NPD Program Manager - Jerome Ave

Astec Industries Inc•Chattanooga, TN

51d•Onsite

About The Position

The ideal candidate will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing New Product Development (NPD) projects within the decided-upon budget, timeline, and scope. They will also effectively monitor and present project updates to relevant stakeholders, clients, or project team members. The incumbent will also be responsible for reviewing the NPD process, establishing the governance framework, and reporting overall portfolio health to Senior Leadership team members. Specific work assignments may be as follows: Plan and lead NPD project/program planning sessions, facilitate project status meetings, maintain complex project plans/schedules, update RAID logs, and track costs and resources for multiple projects simultaneously. The role will function independently in leading large projects and program planning sessions. Responsibilities include the preparation and pre-work for these sessions, as well as follow-up and action ownership. The position will also mentor/coach the project/program teams through the NPD project lifecycle. This is an on-site position managing NPD portfolio, programs, and projects, specific to large heavy machinery manufacturing sites. Projects will be focused on the areas of manufacturing, engineering, production, and operations. This is not an IT project management opportunity.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher or equivalent combination of education and experience, and training
10 years of end-to-end project management experience, with a focus on new product development and introduction
Project management experience in an industrial, engineering, and/or manufacturing environment highly preferred.
Proficiency in Project Management Software (i.e., Project Insight, Asana, Microsoft Project, etc.)
Ability to confidently facilitate large-scale project planning workshops
Effective team-building expertise
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Highly organized with strong attention to detail
Proficiency in Microsoft Suites

Nice To Haves

2+ years of leadership of a team is preferred
Project Management Certified (i.e., PMP, PfMP, etc.) is preferred
Experience in a matrix-based, marcom organization preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a robust portfolio framework to manage NPD projects. This includes defining the criteria for project selection, prioritization, and resource allocation to ensure alignment with strategic goals.
Set up governance structures to oversee the NPD portfolio. This involves establishing decision-making processes, roles, and responsibilities to ensure effective management and accountability.
Create comprehensive documentation for each stage of the NPD process, including idea generation, concept development, prototyping, testing, and commercialization. Ensure all documentation is accessible and understandable to all relevant stakeholders.
Collaborate with stakeholders to clearly define the scope and objectives of NPD projects. Ensure that all technical and business requirements are identified and addressed.
Implement strategies to ensure that all NPD projects are completed on time, within scope, and within budget. Monitor project timelines and make proactive adjustments to address any delays or issues.
Identify and allocate resources, including personnel, equipment, and materials, to ensure the successful execution of NPD projects. Optimize resource utilization to maximize efficiency and minimize costs.
Measure project performance using systems, tools, and techniques such as KPIs, dashboards, and performance reviews. Use data-driven insights to make informed decisions and drive continuous improvement.
NPD program oversight may involve launching updated prototype models with enhanced features, such as improved operator comfort, visibility, or material handling. This includes advanced features like upgraded camera systems, new grade and slope control systems, and improving manufacturability through part count reduction and design commonality.
Oversight of attaining ambitious financial objectives, including a projected gross margin and capturing unrealized market shares.
Developing project scopes and objectives, involving all relevant stakeholders and ensuring technical feasibility
Overseeing project processes and procedures; monitoring the productivity and performance of the project team
Managing all aspects of projects. Setting deadlines, assigning responsibilities, and monitoring and summarizing the progress of the project
Reviewing and ensuring adherence to project materials, deliverables, methodologies, and procedures
Preparing and presenting program-level reporting for upper management
Ensure that all projects are delivered on-time, within scope and within budget
Report and escalate to management as needed
Perform risk management to minimize project risks
Establish and maintain relationships with third parties/vendors
Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation