ROLE & CONTEXT

Purpose

As the head of Media House Product Management, the role-holder is required to bring to market and drive the adoption of Media House TV, Mobile and Online products and relevant extensions across all screens. The initial product line includes the current IPTV product, content packages, companion apps and potential OTT applications. The role-holder has full responsibility for developing and managing the Media House product portfolio and revenue targets

Responsibilities

This role is an essential role within the Media House and has a determining impact on the direction the Media House adopts:-

1. The role-holder is responsible for setting the vision, strategies and guidelines for all Media House products and services and supporting Platforms heads in bringing new service propositions to market in a cost effective and timely manner
2. The role-holder is with the Head of the Media House the figurehead of the unit
3. The role-holder is responsible to own and manage a compelling and entirely new TV service as well as drive the introduction of mobile, online and potentially OTT products
4. The role-holder is responsible for developing and growing Media House portfolio in Qatar and potentially new markets
5. The role-holder is responsible for performing all of the above, on time and against budget.

Business Scope

Qtel Media House is a new business venture set up to develop and deliver compelling new entertainment & advertising propositions both in Qatar and internationally. The remit of Qtel Media House covers:

• All forms of entertainment extending across Television & Video, Gaming, Social Media, Music, and Infotainment;
• Across all forms of content delivery platform including IPTV, OTT, Online, Mobile phones & Tablet devices, TV sets and games consoles
• Across the Middle East, North Africa and Asia Pacific region…..both through partnership with Qtel Group operating companies (over 60 million customers in 17 countries) and through direct to market ‘over the top’ propositions

Qtel Media House is also responsible for conceiving and developing new sources of advertising revenue for Qtel - across both electronic and physical channels (i.e. TV advertising and website / targeted mobile advertising as well as Yellow Pages advertising and the development of new sources of advertising revenue on the back of Qtel Group’s prepaid recharge card, SMS messaging and physical infrastructure capabilities)

Mission

The ultimate mission of Qtel Media House is to position Qtel as the leading integrated media & content operator within the MENA region. The business is charged with generating incremental cumulative entertainment revenues of QR 1.5 billion (USD $400m) for Qtel Group in the next 5 years.

 Business Development

Whilst Qtel Media House will initially be incubated within the Qtel, Qatar business, its intention is to launch multiple retail & wholesale entertainment offerings across multiple territories and to support the wider entertainment objectives of the wider Qtel Group business.   At some point therefore, Qtel Media House will transition into Qtel Group or possibly, be spun off as an entirely separate, standalone business.

ROLE ACCOUNTABILITIES

Marketing Planning

The role-holder has overall  responsibility  for developing a thorough understanding of Media House customers across all digital platforms and driving the development of roadmaps for products to be introduced by Platforms ;

• Gather market analysis data from platform heads and assist them in identifying market opportunities for Media House
• Monitor results of customer experience research regarding customer satisfactions with Media House products
• Drive customer segmentation and derive value propositions targeting identified segments
• Monitor the performance of Media House portfolio through thorough micro-segmentation analysis of customers (e.g. Detailed customer usage and behavior across products)
• Drive the product innovation process within the Media House
• Develop a product roadmap in collaboration with the Content and Technology and Devices teams including TV, Mobile and Online products
• Assist Platform heads in defining key usage trends and optimizing their portfolios
• Oversee the identification of content needs of platforms
• Develop Media House content strategy with platform heads and the support of content unit

 Product Development

The role-holder has overall  responsibility for managing the development of new products, to ensure growth and competitiveness of Media House digital portfolio :

• Oversee the development of new concepts across Platforms including new business models, features, content packages and UIs
• Assess the attractiveness of new concepts from a financial and customer experience perspective, providing guidance and  direction for improvements as necessary
• Oversee the development of marketing papers describing new products and concepts, their pricing, distribution channels, installation and support requirements as well as the customer experience promise
• Collaborate with Marketing and Communication to ensure product and package structures are easy to communicate to customers
• Collaborate with Marketing and Communication to develop the visual identity of new products and concepts, name products and packages, and formulate sales messages
• Monitor the process of bringing digital products to the market from concept development to implementation by Technology and Devices
• Collaborate with Advertising to identify their requirements from new product
• Monitor the pilots and soft launches of products and ensure commercial readiness for full launch
• Ensure that products are developed within the set budget and timeline
• Oversee the testing of new products and their acceptance by the Product teams
• Oversee the development of product specific documentation to be reviewed and adapted to the tone of voice of Media House by Marketing and Communication
• Work with Content, Technology and Devices, and Marketing and Communication teams to raise customer acceptance of the Media House products.

 Product Lifecycle management

The role-holder has overall responsibility for promoting and improving the performance of products throughout their lifecycle, and ensuring the  platform heads exceed revenue and subscription targets :

• Ensure platform heads monitor closely the performance of products and achieve their revenue and subscription targets
• Oversee bundling, pricing and promotion strategies
• Oversee the launch of targeted promotions based on micro-segmentation efforts and data-mining conducted on customer information available through digital media
• Implement the content strategy and continuously content available on the platform based on customer preferences and evolving viewing habits. Request the acquisition of content by the Content unit including but not limited to
  • Linear channels
  • VoD titles
  • Applications
  • Ensure Media House products deliver their customer experience promise and goals
  • Monitor customer touch points’ performance and ensure improvement initiatives developed by customer experience are implemented
  • In case editorial content is to be developed for Online and Mobile platform, the development of this content will reside with the Platform head

 Sales Planning and Monitoring

The role-holder is responsible for developing the sales strategy of respective TV, mobile and online products

• Work with platform heads on developing sales forecast by product and channel type
• Monitor and ensure the delivery of sales channels vis-à-vis targets
• Ensures there are processes in place to  feed requirements into those channels, provide retail training, agree sales targets with other units and channels
• Ensure sales targets are met across products and channels by providing all necessary information, training, guidance and product back up.
• Set and monitor sales targets across products and channels and work with Q-Tel sales and distribution team to define and implement  motivating sales commission and incentives for both direct and indirect channels

 New Business Development

• Oversee the Set up of  new platform divisions currently unavailable in Media House: Mobile platform and in the medium term (1-2 years) Online platforms
• Oversee the development of a potential OTT proposition
• Develop the online and mobile strategies

 Unit & People Management

The role-holder is responsible for recruiting, leading, developing, managing and coaching a team of approximately 7-12 people:

• Forecast and request resource needs, define roles & responsibilities, in a timely manner and set performance and delivery timelines for the team
• Collaborate with key internal (and external) partners to get input, ‘buy-in’ and alignment behind developed initiatives, prioritization and delivery dates
• Effectively manage the department and its budgets

 Planning & Organizing

The role-holder is responsible for:

• Developing and planning the  annual marketing plans
• Launching new products to time and quality measures and ensuring they meet the customer experience promise of Media House
• Setting and running team meetings to ensure that key deliverables are identified, communicated, project managed and delivered on time within the Go-to-Market Platforms
• Ensuring that all involved parties, both within and outside the team are informed of any deadlines they are responsible for and for ensuring that all delivery milestones are met on time

Team working, Coaching / Development & Leadership

•  The role-holder is responsible for the goal / scorecard setting and performance evaluation of all employees within the Product Management unit
• The role-holder is further responsible for identifying areas of improvement both within individuals and within teams and for providing coaching and encouragement (including offers of training and education) where necessary
• The role-holder is required to proactively seek to solve any problems or disputes and keep working relationships on track
• The role-holder is required to participate in  building  the Media House culture of Qtel Media House acting as a role model for the brand on a daily basis both externally and internally

Communicating, negotiating & influencing

•  The role-holder will serve as the driving force behind the Qtel Media value proposition and products
• Internally: The role holder is required to drive the development of the Media House product roadmap and obtain endorsement from the wider Qtel organization
• Externally: The role holder will be required to establish strong relationships with the wider Media industry, technology providers and telecom operators

Decision Making

The role-holder is charged with the authority to make all strategic, procurement, recruitment, budgeting and expenditure decisions relating to the Go-to-market unit within the Qtel Media House department on a day to basis and within the company delegated authority policies.

Decisions which require further authorities or which may have wider impact will be made in conjunction with the Head of MH and potentially other senior management.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal interfaces include

• Define product roadmap and strategy with the Media House Head and Strategy, Planning and Business Development
• Develop content acquisition roadmap with content team
• Work with Strategy, Planning and Business Development on project management for the implementation of large scale projects
• Work with Marketing and Communication on the development of campaigns related to new and existing products
• Liaise with Customer Experience to ensure all processes deliver against the customer experience promise
• Work with various sales channels to ensure that sales targets are being met

 External interfaces include

• Establish contacts with TV content companies, vendors, application and games developers, agencies and dealers.

Qualifications

• A university degree in communication, media or engineering.
• More important is the additional expertise in new product development in a technology led environment

Experience

• 15+ years of work experience of which the last 6/7 must be  in defining and developing requirements for consumer entertainment/media based products and services and working with new product development teams.