Technical Product Manager – Refrigeration & HVAC

Salary: Highly Negotiable, Dependent on Experience

Area: Selby, Johannesburg

Type: Onsite

About the Role

Do you have a strong technical understanding of refrigeration and HVAC equipment, and the ability to assess what makes a product technically sound, commercially viable and suitable for the market?

Our client, an established supplier of refrigeration, HVAC and air-conditioning products, is looking for a technically strong Technical Product Manager to take ownership of its product portfolio, with a particular focus on product evaluation, development and continuous improvement.

This is a technical, analytical and commercially focused role for someone who understands the equipment beyond the catalogue. You'll be responsible for evaluating existing and potential products, assessing technical specifications and performance, investigating new technologies, reviewing supplier offerings and identifying opportunities to improve the company's product range.

Working closely with Procurement, Engineering, Sales and the wider branch network, you'll help ensure that the business offers the right products for the market — products that meet technical and application requirements while remaining competitive, reliable and commercially viable.

A formal qualification in Refrigeration, HVAC or Mechanical Engineering, supported by practical industry experience, is strongly preferred.

You don't necessarily need to have held a Product Manager title before. If you have a strong technical background, understand refrigeration and HVAC systems, and are interested in applying your expertise to product evaluation, development and commercial decision-making, this could be an excellent next step in your career.

Key Responsibilities

Manage, evaluate and continuously improve the company's refrigeration, HVAC and air-conditioning product portfolio.
Identify opportunities to introduce new products, improve existing ranges and assess emerging technologies.
Evaluate suppliers and equipment based on technical performance, quality, suitability and commercial viability.
Analyse product costs, selling prices, margins and market competitiveness.
Identify gaps, overlapping products and obsolete equipment within existing product ranges.
Provide technical product advice and support to the national branch network.
Work closely with Procurement to manage product lifecycles, stock suitability and alternative product options.
Collaborate with Engineering on product testing, technical evaluations and equipment performance.
Develop product knowledge across the business through technical training and guidance.
Support informed product selection by interpreting technical specifications and performance data.

Requirements

Essential:

Matric and a formal technical qualification in Refrigeration, HVAC or Mechanical Engineering.
Extensive practical experience working with refrigeration, HVAC and air-conditioning equipment and applications.
Strong technical understanding of compressors, condensing units, evaporators, refrigerants, controls and related systems.
Ability to interpret technical specifications, equipment performance data and product selection requirements.
Understanding of product costing, pricing, profit margins and commercial viability.
Knowledge of inventory management and product lifecycles.
Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Good communication skills with the ability to explain technical information clearly.
Ability to work independently, take ownership and collaborate across departments.

Highly Advantageous:

Previous experience in product management, technical management or supplier evaluation.
Experience evaluating and developing technical product ranges.
Exposure to international sourcing and supplier relationships.
Experience working with SAP Business One or a similar ERP system.

Who Will Succeed in This Role?

You're someone who understands the equipment, not just the catalogue.
You can assess a product's technical capabilities, recognise where it fits in the market and determine whether it makes commercial sense.
You're organised, thorough and comfortable making decisions. You enjoy solving technical problems, sharing your knowledge and working with different teams to improve how products are selected, managed and supported.
Most importantly, you take ownership of your work and follow through.

Interested?

If you have a solid technical background in refrigeration or HVAC and are ready to use that expertise in a broader product management role, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply with your updated CV and let's have a conversation. Your industry knowledge and practical experience could be more important than your current job title.