R&D Manager, Project Management, New Product Development

CONMED • Greenwood Village, CO

7d • $93,000 - $140,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

CONMED is hiring an R&D Manager of PMO Sustaining for its Advanced Surgical division in Denver, Colorado. This hybrid leadership position requires working onsite three days per week. The manager leads portfolio governance and project execution for sustaining projects, partnering across functions to improve execution predictability, manage risk, and deliver business and patient impact. Advanced Surgical products include access and insufflation systems, energy systems, smoke management systems, and laparoscopic surgical instruments.

The role leads the Advanced Surgical NPD portfolio and its governance, guiding project managers and cross-functional teams in planning and executing projects. It oversees portfolio reviews and executive updates, supports innovation pipeline governance, maintains the CEO dashboard, and promotes proactive risk management. The manager also handles portfolio resource and capacity planning, owns the NPD portfolio budget, and improves PMO systems, processes, standards, and tools, including Smartsheet-based solutions.

The position builds alignment among R&D, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, Marketing, Finance, and other business partners, and leads, coaches, and develops project management professionals. It reports directly to the PMO leader and operates with significant autonomy on complex portfolio and organizational issues, influencing cross-functional leaders and making recommendations affecting portfolio priorities and resource allocation. The role calls for a strategic, collaborative leader who can translate business priorities into executable plans and deliver results in a regulated, fast-paced environment.

The position is not eligible for employer-based sponsorship. The disclosed annual salary range is $93,000–$140,000; actual compensation may vary based on geographic location, work experience, education, and skill level. The posting is anticipated to close November 6, 2026, though the period may be extended.

Requirements

• At least 6 years of engineering and/or project management experience, or demonstrated equivalent experience through advanced education, training, or relevant professional achievements.
• Demonstrated success managing concurrent projects or initiatives with competing priorities, including ownership of timelines, budgets, resource allocation, cross-functional stakeholder alignment, and dependency management.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in people leadership or demonstrated experience leading project management professionals.
• PMP certification.
• Experience in the medical device industry, healthcare, or another regulated product development environment.
• Ability to analyze complex information, develop practical recommendations, and drive timely decisions.
• Strong communication and influence skills, including the ability to present clearly to technical teams, business partners, and senior leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to coach others, build accountability, and foster collaboration across organizational boundaries.
• Strong understanding of project and portfolio management principles, governance, risk management, and performance reporting.
• Experience with portfolio and work management platforms such as Smartsheet, along with strong Excel and PowerPoint capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Advanced Surgical NPD portfolio and establish priorities, decision points, and governance expectations aligned with business objectives.
• Guide project managers and cross-functional teams in defining project scope, schedules, budgets, milestones, deliverables, and success criteria.
• Ensure disciplined execution against approved timelines, maintain accountability for commitments and deliverables, and uphold quality and compliance requirements.
• Lead Project Review Board meetings, portfolio reviews, and executive updates, communicating project metrics, risks, tradeoffs, resource needs, and required decisions.
• Support Innovation Advisory Board content creation and governance activities, including materials for innovation pipeline prioritization and decision-making.
• Maintain the CEO dashboard and provide the PMO leader with timely updates on portfolio performance, risks, and emerging issues.
• Promote proactive identification, documentation, mitigation, and escalation of project, technical, supply, regulatory, and execution risks.
• Develop and maintain resource waterline views, capacity models, and staffing recommendations across NPD work; partner with functional leaders to address constraints and align resources with priority work.
• Own the Advanced Surgical NPD portfolio budget, including annual planning, forecasting, contractor management, capital investments, and cost improvement initiatives.
• Provide financial oversight through budget tracking, variance analysis, reporting, and proactive recommendations supporting strategic decisions and portfolio execution.
• Improve and maintain project management standards, templates, intake processes, dashboards, metrics, and portfolio tools, including Smartsheet-based solutions.
• Build alignment across R&D, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, Marketing, Finance, and other business partners, and communicate portfolio information to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Lead, coach, and develop project management professionals; set expectations, strengthen accountability, support professional development, and foster a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Lead project teams, contractors, and cross-functional workstreams through influence as needed.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation.
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage.
• Short- and long-term disability insurance and life insurance, with the cost paid fully by CONMED.
• Retirement Savings Plan (401(k)); CONMED matches contributions dollar for dollar, with potential matching up to 7% per pay period.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with discounted stock purchases.
• Tuition assistance for undergraduate and graduate-level courses.
• Employee Referral Program incentives for eligible referrals.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed