NPI Coordinator

Fender•Corona, CA

5d•$20 - $27•Onsite

About The Position

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is seeking an NPI Coordinator in Corona, California. The coordinator runs and coordinates new-model prototypes and ensures documentation and processes are current and available for NPI production in designated departments. The role works across production departments and cross-functional teams to move builds through manufacturing, validate readiness to specifications, and support product launches. The position splits time between the production floor (about 80%) and meetings (about 20%). It also includes coordinating and validating new body, neck, electronics, and sub-assembly samples through relevant processes, and coordinating sample completion using applicable documentation. Additional duties may be assigned.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least 1 year of guitar or related-industry manufacturing experience.
Ability to read drawings, specification sheets, work instructions, and bills of materials (BOMs).
Working knowledge of First Article Inspection and basic measuring tools.
Excellent communication skills and ability to speak in group settings.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
Excellent time-management skills and ability to prioritize assignments to meet deadlines.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles.
English and Spanish communication skills.
SAP experience.

Responsibilities

Coordinate MPR, pilot, and pre-production builds across mill, Intersand, Paint, B&P, sub-assembly, final assembly, and packaging departments.
Run and validate new body, neck, and electronics through each department, confirming readiness to specification and print before handoff.
Maintain a single build tracker showing each NPI unit’s location, pending needs, and next-step owner.
Lead daily check-ins with department leads and escalate blockers to NPI project leaders and the Manager.
Serve as the working link between R&D/NPI and the factory, communicating design intent, drawings, and specifications to the plant.
Track deliverables owned by NPI, R&D, PD, Engineering, QA, and Operations, and flag late or missing items before phase-gate reviews.
Confirm BOM accuracy and material availability for each build; work with Planning to open orders and coordinate with Purchasing so parts are available to department leads.
Confirm R&D drawing availability and share specification information with department leads.
Coordinate first-article parts from each department and work with NPI, Engineering, and R&D to understand pass/fail criteria.
Assess process capability during MPR and pilot runs, collect and summarize data, and present it to NPI and Engineering for approval and improvement.
Provide design-for-manufacturing recommendations when appropriate.
Help create and update work instructions and in-process specification sheets in each department as needed.
Train operators on new models using a “show and do” approach and maintain training records.
Capture lessons learned after each launch and recommend improvements to the NPI process, templates, and gate criteria.
Coordinate sample completion through department processes using relevant documentation.
Perform additional duties as assigned.