Product Development Manager

**Prior experience with designing plastic bottles and packaging is required for this position. 3+ years of project management experience is also required. Travel includes up to 30% for this role.

Our client is a global family-owned, privately held company that makes innovative, customized, recycled packaging for top companies across the world.

In this role, you are responsible for managing projects with minor supervision and mentoring from Head of Product Development and Senior Project Managers. Coordinates activities during the development phase through approval of customer. Delivers to production on time, within budget and to quality requirements.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates leadership and decision making through the execution of product development projects. Develop and maintain timelines, track budget, communicate among project resources and stakeholders, aligning with corporate metrics
• Coordinating activities from design to pilot tool, to production mold and into production, responsible for mold, machine and packaging components.
• Determines customer’s requirements and translates them into an actionable plan.
• Manages Project Planning, Gantt charts, scheduling constraints, understands bottle necks and works with team members to create solutions.
• Understands priorities of projects, manages priorities, and communicates across key stakeholders.
• Adherence and applied knowledge of the project management and stage gated process.
• Oversight of projects and manages project load with time management.
• Responsible for addressing customer complaints, concerns or requests throughout the project lifecycle.
• Holding regular meetings to ensure on time and in budget.
• Coordinates design activities between customer and internal design.
• Effectively communicate internally and externally with customers, suppliers and vendors to determine project requirements, coordinate activities, and provide direction.
• Documents key project information: Use appropriate forms and follows procedures established for project execution.
• Responsible for maintaining costs on projects.
• Manages all health, safety and legal requirements.
• Travel on average of 30% is expected.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, preferably in Packaging, Mechanical, Plastics engineering
• Three years project management experience, preferably within plastics industry.

Qualification/Skills:

• Technical knowledge and understanding of HDPE, PP and PET resins
• Understanding of mold and design construction
• Understanding of key principles in blow molding and related machines
• Understanding of blow molding platforms and limitations
• Capable of applying and assessing SPC/statistics/Quality charts/Six sigma principles
• Understanding of key features on bottle for performance and closure seal.
• Understanding of customer filling lines, distribution and consumer use
• Knowledge of bottle testing, capable of conducting dimensional and functional evaluations
• Knowledge of Packaging systems - types, costs, ordering procedures
• Trouble shooting/resolution of packaging system issues

Benefits:

• Health and Wellness Care Program- Benefits
• Child Care Benefits
• Dependent Care Cost Savings Program
• Recognition programs; Promotional opportunities
• 401K Retirement Plan and excellent Matching Plan
• Medical, dental, vision plan
• Education assistance program/tuition reimbursement
• Short term, long term and life insurance paid by employer
• Paid vacation; paid holidays

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable

accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job:

• The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms and very occasionally to climb or balance.
• The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to sit.
• The employee must regularly lift and/ or move up to 10 lbs, frequently lift and/or move up to 30 lbs and occasionally lift and/or move more than 50 lbs.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.