New Product Development Manager

Position Overview: The NPD Manager leads the new product concept, design, development, and delivery lifecycle through a structured stage-gate process. The role balances hands-on technical leadership with functional management to ensure projects meet performance, cost, quality, and schedule targets. Operating within a shared-services model, the NPD Manager orchestrates cross-functional work (Product Management, Marketing, Operations/Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality/EHS, and Finance) to enable launch-ready solutions and a healthy, focused portfolio. Essential Duties: Own the stage-gate process from concept and business case through design/development, verification/validation, and launch; uphold gate entry/exit criteria with complete artifacts (VOC, requirements, DFMEA/PFMEA, test plans, launch readiness). Provide design authority for Tools mechanical standards; when needed, serve as the primary engineer on select projects while maintaining functional leadership. Drive cross-functional readiness (Compass project reviews, design reviews, pilot builds, change control) to ensure manufacturability, compliance, and commercial enablement at launch. Manage portfolio focus and throughput: sequence work to maximize capacity, assign resources, and proactively mitigate risks to schedule and budget. Own departmental expense and capital planning within DOA; sponsor capex/tooling business cases and track forecast/variance. Develop talent and team health: hiring, coaching, performance management, skill development, and succession planning with People Operations. Institutionalize learning: post-launch retros, metrics reviews, and continuous improvement across requirements, DFX, and ECR/ECO hygiene. NPD Quality & Product Compliance: Ensure appropriate compliance planning, verification/validation, and documentation for new Tools products in partnership with Quality/EHS; maintain readiness artifacts required for safe use and regulatory conformity. Engineering Data Management: Own creation and accuracy of engineering data in PLM/ERP (part masters, BOMs, drawings, specifications); uphold revision control and release discipline. Change & Deviation Control: Co-chair the engineering change process for new products through stabilization; oversee IR/MRB disposition decisions in partnership with Quality and Operations. Prototyping: Prioritize and coordinate prototyping resources (fixtures, machined parts, 3D prints) to meet build schedules and design validation needs. Manufacturing Readiness: Ensure DFM/DFS, PFMEA, control plans, work instructions, and training are complete prior to launch; confirm process capability and first-pass yield targets with Operations/Quality. Supplier Technical Enablement: Provide technical requirements, drawings/specs, and acceptance criteria to Supply Chain; collaborate on supplier qualification and first-article approvals; support APQP-like readiness as applicable. Post-Launch Stabilization: Own the stabilization window for new products (e.g., 90–180 days); monitor warranty/field feedback, drive corrective actions via ECRs, and close issues to exit criteria. Governance & Ways of Working: Gate approvals: Compass project team is the approving body to advance gates; NPD Manager is Accountable for technical readiness; Product Management is Accountable for market/portfolio readiness; exceptions require HL team approval. Change control: NPD Manager co-chairs engineering change control through launch stabilization; major spec changes require HL re-approval; IR/MRB boards include Quality and Operations. Financial governance: Spend approvals align to Delegation of Authority (DOA); capex justified via business cases and reviewed with HL/Finance. Supplier & sourcing: Supply Chain is Decision Owner for supplier awards and make/buy; NPD specifies technical requirements and evaluates prototypes/first articles. Quality & compliance: Quality/EHS own certification and regulatory approvals; launch requires Quality sign-off of V&V and control plans. Success Metrics & Targets: Schedule & budget: % of projects meeting gate and launch dates; variance to development budgets. Quality & readiness: FPY; V&V pass rates; launch readiness index; early-life field returns. Portfolio health: WIP vs capacity; gate conversion rate; cycle time by phase; ECR/ECO cycle time; IR/MRB closure lead time. Financial impact: Cost targets met; VE/VA savings; capital efficiency/ROI. EOS cadence: Rock completion; scorecard greens; L10 effectiveness; training completion. Education/Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Manufacturing Engineering (or related); EIT preferred; PE a plus. 7–10+ years leading mechanical/tooling product development with proven stage-gate delivery and cross-functional leadership. Fluency with CAD/PLM and engineering best practices (requirements management, DFX, tolerance stacks, verification traceability, change control). Demonstrated use of EOS® (L10, Rocks, Scorecards, IDS) or equivalent execution system; strong communication and stakeholder management. Operating Model & Key Interfaces: Runs an EOS® operating rhythm with weekly L10s, scorecards, quarterly Rocks, and documented processes (FBA). Partners with Product Management (market & portfolio), Operations/Manufacturing (DFM/DFX, tooling, ramp), Supply Chain (materials, suppliers, make/buy), Quality/EHS (compliance, V&V), Marketing/Sales (launch enablement), and Finance (budget governance). Engages the Category managers for portfolio decisions and stage-gate approvals; presents risks, mitigations, and capex as needed. Benefits and Perks: The Malco Group recognizes the importance of offering comprehensive benefits and perks to its employees, including: 401k with company matching. Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance Company paid life insurance and paid short-term disability. Paid time off