New Product Development Manager (Furniture/Mattress)

Key Responsibilities:

New Product Development & Innovation

• Lead the end-to-end New Product Development (NPD) process, from concept ideation and feasibility assessment through product launch and commercialization.
  
• Identify new product opportunities based on market trends, consumer needs, customer feedback, and emerging industry developments.
  
• Develop product concepts, specifications, cost targets, and commercialization plans aligned with business objectives.
  
• Evaluate new ideas and product concepts based on commercial viability, technical feasibility, production capability, and profitability.
  

Project Management & Commercialization

• Manage multiple NPD projects simultaneously, ensuring projects are delivered within agreed timelines, budgets, quality standards, and commercial objectives.
  
• Establish clear project milestones, timelines, deliverables, and responsibilities across all relevant functions.
  
• Coordinate product trials, prototypes, testing, validation, and pre-launch activities to ensure successful commercialization.
  
• Identify potential project risks and develop practical solutions to overcome technical, operational, or commercial challenges.
  

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with R&D, Production, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing, and Finance teams throughout the product development lifecycle.
  
• Translate customer and market requirements into clear product specifications and development briefs.
  
• Coordinate with suppliers and external partners to source new materials, components, technologies, or solutions required for product development.
  
• Ensure effective communication between technical and commercial teams to facilitate smooth product launches.
  

Product Costing & Commercial Evaluation

• Work with Finance, Procurement, and relevant stakeholders to develop accurate product costing and establish commercially viable pricing.
  
• Evaluate product margins, manufacturing costs, material costs, and potential return on investment.
  
• Identify opportunities for cost optimization and value engineering without compromising product quality or customer requirements.
  
• Support commercial teams with product information, value propositions, and technical details during customer presentations and business development activities.
  

Product Testing & Quality

• Coordinate product testing, validation, and performance evaluations to ensure products meet required specifications and quality standards.
  
• Work closely with Quality and Production teams to identify and resolve product issues during trials and commercialization.
  
• Ensure new products comply with relevant industry standards, regulatory requirements, and customer specifications where applicable.
  

Market & Competitor Intelligence

• Monitor market trends, competitor products, technological developments, and customer preferences to identify opportunities for innovation.
  
• Gather feedback from customers, sales teams, and other stakeholders to continuously improve product offerings.
  
• Conduct competitor benchmarking and market assessments to strengthen product positioning and differentiation.
  

Launch & Post-Launch Management

• Develop and execute product launch plans in collaboration with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and other relevant functions.
  
• Ensure all product documentation, specifications, costing, samples, packaging, and commercial materials are ready prior to launch.
  
• Monitor new product performance after launch and identify opportunities for improvement, optimization, or further product development.
  
• Conduct post-launch reviews to assess commercial performance against initial objectives and identify lessons learned.
  

Process Improvement

• Establish and continuously improve NPD processes, workflows, documentation, and project management practices.
  
• Develop appropriate KPIs to measure NPD effectiveness, including development lead time, project success rate, launch performance, and commercial contribution.
  
• Drive a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the organization.
  

Requirements

Job Requirements:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Product Development, Business, Science, Manufacturing, or a related discipline.
  
• Minimum 5–8 years of experience in New Product Development, Product Management, R&D, Project Management, or a related commercial/technical function.
  
• Proven experience managing the end-to-end product development and commercialization process.
  
• Experience within a manufacturing, industrial, consumer products, or B2B environment will be advantageous.
  
• Candidates with experience managing multiple NPD projects and working across technical and commercial functions are highly preferred.
  

Technical & Commercial Skills

• Strong understanding of product development processes, product testing, commercialization, and manufacturing requirements.
  
• Good commercial understanding with the ability to evaluate product costing, margins, pricing, and business viability.
  
• Strong project management capabilities with the ability to manage timelines, budgets, resources, and multiple stakeholders.
  
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a structured approach to evaluating product opportunities.
  
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint; familiarity with ERP, PLM, or project management systems is an advantage.
  

Leadership & Personal Attributes

• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical and commercial teams.
  
• Excellent project coordination and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.
  
• Proactive, commercially minded, and highly results-oriented.
  
• Creative thinker with a strong interest in innovation and identifying new business opportunities.
  
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and managing multiple projects with competing priorities.
  
• Strong ownership and accountability, with the ability to drive projects from concept through to successful commercialization.