NPD Project Manager

Vortex Optics • Barneveld, WI

3d • Onsite

About The Position

From creating our products to keeping our facilities operating smoothly, it takes a lot to keep Vortex® running. It takes people who can solve problems creatively. It takes hard work and a dedication to the team. It takes a lot because Vortex® is a different kind of employer. Here, we reward your devotion to putting others first by making sure you get the benefits and support you need to excel in your work and in your life. We return your commitment by committing ourselves to helping you advance in your career while getting the time with your friends and family you deserve. Vortex Optics is looking for a talented individual to join our New Product Development (NPD) team. As a Project Manager, you will be responsible for executing product planning for internally manufactured as well as sourced finished goods. This will include collaborating with cross functional teams in ideating new product innovation, management of the product throughout its lifecycle, gathering and prioritizing product and customer requirements, defining the product vision, and working closely with the Manufacturing and Marketing teams and our suppliers to deliver winning products. You will also be responsible for working with others to ensure revenue and customer satisfaction goals are met, and that the product efforts support the company's overall strategy and goals, along with communicating the initiatives and progress to Senior Leadership. This position will focus on a range of internally manufactured as well as sourced products across the entire Vortex sports optics product line.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, optical or electrical engineering.
• Minimum 5 years of Engineering experience.
• Minimum 2 years Project Management experience with demonstrable success managing multiple simultaneous projects for NPD.
• Experience in new product innovation methods, business case analysis, product definition & tradeoffs, design verification and manufacturing validation, new product introduction approaches and product lifecycle management.
• Strong knowledge of product development systems and tools.
• Ability to analyze complex data, situations and develop range of solutions.
• Excellent written and presentation skills.
• Experience in low volume manufacturing.
• Must already be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis for any employer.

Nice To Haves

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from Project Management Institute (PMI) or equivalent.
• Master's degree in technical or business field.
• Have documented experience obtaining utility and design patents.
• 3 years engineering of consumer products.

Responsibilities

• Execution of product roadmaps to enable achievement of product strategic goals.
• Execution of NPD process documentation and tracking for multiple concurrent products.
• Ensure all tasks, to bring new products to market, are completed on target and on time through cross functional team efforts.
• Collaborate with Marketing team to conduct periodic market research to stay current on consumer insight, trends, new products and packaging.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing, Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain on the development of new products.
• Develop new product requirements based on market studies and customer feedback.
• Lead focus group teams in development of new products.
• Collaborate with a team of Industrial Designers, Engineers and the Manufacturing team to complete projects at a quality level on time.
• Collaborate with Purchasing on supplier selection and development.
• Lead regular meetings to key stakeholders on the status of Advanced Design Projects.
• Regularly communicate with vendors, factories, and partners throughout NPD process.
• Aid engineers, as necessary, in engineering and design of technical aspects of new products.
• Assist in testing new product prototypes to determine requirement compliance.
• Communicate non-compliance with internal stake holders and/or factories/partners to get next prototype within compliance.
• Further develop, refine, enforce, and foster continuous improvement of NPD Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and product testing SOPs.
• Aid in building tools to automate and monitor NPD processes and SOPs for compliance and continuous improvement.
• Disseminate final product specifications to all company stakeholders as necessary.
• Responsible for partnering with sales and sales forecasting departments on producing, maintaining, and updating new product forecasts.
• Responsible for assisting with product P&L.
• Participation in execution and analysis of facts and trends of the product categories, competitive product entries and consumer usage and attitudes with internal and external resources; recommend action to capitalize on profit opportunities or correct problem areas.
• Travel to vendors, partners, and factories to include domestic and foreign travel. Estimated domestic travel averages 4 – 6 trips per year. Lasting between 2 days to a week at a time.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Great health, dental and vision insurance
• Paid time off (PTO) and holidays
• 401(k), life insurance and short- and long-term disability
• Employee Ownership Opportunities
• Various onsite amenities including a fitness center, a nature preserve with walking trails and dog friendly work areas
• Neighboring daycare facility
• Casual and flexible work environment
• Employee discounts on industry leading products

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees