Project Leader, New Product Development

Jpw Industries • La Vergne, TN

12d • Onsite

About The Position

JPW Industries is seeking a Project Leader for New Product Development (NPD) to lead new product initiatives from concept through launch. This role is central to the company's product development efforts, requiring the individual to act as the 'CEO of the project,' driving alignment, managing risks, and ensuring successful execution across cross-functional teams and external partners. The company is a global leader in woodworking, metalworking, and material processing equipment, with brands such as Jet, Powermatic, Wilton, Edwards, Baileigh, and Axiom.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field, required.
• 5-10+ years of experience in product development and project leadership.
• Proven ability to independently lead complex, cross-functional projects.
• Strong technical acumen with the ability to guide and challenge engineering decisions.
• Experience working in hybrid development environments with both internal teams and external suppliers.
• Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to operate with a high level of ownership and accountability.

Nice To Haves

• PMP or equivalent project management certification preferred.
• Familiarity with CAD tools, including SolidWorks, preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end execution of new product development projects from concept through launch and post-launch stabilization.
• Own project scope, schedule, budget, and execution, ensuring delivery on time, within cost targets, and to defined quality standards.
• Develop and manage project budgets, monitor financial performance, and drive corrective actions as needed.
• Ensure market inputs are robust and actionable, partnering with Product Management to validate product direction and customer needs.
• Translate Voice of the Customer into clear, prioritized, and testable engineering requirements.
• Maintain alignment and clarity of requirements across all stakeholders.
• Collaborate with internal engineering teams and external suppliers to develop and refine product concepts.
• Drive design decisions and trade-offs balancing performance, cost, manufacturability, and timeline.
• Ensure solutions meet both technical requirements and business objectives.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate technical risks throughout all project phases.
• Ensure appropriate engineering rigor at key development gates, including concept, design freeze, and pre-production.
• Lead validation strategies to confirm product performance, reliability, and compliance.
• Drive alignment across engineering, marketing, supply chain, quality, manufacturing, and supplier partners.
• Influence stakeholders and drive accountability without direct authority.
• Manage projects involving both internal teams and external supplier-led development.
• Ensure quality and reliability considerations are built into the development process early.
• Drive readiness for production, including validation, tooling release, and launch execution.

Benefits

• Competitive Pay + Annual Bonuses
• Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, telehealth, and more from Day 1
• Retirement Plans & Employer Contributions
• Generous PTO + Paid Holidays
• Career Development & Learning Opportunities
• Team Member Appreciation Events

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level