Senior Manager of NPI Process & Technology Enablement- Boise, ID

Summary

This position exists to enable efficient execution of New Product Development initiatives globally, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and adequate allocation of developmental resources.

This position is accountable for developing and maintaining a vibrant, cross-functional environment in which new product development, line extensions, product cost-downs and other product-related innovation and enhancement activities are successfully undertaken. This person will ensure that these efforts improve the delivery of new product initiatives that link to business strategy. This role is accountable to the marketing group and leadership team for facilitating and overseeing the process and technology platforms for product portfolio innovation, global Stage and Gate, and product lifecycle management efforts.

This role is also the product owner for the Global Food Product Lifecycle Management technology platforms (including Oracle PLM, Accolade, and in future SAP PLM).

Key Responsibilities

• Cultivate strong relationships with Marketing, Product Innovation, PMO, Operations, and Supply Chain to establish and maintain a clear and transparent commercialization process. Lead and manage the process to evaluate, prioritize and effectively execute all group product portfolio development and cost-down opportunities which utilize shared R&D resources. 
• Work with project and functional managers to make sure that project issues, disagreements and other challenges (e.g. staffing, resource allocation, funding, project prioritization) are resolved quickly and reasonably and in a manner consistent with respective areas of accountability.
• Develop and maintain the information required for decision-making on the product portfolio lifecycle (NPI and tail management) and NPI project pipeline status. Keep the marketing group, leadership team, and key business unit/functional stakeholders informed of progress and issues requiring senior management intervention related to the delivery of the product portfolio activities.
• Guide, direct and accelerate product innovation efforts from idea through commercialization.  Manage the global stage-gate development lifecycle to ensure that projects have functional approval from all functional leaders with responsibility for project deliverables prior to initiating each project stage within the development lifecycle.  
• Ensure that individual development projects have effective and appropriate cross-functional representation and that they evaluate projects with sufficient rigor to reach clear, objective decisions consistent with business strategic objectives. 
• Act as Product Owner for all PLM technology. Provide guidance on business requirements for application development, including the global implementation of a common PLM technology platform (SAP PLM, Accolade) 
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Typical Education

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) from 4 year college or university 

Experience Details

• 10+ years of experience in relevant fields (e.g. program management, marketing, R&D, operations) 

Required Certifications

• Degree qualified in Commerce, Marketing, Business, or related disciplines