HELP US MAKE THE LIGHTBULB OBSOLETE!!!

Are you someone who thrives on coming up with dynamic solutions that help a company grow?  Do you want to be a part of a company that is revolutionizing the lighting industry?  Would you like to help enable a green technology that is solving some of the world’s energy problems?  If so, Cree could be the place for you.  We are a fast-growing semiconductor company that is leading the LED lighting revolution and setting the stage to obsolete the incandescent light bulb through the use of energy-efficient, environmentally friendly LED lighting.

We are headquartered in Raleigh/Durham, NC; an area consistently ranked in the Top 10 Places to Live by Money Magazine and is also home to the Research Triangle Park (RTP).  Raleigh was also included in Kiplinger’s Top 10 Best Cities for 2009.  The RTP area was recently voted the #1 high-tech region in the country by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and was also recognized as the #1 Best City for Jobs by Forbes magazine.   RTP is home to a broad spectrum of companies -- from Fortune 100 multinational research and development operations, to university spin-outs and start-up operations.  Cree’s facilities in the area are home to approximately 1600 full-time employees devoted to R&D, manufacturing, sales & marketing and other professional support roles.

Cree boasts a casual work environment, where jeans and shorts are a typical sight every day, not just on Friday.  We have an onsite fitness facility; complete with indoor track, basketball court, 3 racquet ball courts, aerobics room, free weights, machine weights and cardio machines.  This facility is 100% free to our employees and their spouses, and is open Monday through Saturday.  Our benefits include a quarterly bonus program, stock options, 401k, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, tuition reimbursement, and medical/vision/dental coverage.

We currently have an opening for a Director of Marketing within our LED Lighting group.  This position will be stationed at our Lighting Division headquarters in Morrisville, NC.

Summary:
               Cree is looking for a creative thinker with experience in commercial and consumer product marketing, branding and differentiation.   The LED Lighting division is growing rapidly, introducing new solid-state lighting products to go with industry-leading products introduced over the past two years.  This role reports to the General Manager and will lead a team focused on launching, positioning, and delivering great products into the Lighting market – and helping Cree to obsolete the light bulb through the use of energy-efficient, environmentally friendly LED lighting.

Responsibilities:

• Use a keen understanding of the market to target a focused product lineup to the highest-impact market segments
• Present Cree’s brand and products in the best light to allow customers to see Cree’s value in a variety of customer applications
• Create offers that utilize Cree-specific or industry-wide levers to promote our products
• Lead product introductions for maximum impact to our channels and customers
• Prioritize business opportunities and create product roadmaps based on company capabilities and customer and market trends
• Handle customer and other external communications (i.e., presentations, white papers, press releases, web content,)
• Coordinate product introduction, product concepts / sampling and new product development
• Work with the Sales group to negotiate and support major agreements and contracts, develop high-level customer relationships, and develop and serve the lighting customer base
• Work with General / Executive Management to establish appropriate business metrics, including product line data/analysis, quality, cost, delivery and customer satisfaction
• Lead and develop marketing team skills and capabilities (areas include product management, sales development, applications support and marketing communications)
• Develop and execute product line plans and strategies that include product definition, target segment, competitive position and customer needs (short and long term)
• Generate product demand and profit forecasts for annual and quarterly operating plans

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 7+ years of product marketing experience
• 5+ years of management experience
• Candidate must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree in Engineering or related technical field
• MBA or Advanced Degree in Engineering
• 5+ years experience in technical, commercial or consumer product marketing
• 5+ years experience with Lighting products at the component, lamp or fixture level
• 5+ years of management experience in operations or technology
• Advanced degree (or equivalent experience) in management, marketing or relevant field
• Strong diplomacy and cultural skills
• Strong written / presentation and oral communication skills
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally
• Self-motivated with strong drive to achieve
• Familiarity with doing business worldwide

If what you’ve read so far sounds exciting to you, then we encourage you to apply online.  This action will send an email directly to the recruiter associated with this opening.  We actually do look at every resume that comes in and will get in touch with you directly if we think you’re a potential match.  Our application process will take only 5-10 minutes, and our recruiting team will contact you with one week if we are interested in discussing this opportunity further.

 Cree is the leader in LED technology.  We hope you’ll consider joining our team to help us stay in that position!

 Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification.  They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills of personnel so classified.  All personnel may be required to perform duties outside their normal responsibilities from time to time as needed.  Cree is an Equal Opportunity Organization.