New Product Introduction Manager

James Hardie is the industry leader in exterior home and outdoor living solutions, with a portfolio that includes fiber cement, fiber gypsum, composite and PVC decking and railing products. Our family of trusted brands includes Hardie®, Timber Tech®, AZEK® Exteriors, Versatex®, fermacell®, and Stru Xure®.

With over 8,000 employees and our U.S. operating entities headquartered in Chicago, we boast 31 operating sites, 6 recycling facilities, and 6 research and development centers globally. Powered by a dynamic workforce, we’re united by our purpose of Building a Better Future for All™ through sustainable innovation, a Zero Harm culture, and a commitment to empowering our people and communities.

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We are seeking an experienced NPI (New Product Introduction) Manager to lead the successful development and launch of new products across multiple manufacturing sites and product lines. In this strategic leadership role, you will drive cross-functional teams through the Stage-Gate process, ensuring products move efficiently from concept to commercialization while meeting quality, cost, performance, and business objectives.

As a key member of the Engineering organization, you will collaborate closely with R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to deliver successful product launches, optimize manufacturing readiness, and continuously improve the NPI framework to support innovation and speed to market.

• Lead multiple New Product Introduction (NPI) projects through the Stage-Gate process, ensuring milestones, deliverables, and launch objectives are achieved.
• Manage cross-functional project teams spanning Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, and Commercial functions.
• Drive product commercialization efforts from concept development through full-scale production.
• Lead project reviews and provide executive-level updates on project status, risks, timelines, and key business decisions.
• Identify and mitigate technical, operational, and supply chain risks using structured problem-solving and risk management tools.
• Ensure Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles are incorporated early in the product development process.
• Oversee production trials, validation activities, and manufacturing ramp-up across multiple sites.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering to develop scalable production processes and define capital investment requirements.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators including quality, cost, manufacturability, and time-to-market.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the NPI process utilizing Lean, Six Sigma, FMEA, and other data-driven methodologies.
• Ensure compliance with applicable safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Promote effective knowledge transfer, documentation, and best practices across the organization.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Industrial, Materials, or related discipline).
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing engineering, manufacturing, or other technical teams.
• 2+ years of experience in product development, process engineering, manufacturing engineering, or New Product Introduction within a manufacturing environment.
• Proven success leading large-scale NPI projects through a Stage-Gate or similar product development process.
• Strong understanding of Design for Manufacturability (DFM), FMEA, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and process validation methodologies.
• Excellent project management, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

• Master's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related discipline.
• Experience with in the building products manufacturing industry.
• Experience presenting project updates and recommendations to senior leadership teams.

• Ability to travel up to 10% to support manufacturing sites, project launches, and business initiatives.

As of the date of this posting, a good faith estimate of the current pay scale for this position is $130,000 to $160,000. Placement in the range…