Project Manager - New Product Development

JOB DESCRIPTION

Employee: Project Manager - New Product Development

FLSA Status: Exempt/Bonus Eligible

Reports To: Chiara Gunning, Director of Strategy & Product Management

Department: Product Management

POSITION SUMMARY The Project Manager - New Product Development is responsible for leading cross-functional product development projects. This role owns end-to-end execution across multiple related projects, ensuring alignment with strategic goals, timelines, and financial targets. The role acts as a central interface across departments such as product management, engineering, marketing, and operations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES:

• Plan, manage, and coordinate product development projects end-to-end

• Lead product development projects (e.g., faucets, showers) using:

• KPIs
• Milestones
• Risk tracking
• Coordinate closely with cross-functional departments
• Clarify and evaluate project scope; obtain approval for execution
• Define project organization and assemble the project team
• Create, maintain, and optimize project timelines
• Derive and assign work packages from the project plan
• Control and track costs (overall budget and manufacturing costs)
• Lead stage gate reviews & audits
• Manage resource planning (people, machines, tools, equipment)
• Maintain project documentation throughout the development process
• Ensure product approvals and releases
• Ensure master data readiness (Master Data Monitor, Readiness Tracker)
• Provide regular project status updates to stakeholders and leadership, proactively escalating risks, tradeoffs, and decisions needed to maintain timing and budget.

Successful project execution in terms of:

• Timing: Product launch and market introduction (incl. POS display & print media)
• Budget: Investment, overhead costs, margin, manufacturing costs
• Performance: KPIs, milestones, and risk management

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LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Fluent in English. German language skills beneficial.
• Ability to respond to all levels of leadership, external vendors, customers, common inquiries and requests.
• Develop and maintain relationships with functional owners and stakeholders including gaining support of assigned projects
• Ability to effectively present information to top leadership & management, vendors, agencies, internal/external partners, public/community groups/members.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• New Product Development Project Management experience for manufactured finished goods is required
• Strong project management skills in ideating, leading, or working on cross-functional projects with cross-cultural teams
• High proficiency in Jira or other project management tools
• Ability to solve problems and motivate others to find creative solutions to problems
• Must be able to multi-task and function in fast-paced working environments
• Strong financial understanding
• Ability to be detail oriented without losing sight of the big picture
• Effective communication skills, always demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and consistently serve as a role model for outstanding customer service at all times
• Demonstrated cultural competency
• Building Industry, specifically Plumbing Industry knowledge and experience preferred
• PMP certification preferred

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering, or other technical field, or equivalent combination of education and work experience
• Solid ability to analyze data to manage ROI for positive results
• Experience leading & working with cross functional teams
• 5+ years’ experience in New Product Development Project Management with a proven track record of successfully managing projects from concept to mass production
• Exceptional communication, facilitation and analytical skills
• Highly proficient in leveraging Copilot, MS Office Suite specifically PowerPoint and Excel
• 35 % travel required related to area of responsibility incl. international travel