors, shifting requirements, resource limitations, and cost.
• Leverages the team's strengths to ensure all aspects of product lifecycle management (market research, NPVs, new product proposals, marketing requirements, go-to-market strategies, product launches, and sales enablement initiatives) are met according to deadlines.
• Works cross-functionally with Takara Bio Product Management, R&D, Operations, and commercial and executive teams to bring product roadmaps to life and implement corporate strategies that capitalize on Takara Bio's capabilities and technical strengths.
• Conducts product line reviews and post-launch assessments to optimize performance.

• Market Strategy & Business Growth
• Leads the commercial/business activities of one or more assigned market areas within the Marketing department through direct management of team members.
• Serves as domain knowledge expert for related market areas, including current and future market trends, applications, information affecting the business, industry trends, competition, and marketplace strategy and tactics.
• Builds business cases and financial models for potential new growth opportunities and presents to Senior Management for Go/No-Go decisions.
• Contributes to strategic recommendations based on market insights to drive growth.

• Strategic Partnerships & Ventures
• Provides the vision and rationale for new
  ovel business opportunities that significantly expand the market for current NGS products or lead to new technologies/growth in new markets.
• Leads efforts to identify, evaluate, and develop sponsored research programs, partnerships, and/or acquisitions; defines requirements for collaborations and new ventures.
• Aligns external opportunities with internal capabilities to support innovation and growth.

• Marketing & Sales Enablement
• Partners with Sales leadership to set budgets and achieve sales targets.
• Develops tactical marketing plans and campaigns to drive lead generation and revenue.
• Collaborates with marketing and sales teams to develop product messaging and high-impact sales tools (cue cards, brochures, application notes, web and social content).
• Delivers market-focused training for internal teams and distributors.
• Analyzes campaign performance to improve ROI and explore new promotional channels.
• Represents Takara Bio at industry events and technical meetings.
• Ensures delivery of market-focused training for internal teams and distributors.

Qualifications

• Requires a BA or BS degree; MS/PhD considered favorable.
• Minimum 18 years of experience in product marketing for life science or related markets; minimum 10 years of experience managing a marketing team.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated presentation ability.
• Strong knowledge of the NGS scientific discipline, techniques, applications, and competitors.
• Analytical, problem-solving, and judgment skills with experience managing senior-level staff.
• Proven track record in developing product roadmaps and strategies to drive growth and impact.
• Experience managing external partnerships/collaborations.
• Solid business acumen, understanding of product marketability, and ability to design market-relevant products.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and creative thinking abilities; collaborative across functions and levels.
• Reputation as an emerging business leader with sustained performance.

EEO Statement

Takara Bio USA, Inc. does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors.

Additional Information

The job description may not cover all activities, duties, or responsibilities required. Duties may change with or without notice. The U.S. base salary range for this full-time role, located in San Jose, CA, is $220,000 - $230,000 USD, plus bonus and benefits. This range may be modified at any time. Learn more about benefits at Individual compensation packages are based on factors unique to each candidate, including job-related skills, training, experience, qualifications, location, and market conditions.

Location: San Jose

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