NPD Project Manager II

We believe power is a promise - a shared commitment to be there for others when it matters most.

For more than 65 years, we've turned big ideas into solutions that help protect homes, strengthen businesses and build a more resilient, efficient, sustainable energy future.

Ready to Power a Smarter World with us?

The NPD Project Manager II is responsible for planning and executing product development activities including new product introductions, cost reduction, technology integration, and lifecycle product support. The position requires strong technical and cross-functional product development and business process knowledge, superior people leadership skills, functional and project management experience, proficiency in quality systems, and business planning knowledge.

The position partners equally with Product Management, Engineering, Manufacturing Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Service, Finance, IT, and Marketing to drive disciplined decision-making, phase-gate execution, and predictable delivery of customer-focused products. This leadership role is responsible for planning and executing product development project plans which ensure superior products for Customers.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree OR equivalent work experience7 years of progressive work experience in new product development, program/project management, product management, of machinery, generators, or other powered products & systems.
5 years of project management experience in product development supporting complex, cross functional product development initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications:

Demonstrated leadership of full lifecycle NPD programs using a formal phase-gate style process

Experience driving cross-functional alignment without direct authority

Exposure to industrial, commercial, or powered products environments

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Provide project management leadership to teams for new product development projects including: creating schedules, building product development plans, integrating the activities of cross-functional team members

Implement product requirements into project scope, design and product realization requirements

Lead key project execution, in primary collaboration with engineering and product management for new product development or similar product initiatives

Plan and execute multiple large, complex projects to meet or exceed schedule, project cost, scope and quality commitments

Achieve target product cost for Generac and product life cycle cost for Customers Effectively execute and provide suggestions for improvement the product development process. Utilize the Generac Development Process (GDP) Gates and Design Reviews as key drivers of product development progression.

Define and drive Risk and Mitigation plans for projects. Define and lead contingency option assessments when needed, then select and execute mitigation plans

Facilitate collaboration between departments to identify and harvest new product development concepts, technologies, techniques, standards and procedures.

Manage attributes and decisions such as make vs. buy (globally), shipping and logistics cost, bidding process

Actively participate in identifying and implementing continuous process improvements of the Generac NPI phase/gate process. Lead some CI initiatives in this area.

Identify, evaluate and document “lessons-learned” during the project and communicate best practices and lessons learned to project team members on future projects

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Advanced level ability to deliver results while working simultaneously on multiple projects; balancing resources, timing and quality of outcomes

Advanced level ability to lead the transformation from product requirements into a product design…