Job Summary
The Senior Manager, New Product Development is responsible for leading complex, cross-functional new product development programs from concept through commercialization. This role drives execution excellence across R&D, commercial, quality, and operations teams to ensure timely, compliant, and successful product launches. The position plays a critical role in aligning innovation with business strategy while reinforcing a high-performance, results-driven culture.
Program Leadership & Execution
- Lead end-to-end new product development (NPD) programs from ideation through design, validation, understanding customer regulatory approval needs and product launch
- Establish and manage integrated program plans, timelines, budgets, and resource allocations
- Drive accountability across cross-functional teams to meet key milestones and deliverables
- Identify, assess, and mitigate program risks; escalate issues proactively to senior leadership
- Partner closely with R&D, Marketing, Quality, Operations and Supply Chain to ensure alignment and execution
- Lead core team meetings and governance forums; ensure clear decision-making and communication
- Coordinate design transfer to manufacturing and support scale-up activities
- Coordinate phase gate review meetings according to Zeus NPD phase gate process to ensure all deliverables are met.
- Ensure adherence to design control requirements, including FDA and ISO standards (e.g., design inputs/outputs, verification, validation)
- Partner with Quality to support any submissions and approvals where applicable
- Drive New Product Introduction (NPI) and commercialization readiness activities
- Align launch timelines with commercial strategy and market needs
- Ensure successful product transfer, supply readiness, and support post-launch monitoring working with marketing.
- Provide regular program updates to executive leadership, including status, risks, and financials
- Develop and present business cases, project charters, and stage-gate deliverables
- Ensure strong governance through stage-gate or phase review processes
- Champion best practices in program management, including stage-gate, Agile (where applicable), and lean methodologies
- Drive lessons learned and continuous improvement initiatives across the NPD lifecycle
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner closely with R&D, Marketing, Quality, Operations and Supply Chain to ensure alignment and execution
- Lead core team meetings and governance forums; ensure clear decision-making and communication
- Coordinate design transfer to manufacturing and support scale-up activities
- Coordinate phase gate review meetings according to Zeus NPD phase gate process to ensure all deliverables are met.
Regulatory & Compliance
- Ensure adherence to design control requirements, including FDA and ISO standards (e.g., design inputs/outputs, verification, validation)
- Partner with Quality to support any submissions and approvals where applicable
Product Launch & Commercialization
- Drive New Product Introduction (NPI) and commercialization readiness activities
- Align launch timelines with commercial strategy and market needs
- Ensure successful product transfer, supply readiness, and support post-launch monitoring working with marketing.
Stakeholder Communication & Governance
- Provide regular program updates to executive leadership, including status, risks, and financials
- Develop and present business cases, project charters, and stage-gate deliverables
- Ensure strong governance through stage-gate or phase review processes
Continuous Improvement
- Champion best practices in program management, including stage-gate, Agile (where applicable), and lean methodologies
- Drive lessons learned and continuous improvement initiatives across the NPD lifecycle
Zeus Industrial Products, headquartered in Orangeburg, South Carolina, is the world’s leading polymer extrusion manufacturer and material science innovator. More than 50 years of experience in medical, aerospace, energy, automotive, fiber optics, and more allows us to set the bar high.
Zeus is a great place to work. Expectations are high; our work is meticulous and very precise. Zeus offers an opportunity to join a very successful, family-oriented team. Our products are cutting-edge, our process is unique, and our quality and customer focus are second-to-none. We are a leader in our field and have great relationships with our customers and team members. Many of our team members are the best at what they do in the world. Our customers are leaders in their fields. Our products help save lives.
Continuous Improvement is a way of life at Zeus. Successful candidates will have a desire and ability to take our manufacturing process to the next level. Expectations are high; our work is meticulous and very precise. You must possess the ability to work independently; and the desire to learn a variety of skills. The ability to communicate clearly is imperative, as is the ability to manipulate data using various software packages.
At Zeus, what we do matters, and we pride ourselves in “Turning polymers into possibilities.” Expectations are high; our products are cutting-edge, our process is unique, and our quality and customer focus are second-to-none.
Our employees and our customers are at the center of everything we do. Those relationships have been built on a foundation that is supported by our Mission and Vision:
Our Mission: Provide Solutions – Enable Innovation – Enhance Lives
Our Vision: Working Together – Doing It Better
Zeus is an exciting, innovative company that offers competitive pay and a great benefits package. As we continue to push the boundaries of polymer science, we’re constantly in need of new ideas, new expertise, and new team members. Are you ready to join us?
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