Product Development Manager

Location: Novi, MI - Onsite 5 days

Job Summary:

The Product Development Manager is responsible for leading the technical function of new business development, focusing on interpreting market trends and VOC, new product introduction, existing product penetration at new and current customers, championing new product development initiatives and liaising with technical teams at new and existing customers. This role must drive revenue growth through new product introductions and market penetration.  This role will help establish and maintain a solid position as our customers’ preferred solution-provider in the design, development, and production of thermal and acoustic products, while focusing on growth in core applications and generating new opportunities in the transportation industry. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Analyze market/commodity trends and apply this knowledge to make insightful category plans, supplier selection decisions and negotiation strategies.
• Builds relationships with suppliers and negotiates with them for the best total cost of ownership (purchase cost plus costs of operation).
• Provides strategic and tactical support in building and maintaining Lydech’s annual business plan/budget for supplier purchases.
• Conduct competitive sourcing events and negotiations with suppliers to minimize costs of materials and capital equipment for the site.
• Develop and implement sourcing strategies related to supplier development, supply chain risk abatement, cost out and new product introductions.
• Approve order requisition pricing for PO issuance to suppliers.
• Work in conjunction with plant Maintenance Managers to assess quality of goods and services received and escalate any discrepancies to suppliers and management inclusive of the negotiation for goods and services that may not have met expectations.
• Regularly manage supplier performance review and new part introductions.
• Maintain purchase price files, contracts, confidentiality agreements, supplier setup information and all purchased part content.
• Leverage supplier relationships where necessary to support plant operations for the purpose of insuring timely execution of customer shipments.
• Supports and assists with plant and customer compliance to regulatory requirements.
• Other additional duties as assigned.

Required Experience, Education, Skills, and Abilities for Consideration as a Candidate:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience
• 3+ years’ experience as a buyer
• Strategic thinker
• Self‑motivated and adept at independently achieving tactical objectives and completing assigned tasks.
• Computer skills.
  • Proficiency with Excel, Word, PowerPoint
  • Experience with Microsoft D365 or another MRP application
• Strong math skills
• Ability to adapt to change
• Strong demonstrated team skill set and can-do attitude

Education, Experience, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

• Minium of a four-year engineering or technical degree.  A Chemistry or Chemical Engineering degree is preferred. 
• Project management experience.

Competencies:

• Business acumen
• Knowledge of thermal and acoustical physics and products
• Timely decision making
• Integrity and follow-through
• Data driven and driven by results
• Entrepreneurial
• Accountable and self-driven
• Creative problem solving
• Effective communication & presentation skills
• Value propositions

I. Physical Requirements of this Position

How much on-the-job time is spent performing the following physical activities?

Physical Activity

Amount of Time

None

Less than 1/3

1/3 to 2/3

More than 2/3

      Standing

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      Walking

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      Sitting

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      Use hands to finger, handle, or feel

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      Reach with hands and arms

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      Climb or balance

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      Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl

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      Talk or hear

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      Taste or smell

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In an average workday, the employee primarily performs:

☒   Sedentary Work:  Lifting 10 lbs. Maximum and occasionally lifting and/or carrying such articles as computers and small tools.  Although a sedentary job is defined as one which involves sitting, a certain amount of walking and standing is often necessary in carrying out job duties.  Repetitive motion of hand and finger movement to manually input data using a keyboard or to assemble parts may be required for up to eight hours a day.  Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and other sedentary criteria are met.

☐   Medium Work:  Lifting 50 lbs. Maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying of object weighing up to 25 lbs.

☐   Heavy Work:  Lifting 100 lbs. Maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying of object weighing up to 50 lbs.

Visual Acuity Requirements of this position including color, depth perception and field of vision (Check one)

☐   Close Vision:  Clear vision at 20” or less.

☐   Distance Vision:  Clear vision at 20’ or more.

☐   Peripheral Vision:  Ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed on a given point.

☐   Depth Perception:  Three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships.

☐   Ability to Adjust Focus:  Ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus.

☒   No special vision requirements.

 Select the level of noise that is typical in the work environment for this job: (Check one)

      ☐   Quiet conditions: (Examples: private office)

      ☒   Moderate noise: (Examples: business office with computer printers, light traffic, test and clean room environments)

      ☐   Loud noise:  (Examples: normal manufacturing conditions, fork truck and maintenance departments)

      ☐   Very loud noise:  (Examples:  jack hammer work and areas that exceed 85dB)

II. Work Environment

How much exposure to the following environmental conditions does this job require?

Environmental Conditions

Amount of Time

None

Less than 1/3

1/3 to 2/3

More than 2/3

      Wet or humid conditions (non-weather)

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      Work near moving mechanical parts

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      Work in high, precarious places

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      Fumes or airborne particles

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      Toxic or caustic chemicals

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      Outdoor weather conditions

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      Extreme cold (non-weather)

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      Extreme heat (non-weather)

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      Risk of electrical shock

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      Work with explosives

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      Risk of radiation

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      Vibration

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      Work/job-related travel

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