The NPD Project Manager is a pivotal role within the New Product Development (NPD) Team, responsible for ensuring the seamless execution of NPD projects from concept to market launch. This position will oversee project timelines, resource allocation, and cross-functional collaboration across key departments—including Marketing, Product Innovation, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain, and Sales—to drive operational efficiency and project success.
The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with strong project management expertise, exceptional organizational skills, and the ability to navigate the complexities of global product launches.
NPD Project Planning & Execution
* Manage multiple NPD projects, ensuring adherence to scope, timeline, and deliverables working alongside the project owner.
* Establish and maintain project charters, timelines, and status reports for all active NPD initiatives.
* Facilitate stage-gate process execution, ensuring project milestones are met and necessary approvals obtained.
* Develop risk mitigation plans to address potential project delays or challenges.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
* Act as a liaison between NPD, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain, and Marketing teams to ensure streamlined communication and issue resolution.
* Work closely with Global NPD Quality Lead to ensure compliance with quality standards and documentation requirements.
* Align with Operations and Marketing teams to manage Go-to-Market (GTM) execution and product launch readiness.
* Stay abreast of communications with external vendors, contract manufacturers, and suppliers to ensure project alignment and adherence to specifications.
Process Optimization & Workflow Management
* Identify opportunities to enhance NPD workflows, approvals, and documentation management.
* Standardize and improve project tracking tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Tableau, or similar platforms) to drive efficiency and transparency.
* Support the development of SOPs and best practices for NPD project execution.
Budget & Resource Management
* Assist in tracking NPD project budgets, ensuring cost efficiency across product development phases.
* Monitor resource allocation and team workload to optimize project execution and prevent bottlenecks.
Performance Tracking & Reporting
* Work with NPD Operations to track project KPIs, including time-to-market, budget adherence, and quality metrics.
* Generate weekly progress reports and monthly executive-level summaries on NPD project status.
* Drive post-launch analysis to assess project success and identify areas for improvement.
Training & Stakeholder Engagement
* Facilitate training sessions for cross-functional teams on NPD processes, project management tools, and governance frameworks.
* Support global alignment by ensuring regional teams are informed of project developments and expectations.
General Administrative & Ad-Hoc Responsibilities
* Assist in project process documentation, dashboard creation, and project reporting.
* Support event planning, product demos, and executive presentations as needed.
* Collaborate with global colleagues across multiple time zones, making reasonable accommodations for meetings that may occasionally take place during evening hours to support effective communication and teamwork.
* Stay informed on industry best practices, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes that impact NPD processes.
* Travel up to 10% per year to attend key meetings, vendor visits, or market research activities.
* Any other ad-hoc duties that may arise.
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