NPD Manager
South Yorkshire
Circa £50,000+
Role Profile
Our client, who is a market leading manufacturing business. They are looking for an NPD manager to join their team in South Yorkshire. You will be responsible for managing NPD, implementing the business strategy and improving manufacturing requirements. You will be involved in all aspects of the business and will work cross-functionally on the shop floor. You will act as a point of ownership for product launches from idea/concept through to commercialisation using a stage gate process - so a real understanding of NPD and NPI is crucial. This is a manufacturing environment working with Lean principles so a good background in manufacturing and engineering in metal/steel manufacturing is crucial - any knowledge in welding, jigs or fixtures is a plus!
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead cross functional business teams in the development and commercialisation of products and/or in improving our supply chain.
- Develop overall project timelines and key milestones; ensure teams meet critical business and/or customer dates
- Facilitate decision-making, arbitrate impasses, remove barriers, and ultimately drive project progress to launch
- Recognize and address shifts in project complexity, scope, and risks
- Ensure project risks are managed, and communicate risks and implications to management as appropriate
- Measure team's performance and publish project status and appropriate metrics
- Analyse feasibility and cost of NPD propositions to lead the team and business unit general managers to go/no-go decisions
- Work with team to identify and execute cost savings opportunities
- Centralised contact between Operations (Contract Mfg, Procurement, Logistics, Planning, Quality) and Business Units (Marketing, General Management, Brand Experience)
- Serve as lead and conduit between business and operational functions for new product launches as well as the base business product portfolio
- Ensure priorities of business units are being anticipated and satisfied by operational functions and develop partnerships when needed to resolve operational issues or opportunities
- Partner with operational functions to identify strategic opportunities to improve service and reduce cost across business units and execute those strategic projects within the business
- Contribute to and champion evolution of process for developing and commercializing new products
- Ensure process and tools are understood and applied by cross-functional teams
- Identify opportunities to improve the process
Skills & Experience
- Previous experience in a Management role
- Experience setting up projects and managing until launch or completion
- Familiar with cross functional, cross departmental and multi-cultural environment in a matrix organisation
- Experience in operations, R&D, Innovation
- Commercially driven with a proven track record of delivering proactive and reactive plans assessing cost and benefit
- Ability to analyse and evaluate data against key indicators, to monitor programs, projects and plans to set targets.
- Demonstrates a continuous improvement mindset and dynamic approach
- Advanced Excel skills
- Attention to detail
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to meet financial targets and experience of budget preparation
- Excellent presentation and negotiation skills
Client information
Our client is a leading Manufactring business based in South Yorkshire
Remuneration
£50k + Benefits
About Cast UK
Cast UK is a leading executive consultancy, providing national recruitment solutions to both clients and candidates. Specialising in Purchasing, Supply Chain, and Logistics, each member of our specialist team has a professional background specific to their recruiting sector. With this unique insight and knowledge, our consultants are able to place individuals from trainee