NPI Manager

About the Role
We are looking for an experienced and hands-on NPI Manager to lead our NPI team and take end-to-end responsibility for transferring complex electromechanical products from development into stable mass production.
This is a managerial role combining team leadership, professional development and direct ownership of selected NPI projects. The manager will lead engineers who own products and projects end-to-end, while personally managing selected projects according to complexity, workload and business priorities.
The role includes close collaboration with manufacturing partners, suppliers and engineering teams in China, with involvement in production-line setup, transfer, ramp-up and stabilization.
The position reports directly to the Director of Engineering and Production.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage, lead and professionally develop the NPI engineering team.

• Raise the professional level of the team and establish clear NPI methodologies, standards and working processes.

• Manage the NPI project portfolio, including priorities, resources, Gantt schedules, milestones, risks and dependencies.

• Ensure clear ownership, timely execution and effective escalation of project risks and delays.

• Personally lead selected NPI projects from design transfer through pilot production, ramp-up and stable mass production.

• Lead DFM/DFA, production-readiness activities, pilot builds and manufacturing validation.

• Ensure readiness of drawings, BOMs, manufacturing documentation, work instructions, tooling, fixtures and test equipment.

• Lead technical problem-solving and root-cause analysis during industrialization and early production.

• Drive improvements in yield, quality, cycle time, capacity and process stability.

• Work closely with R&D, Quality, Operations, Procurement, Supply Chain and external manufacturing partners.

• Support the setup, transfer and stabilization of production lines in China.

• Provide clear management visibility regarding status, risks, required decisions and recovery plans.

Required Qualifications

• B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering — mandatory.

• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in NPI, industrialization, manufacturing engineering or product transfer.

• At least 2 years of direct management experience leading an NPI engineering team.

• Strong and proven professional background specifically in NPI and industrialization.

• Proven experience leading complex products from development through pilot production, ramp-up and stable mass production.

• Proven ability to manage, mentor and professionally develop NPI engineers.

• Experience with complex multidisciplinary electromechanical products combining mechanics, electronics, assembly and testing.

• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, production-line setup, tooling, fixtures and test equipment.

• Experience working with contract manufacturers, suppliers and international production sites.

• Good hands-on proficiency in SolidWorks, including reviewing and updating mechanical models and production drawings.

• Experience managing multiple projects using structured project plans, Gantt schedules, milestones and risk management.

• Strong technical problem-solving, decision-making and cross-functional leadership skills.

• Excellent written and spoken English.

• Willingness to travel to China as required.