New Product Development Project Manager

Sealed Air - Lester Prairie, MN

Full-time - Mid Level

Lester Prairie, MN

10,001+ employees

Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing

About the position

The Fitments NPD Project Manager at Sealed Air is tasked with overseeing multiple project engineers involved in new product development and commercialization projects, particularly focusing on injection molded plastic parts and assemblies. This role is pivotal in ensuring that projects are driven to successful conclusions by defining their scope, estimating resources, and establishing appropriate project schedules. The Project Manager will collaborate with a variety of stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, and internal teams across different business units, to ensure that resources are effectively allocated and that any issues are prioritized and resolved promptly. In addition to project oversight, the Project Manager will support strategies aimed at capacity expansion, quality improvement, and supplier sourcing, all while maintaining a focus on logistics and equipment processes that align with key business goals. Effective communication is essential, as the role requires interfacing with both domestic and international personnel. The Project Manager will also oversee supplier performance related to the design and manufacturing of injection molded components, ensuring that all aspects of the project, from design to production release, are optimized for efficiency and quality. The responsibilities extend to managing multiple projects from feasibility through implementation, which includes defining project teams, creating detailed plans, and conducting risk mitigation and opportunity analysis. The Project Manager will also be responsible for overseeing financial aspects such as quoting, invoicing, and capital expense requests, ensuring that all documentation meets quality system requirements. Furthermore, the role involves coordinating lab testing of new products and overseeing the setup of new part numbers in Oracle or SAP. The Project Manager may also supervise hourly NPD employees, providing guidance and performance reviews as necessary.

Responsibilities

• Drive projects to successful conclusions by ensuring well-defined scope, resource estimates, and project schedules.
• Collaborate with customers, suppliers, and multiple business units to ensure resources are on task and issues are resolved timely.
• Support strategies for capacity expansion, quality improvement, supplier sourcing, and logistics.
• Communicate effectively with internal and external personnel both domestically and internationally.
• Oversee supplier performance for projects involving injection molded components and assemblies.
• Drive design and process optimization, including validation and production release of products.
• Identify and implement process improvement opportunities and innovations on commercial products.
• Manage multiple projects from feasibility through implementation, including project description, charter, and scope.
• Plan, organize, and conduct technical reviews.
• Oversee quoting and invoicing for customer projects, working with the Finance team for accuracy.
• Prepare capital expense requests and track progress of capital projects.
• Ensure proper documentation meets quality system requirements.
• Coordinate NPD and Quality lab testing of new and revised products.
• Attend and oversee factory and site acceptance testing of new products and materials.
• Support setup of new part numbers in Oracle or SAP, including BOMs and routings.
• Oversee hourly NPD employees, including timecard updates and performance reviews.

Requirements

• Minimum 3 years of Project Manager experience or equivalent experience in a role with significant project management involvement.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a technical discipline is preferred.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) and Design for Six Sigma certifications are preferred.
• Strong project planning and execution skills, including risk management and use of project management tools.
• Experience overseeing other employees is a plus.
• Understanding of Lean methodologies is preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with strong organizational and documentation skills.
• Sound problem-solving and analytic skills, with excellent communication and facilitation skills.
• Ability to influence all levels of the organization and get work done through others.
• Familiarity with Business Case development including Financials (NPV) and project charters.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to provide clear direction to matrixed resources.

Nice-to-haves

• Technical knowledge in manufacturing with a general understanding of plastics engineering, injection mold design, and assembly automation.
• Proven expertise with Microsoft Office Suite and MS Project or SmartSheet.
• Experience with CREO 3D CAD, Oracle, Salesforce, AutoDesk MoldFlow, Minitab, or similar statistical analysis software.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance bonuses.
• Health insurance coverage.
• 401k retirement savings plan with company matching contributions.
• Paid holidays and vacation time.
• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning.
• Diversity and inclusion programs.