NPD Project Manager
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced NPD Project Manager to lead product development activities within this thriving manufacturing business. The NPD Project Manager will act as the bridge between Design & R&D teams and the Manufacturing teams, ensuring seamless coordination from concept through to production, while driving a culture of innovation within the R&D functions.
As an NPD Project Manager, you will support the entire product lifecycle, from initial concept to final production, ensuring new products are developed efficiently, meet customer specifications, and are delivered on time and within budget. You will be a key advocate for innovation, collaborating closely with engineering, design, manufacturing, and external suppliers to foster new ideas and ensure successful product launches.
Primary Responsibilities of the NPD Project Manager:
Project management
- Develop and manage project plans, timelines, budgets, and resources from concept, through R&D and Design, into Production.
- Coordinate cross-functional teams (Design, R&D, Manufacturing) to meet technical, operational, and innovation goals.
- Monitor progress and adjust as needed to align with production, quality, and delivery targets.
Product Development and Innovation:
- Lead product development, ensuring designs meet technical specs, manufacturing capabilities, and industry standards.
- Drive innovation, fostering new concepts, technologies, and continuous improvement.
- Collaborate with R&D to enhance product performance and manufacturability.
- Manage product testing, validation, and preparation for large-scale production.
Risk and Resource Management:
- Identify and mitigate risks, particularly during the transition from design to manufacturing.
- Address production challenges promptly and proactively.
- Develop and manage project budgets, ensuring efficient resource use across teams.
- Monitor expenses and coordinate with procurement for timely material acquisition.
Performance Tracking and Reporting:
- Track project performance using appropriate tools to ensure on-time delivery and quality.
- Prepare project status reports for senior management.
- Conduct post-project reviews to identify lessons learned and areas for improvement in future projects.
Skills and Attributes Required:
- Proven ability to drive innovation and creative problem-solving in product development.
- Strong collaboration skills, particularly in bridging design/R&D and manufacturing teams.
- High attention to detail with a continuous improvement mindset.
- Strong IT skills (Outlook, Excel, Word, SharePoint, etc).
- Strong numerical and analytical skills for project tracking and budgeting.
- Excellent communication skills for working with internal teams and external suppliers.
Education/Experience:
- Experience managing new product development projects, ideally within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
- Experience leading innovation initiatives, particularly in R&D or product development teams.
- Strong leadership and team management skills.
- Strong understanding of product development processes and stage-gate methodologies.
- Experience with project management tools and software.
- Experience working with Design functions
- Degree in an or engineering discipline.
- Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles.
Consortium Professional Recruitment Ltd are a professional level recruitment consultancy specialising in the delivery of high relevance recruitment services on behalf of our clients across the UK. We regularly receive large responses to our advertising which can make providing individual feedback to every applicant challenging. If you haven’t received a reply from us within 14 day of your application, we regret to say your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. We have a policy of retaining your details for future vacancies unless you request otherwise. To learn more about our services, please visit www.consortiumrecruitment.co.uk
