PRODUCT LEADER

OVERVIEW

The Product Leader is responsible for facilitating and leading multi-functional project teams in the delivery of energy systems to customers, focused on enhancing the customer experience and providing full accountability for project budgets, schedules, project management and performance requirements.

The Product Leader is accountable to monitor all program activities to ensure compliance with product specifications, performance requirements, schedules and cost commitments.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Direct all product management responsibilities throughout a product's life-cycle, from the launch and introduction stage, through the growth and maturity stages; recognizing each product's stage in the life-cycle and adapting strategies suitable for that stage


• Work closely with finance on the preparation of the annual budget, monthly/quarterly re-forecasts


• Manage products through the product development cycle, which includes:


• Concept phase including task, project and/or product charter.


• Feasibility phase including feasibility studies and project proposal, schedule, and budget.


• Prototype phase including production and supplier planning.


• Alpha and beta phases including customer validation.


• Release phase including product design transfer and release (see below).


• Sustaining engineering and end of life.


• Responsible for managing product release activities directly or through functional designee s.

Activities include:

• Work with Manufacturing and Purchasing to select and qualify vendors.


• Management and creation of product BOMs (bill of material)


• Assembling Engineering Change Request documentation packets.


• Lead transfer of new products from Engineering to Production.


• Ensure creation of customer documentation through the technical publication group.


• Creation of product verification reports.


• Manage exceptions to product input requirements through continuous improvement project plans.


• Track and present key performance indicators (KPI’s), lessons learned, and corrective actions monthly.


• Participates in regular meetings with the Operations team to review project schedules


• Identify gaps in new product introduction process and make recommendations as required


• Works with customers to determine needs, requirements and new business opportunities.


• Oversees the program execution to ensure customer requirements are met, while maintaining/updating scope, schedule and costs.


• Gathers and interprets customer requirements and collaborates across the extended enterprise to identify and acquire relevant assets/resources.


• Identifies risks and creates opportunities to manage the operational or market risks for a project or program.


• Identifies opportunities to expand sales to existing customers or sell programs to new customers.


• Use of advanced application of technical and business principles, theories, concepts and techniques to provide solutions to a variety of technical and business problems.


• Travel as needed

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Strong project management skills, including the ability to plan and complete work on tight deadlines and budgets; ability to work in an atmosphere of multiple projects and shifting priorities


• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to interact effectively with professional and technical staff, customers, salespersons, and third-party partners


• Ability to lead cross-functional teams


• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including strong professional presentation skills and the ability to develop client presentations


• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills


• Demonstrated ability managing multi-discipline engineering projects required.


• An understanding of how to manage and balance product costs, schedule, and features


• Mature and solid project management skills, including strong organizational and planning skills


• A passion for solving complex problems with creative, innovative, elegant solutions

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• BS in Engineering, or equivalent technical degree or experience


• Minimum five years year of hands-on technical project management experience


• Interaction with customers, sales, service or other field organizations preferred


• Demonstrated ability managing multi-discipline engineering projects required.