Product Development Manager

   My client, located in Morganton, North Carolina, is looking for a Product Development Manager to join the team. As the Product Development Manager, you will oversee all product development activities including but not limited to Knit/Woven Product Design development, Process Development, Product Engineering and APQP. Excellent benefits package included.

Requirements:

• Four-year college degree 
• Strong technical knowledge of automotive fabrics
• Management experience
• Experience in the Automotive industry and with the APQP process.
• Experience with automotive textile manufacturing and automotive textile Product Development.
• Must be self-motivated and able to make decisions effectively.
• Must be able to communicate clearly and persuasively.
• Must have the ability to communicate effectively with all management levels.
• Must have the ability to prioritize multiple work assignments.
• Must have strong analytical skills with attention to detail.
• This position will involve work in both an office and plant environment.
• Must be able to travel as needed. (10%)

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Directs and manages the Design Development, Process Development, Product Engineering, and Program Management personnel.
• Ensures creation of new products including but not limited to warp knit, circular knit, dobby flat woven and jacquard flat woven.
• Ensures that products are developed to meet customer design and performance requirements and are feasible for mass production in terms of cost, quality, and consistency.
• Ensures creation of effective and repeatable production processes including but not limited to dyeing, finishing, printing, bonding, and flame lamination.
• Ensures that all product Standard Operation Procedures Production Condition Sheets and Work Instructions are effective and repeatable.
• Ensure accurate creation and publication of technical standards, specifications, and physical property performance of new products.
• Ensures required operational procedures and technical documents are created and submitted to customers in an effective, accurate and timely manner.
• Ensures on-time completion of all required pre-production activities.
• Ensures on-time and successful production launches of new products.
• Oversees the APQP process and its implementation.
• Ensures the APQP process complies with all customer requirements, company requirements and technical specifications.
• Monitors program management activities to ensure that they are effective, successful and on schedule according to product launching dates.
• Oversees spot-buy sample order activities ensuring 100% compliance with customer build event schedules with on-time delivery.
• Ensures on-time and accurate technical document preparations, submissions and approvals including but not limited to IMDS and PPAP’s.
• Oversees the review and approval of production purchase orders for price, commercial terms, and product descriptions.
• Ensures accurate product costing and effective margin analysis processes are in place.
• Ensures efforts to achieve targeted profit margins on all new products.
• Develops effective raw material sourcing strategies (including but not limited to yarn, dyes, chemicals, and polyurethane foam) based on quality, performance, pricing, and capacity to ensure targeted profit margins and quality levels of new products.
• Works closely with sales, manufacturing, quality control, quality assurance, production control and corporate planning to ensure effective development of new products.
• Works closely with other offices and actively supporting their efforts to achieve new program placements.
• Visits customers as may be requested to provide support to sales.

If you are looking for a stable company that will offer you career advancement and meet the above requirements, please send your resume in Word format to alex@mrbethlehem.com. Interviews are being scheduled NOW.