Manager, Product Development - Home Appliances

Newell Brands•Huntersville, NC

About The Position

The Manager, Product Development will lead small household appliance engineering efforts from concept through production launch, solving engineering problems while following Newell’s Product Development Process. The role partners with Program Management, Marketing, Industrial Design, Manufacturing, Regulatory, Quality, and Supply Chain, and provides technical guidance and day-to-day coaching to one or two junior engineers or co-ops. It requires ownership of project deliverables, cross-functional collaboration, and increasing use of AI-enabled design and engineering tools to accelerate innovation while maintaining quality. Some travel and occasional meetings outside standard business hours are expected.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Plastics, or Mechatronics Engineering, or a related field.
6–10 years of product development experience, including some experience informally guiding or mentoring other engineers.
Strong interpersonal and program management skills, including the ability to guide projects through Newell’s NPD Gate process.
Ability to take early ownership of team-level outcomes while managing personal work and guiding a junior engineer.
Strong problem-solving, organizational, and risk-management skills, with the ability to plan, prioritize, and multitask across concurrent projects.
Hands-on prototyping, design validation, and testing experience.
Working competency in 3D CAD, including creation and review of 3D models.
Working knowledge of manufacturing processes used in small household appliances, or ability to learn them quickly.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including confidence in giving direct, constructive feedback.
Comfort working with modern engineering software and openness to AI-assisted design, simulation, or prototyping tools.

Nice To Haves

Consumer products experience.
Experience with electro-mechanical devices.
Prior experience mentoring, training, or informally leading other engineers or interns.
Familiarity with AI-assisted or generative design, simulation, or prototyping tools.
Experience with SolidWorks or Creo.

Responsibilities

Own engineering efforts on new product development projects from concept through production launch, following Newell’s Product Development Process.
Ensure appliances meet or exceed expectations for cost, technical execution, and product performance.
Apply technical expertise, root cause analysis, and sound judgment to solve complex problems and develop practical solutions.
Mentor and coach one to two junior engineers or co-ops, reviewing their work, providing technical guidance, unblocking problems, and supporting their development.
Develop products that meet customer expectations, financial targets, and industry and government compliance standards.
Lead multiple new product development projects through Newell’s Stage/Gate process, defining timelines, meeting milestones, and delivering on time, to cost, and to quality specifications.
Translate consumer needs and product-use insights into technical specifications.
Generate Engineering Product Specifications and lead development of DFMEA documents, DVP&R, and Quality Specifications.
Build test plans and work with internal and external laboratories to validate designs against goals.
Draft and review ECNs, lead design and technical reviews, and review CAD and drawings with cross-functional teams.
Generate basic CAD, increasingly using AI-assisted design tools, to build rough working prototypes and quickly evaluate ideas.
Conduct intellectual property searches and partner with legal on IP clearance and patent filings.
Review manufacturing trial results, test data, and PPAP documentation; lead design, tooling, or process changes based on findings.
Benchmark competitive products and identify design opportunities.
Work cross-functionally to assess safety, manufacturability, and reliability, and drive product or process improvements, including cost reductions.
Apply knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes, including injection molding, to guide design and material decisions.
Provide input into project and departmental budgets and cost tracking.
Partner with the department Manager/Senior Manager to plan resources and activities that support future business growth.
Work independently, plan ahead, take ownership of deliverables, and help the team overcome obstacles.
Participate in some travel and occasional meetings outside standard business hours.