The purpose of this position is to manage the entire product development lifecycle, from initial concept to launch and post-launch activities. This includes creating and maintaining project documentation, managing product costing and analysis, coordinating with various teams for production planning and material needs, ensuring product quality through sample review and testing, facilitating training, and overseeing the transition to manufacturing. Additionally, the role involves managing inventory, processing invoices, and assisting with external and facility qualifications, as well as handling custom orders and system setups.
Key Accountabilities:
New Product Process:
- Project Documentation & Management: This involves establishing and maintaining all project-related documentation, including creating a centralized communication site, detailing project tasks, compiling required sign-off packages, formally submitting sign-off documentation, and gathering close-out documents.
- Costing & Analysis: This sub-category focuses on the financial aspects of product development, encompassing the costing and analysis of products at each stage, uploading data to eQMS for approval, inputting initial estimates into JDE for material and capacity planning, and reviewing simulated costs before final approval.
- Product Definition & Specification: This covers the initial conceptualization and detailed outlining of the product, including defining processes and material needs, identifying specific product levels (JWL), procuring new materials, approving product applications (Tulip), validating raw materials, providing print information to drafting teams, ordering testing materials, and approving casting versions.
- Item Setup & Bill of Materials (BOM): This involves the structured organization of product components, including setting up new items, identifying product hierarchy levels, calculating the Bill of Materials for all levels, and detailing manufacturing routes to align with the BOM, with input provided to the data management team.
- Quality Assurance & Sample Management: This section ensures the quality and proper handling of product samples, including creating development orders for samples, thoroughly reviewing samples before shipment for quality, identifying and coordinating repairs, and generating internal orders to document sample movement and processes.
- System & Process Maintenance: This entails continuously updating and maintaining product-related information within various systems, specifically focusing on ensuring the accuracy of capacity and material needs in eQMS throughout project phases, overseeing system updates during sign-offs, and managing inventory reconciliation (scrapping or transferring stock) during project close-out.
- Training & Transition: This covers the preparation and handover of the product to manufacturing, including identifying training requirements, arranging "train the trainer" sessions, assisting with training components, realigning processes based on feedback, and formally presenting and signing off on the product process.
- Collaboration: This focuses on managing interactions with external entities, including assisting with external qualifications for new products, overseeing facility qualifications at specific locations (DR and Lex), and managing the qualification process for sub-contractors
Reporting:
- Status Updates: This involves regularly communicating project progress and any issues, specifically through weekly updates outlining strategies to stay on track and detailed submission emails for samples that include callouts and required actions.
- Error Checking & Verification: This sub-category focuses on ensuring the accuracy and completeness of product data and documentation through formal error checks on BOMs and routes, and verifying data inputs from all contributing teams.
- Documentation for Launch: This encompasses the compilation and readiness of all critical documents required for product launch, including time studies, approved drawings for components and finished goods, confirmation of Tulip release, a completed project checklist, and all necessary approval documentation.
- System Review & Alignment: This involves regular reviews and updates within the Tulip system to ensure clarity and alignment, and confirming that all system updates are correctly implemented following sign-offs.
Project Documentation & Management:
- This involves establishing and maintaining all project-related documentation, including creating a centralized communication site, detailing project tasks, compiling required sign-off packages, formally submitting sign-off documentation, and gathering close-out documents.
Safety:
Work safely at all times by consistently following safe work procedures for the position. Promptly report all incidents and safety issues to the respective manager.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent
- 3-5+ years of related experience
- CAD familiarity
- Project Management experience
- Strong communication skills: verbal, written and presentation
- Strong computer skills: Microsoft package (Word, Excel, Project)
- Ability to work in a team atmosphere
- Experience or training in statistical process analysis
- Ability to understand, communicate and create technical manufacturing documentation
Preferred Qualifications:
- Minitab or equivalent skills
- JDE or business equivalent enterprise resource planning software