Product Innovation Manager - manufacturing

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Location:

Wauwatosa, WI, US

Employment Type:

Regular

Category:
Marketing / Business

Reports to Manager

Title:

Director of Marketing, North America

This position can be located at either Wauwatosa, WI or Radnor, PA

Job Summary

The New Product Introduction (NPI) Manager is responsible for leading cross-functional efforts to ensure successful launches of new products across the organization. This role manages the end-to-end process from concept to commercialization, ensuring alignment, readiness, and execution excellence, working collaboratively with the entire Marketing Team and R&D. The NPI Manager is responsible for project planning, risk mitigation, data readiness, and post-launch evaluation, ensuring that new products meet customer expectations and business goals.

Manage major transitional projects including CAPEX and product transitions

Lead cross-functional teams through the product development lifecycle ensuring quality work outputs form all functions

Manage timelines, budgets, and deliverables to ensure on-time and on-budget launches.

Ensure the quality of marketing executables including 360 degree launch activation plans, pricing strategy, and needs based marketing

Effectively communicate project status and progress to North America and Global Leadership

Identify risks and develop mitigation plans.

Manage changes in scope, design, or timelines and communicate impacts to stakeholders.

Conduct post-launch evaluations to assess performance, gather feedback, and identify improvement opportunities for future launches.

Process Management – 10%

Own and optimize the NPI process, including stage-gate reviews, documentation, and approvals.

Gather team input to build the business case for new products and champion through stage-gate process

Drive the new product and service ideas generation and selection process

Ensure compliance with internal standards and external regulations.

Work in tandem with leadership and category management to develop (3-5 year innovation plans) by product category / segment

Cross-Functional Coordination – 20%

Act as the central point of contact between departments to align product specifications, packaging, pricing, and go-to-market strategies

Facilitate communication and resolve roadblocks during development and launch phases.

Support market sizing and develop shopper / end-user insights to ensure that we’ve appropriately scoped the market opportunity

Complete post-launch assessment and next steps (assessing if we achieved the benchmark revenue, secured the planned customers, etc)

Supplement Category Manager Voice of the Customer work to frame up innovation opportunities and end user unmet needs

Link to the global team on the product roadmap and represent the region on global product developments

Through collaboration with Category Managers, maintain a product development roadmap that drives market share growth and channel expansion

Oversee or coordinate product setup in ERP systems, including SKUs, BOMs, pricing, and supply chain parameter

Ensure data accuracy and readiness for commercialization.

Ensure SKU management and launches align with product lifecycle

Minimum Qualifications and Education Required

Min Years of Experience

7+ years of experience in product development, commercialization, or project management

Education and area of focus

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Marketing, or related field, MBA a plus

Strong understanding of ERP systems and product lifecycle management.

Excellent communication, organizational, and leadership skills.

PMP or similar project management certification is a plus.

Understanding of Stage Gate style processes

Able to effectively organize, prioritize, and delegate work effectively within a team in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision

Must be able to act independently, while collaborating with a variety of internal and external teams

Leadership skills with experience and comfort in owning cross-functional projects

Ability to move projects from concept to completion

Excellent communication and presentation skills

Strong experience with MS Office:
Excel and…