New Product Development Manager - Small Engines - Onsite

About the position

Are you looking for an organization that empowers its team members to learn, grow and make a genuine impact? Is work/life balance important to you? At Kawasaki, we offer this and so much more. The Engine Division of Kawasaki Motors Corp, headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI has an immediate opening for a New Product Development Manager based in Grand Rapids, MI. As a New Product Development Manager, you are responsible for providing application knowledge, project management, and engineering support for development of new products and markets. This role will help bring new products to market by identifying and targeting new applications and potential customers outside, and sometimes inside, the Outdoor Power Equipment Industry (OPEI). This position will assist in designing and establishing new applications in their appropriate markets and manage the development of these new products from concept, until a finished product is handed off to the Kawasaki Sales Department.

Responsibilities

• Leads, plans, schedules, coordinate detailed work on sections of moderate or major projects, drives projects forward.
• Maintains, leads and manages the feasibility of project timelines and plans.
• Defines scope and timelines of projects Plans and tracks effectively using appropriate project management tools.
• Requires strong presentation skills with the ability to make a convincing features-benefits presentation within Kawasaki and/or to potential customers.
• Leads the product management process, which includes product marketing professionals and interaction with other New Business Development personnel, the AKM R&D Department, KMC-Japan, and the manufacturing plant.
• Create programs and test standards, requirements and maintain procedures to ensure accuracy and consistency for routine tests, as well as modify or design tests as necessary for special circumstances.
• Responsible for technical market research of new features and competitor information.
• Collaborates with Research & Development and Kawasaki purchasing in working with vendors and visits vendor sites as needed.
• Projects could focus on the improvement of existing engines or development of new engines and power systems or related technology.
• Analyze and review testing results and distribute, creating reports. Conducts tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Evaluation of problems with insufficient data or testing is required. Determine whether or not to use parts tested.
• Investigate and recommend improvements to current processes or test procedures.
• Coordinates implementation effectively to include impacted departments or functions. Establishes benchmarks to measure progress.
• Responsible for creating, editing, maintaining and organizing technical application software / infrastructure engineering documents with regards to order, usage, clarity, style and terminology.
• Prepares clear and concise documents following standard guidelines for technical engineering publications which can be understood by all levels within the GPE service industry.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering required.
• 8+ year's hands-on engineering experience in automotive, R&D or related field preferred.
• Experience in Industrial, Construction & Agriculture equipment industries, or Aviation industry, a plus.
• Strong project management skills, able to move multiple projects forward concurrently.
• Strong presentation skills with the ability to make a convincing features-benefits presentation within Kawasaki and/or to potential customers.
• Possess leadership skills, able to delegate when necessary.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, cost and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Expert understanding of technical writing principles.
• Effective time management skills in order to meet multiple competing deadlines on time in an agile software development environment.

Benefits

• Good work/life balance.
• Medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Flexible Schedules.
• Summer Hours.
• Referral Program.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Life insurance.
• Flexible spending account.
• 401K.
• Generous Time off.
• Educational Assistance.
• Ongoing training and development.
• Team member product purchase program.