NPD Project Manager

SLINGCO is an award-winning supplier of high-quality tools and accessories for the installation and handling of cable, with over 40 years of industry heritage. We serve customers in over 70 countries worldwide from our head office in Lancashire, UK, and bases in Georgia, USA, and Bengaluru, India.

Our products are used in safety critical applications for a wide range of markets. With sectors including oil & gas, civil engineering, aerospace, transport, utilities, marine/offshore and the military – there's no room for error. That's why we do everything with the utmost care and precision.

We design and manufacture to the highest specifications and test to destruction. If our products don't meet and exceed the most stringent national and international standards, they're not good enough for our customers.

At Slingco, our goal is to create innovative high-quality products that our customers can depend on, whilst providing a positive experience for our customers and our employees. Every aspect of our work, culture and commitment to innovation is driven by our core values.

• Salary Dependent on Experience

• 30 days' annual leave including Bank Holidays, rising to 35 with service

• Option to buy 5 additional holidays

• Your birthday off

• Hybrid working options

• Enhanced employer pension contribution

• Life assurance cover x4 salary

• Gym membership

• Cycle to work scheme

• Employee loan scheme

• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

The NPD Project Manager is responsible for leading Slingco's new product development projects from approved concept through to successful production launch. Working within the NPD programme, the role coordinates cross-functional teams across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Procurement and Commercial to deliver products to the agreed scope, quality, cost and timescale. A central part of the role is applying a strong manufacturing and engineering background to ensure new products are designed for efficient, repeatable manufacture and are launched smoothly into production.

• Take ownership of assigned NPD projects from approval through to launch, working with the Product team to translate customer and market requirements into a clear project scope and product specification

• Lead projects through each stage of the Slingco stage-gate process, including:

• Building and maintaining integrated project plans, timelines and critical path

• Defining and controlling project budgets, capital investment and forecast spend

• Preparing gate review packs and project updates for the Programme Director and steering group

• Managing risk, issue, change and decision logs, including DFMEA and PFMEA actions

• Coordinating design verification, validation testing and product certification

• Lead cross-functional project teams across Engineering, Quality, Procurement, Operations, Sales and Marketing, setting clear priorities and holding owners to account for delivery

• Manage industrialisation with Manufacturing Engineering and suppliers, including tooling, fixtures, first article inspection, PPAP and production trials

• Drive design for manufacture and assembly (DFM/DFA), value engineering and cost-down activity to achieve target product cost and margin

• Maintain a sound technical understanding of Slingco products, their manufacturing processes and their end-use applications

• Lead structured root-cause problem solving (8D, 5 Whys, Ishikawa) on technical, quality and supply issues arising during development, launch and early production

• Act as the main point of contact for project status, providing clear, regular reporting to stakeholders and the senior leadership team

• Ensure a smooth handover of launched products into…