PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER – DECORATIVE INTERIOR & EXTERIOR HARDWARE, FIXTURES & FITTINGS

“Perfect role for aesthetically strong, style conscious and consumer trend focused Product Development Manager.  Opportunity to take the full product lifecycle lead from concept to launch, introducing new product categories, working closely with key OEM, Retail & Wholesale Key Accounts, and cross functional colleagues in Marketing, Mechanical Design, Technical, Sales & Manufacturing”

Salary:  c£50000 - £60000 plus benefits

Location:  West Midlands

Commutable from Birmingham, Kidderminster, Stafford, Stone, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Wednesbury, Stourbridge, Halesowen, Bromsgrove, Lichfield, Tamworth, Stoke on Trent, Telford, Shrewsbury, Droitwich, Redditch, Worcester, Coventry, Warwick, Sutton Coldfield, Coleshill, Stockport, Crewe

This fast growing and acquisitive client wish to strengthen their product offering with a Product Manager responsible for development of new decorative interior and exterior hardware, fixtures and fittings including mechanically engineered products. You will focus on developing and delivering a pipeline of new product development to time scale and product life cycle management for customers, in the OEM housebuilding/construction, building trade and DIY/hardware distribution sectors.  This would be within three-year rolling launch plans.

Your experience may have been gained within a Product Management role in one of these sectors or in aligned sectors such as furnishings and other home/domestic products, fixtures and fittings.  You will take full ownership and responsibility for your designated product portfolio and will deliver continued commercial success of those products by managing them according to their stage within the product lifecycle. You must have experience of NPD from ‘cradle to grave’.

 The Role

• Evaluate and co-ordinate product portfolio to evaluate market trends and feedback from customer research to identify gaps in the current product portfolio with a view to superseding existing products and introducing new products and new product category strategies.
• In this respect, work closely with key account clients in OEM, Retail and Distributor Channels and internally with cross functional colleagues in marketing, design and technical, quality, procurement and sales to harness cross functional expertise.
• Be the go-to-person in the business for new product ideas, actively promote this and make yourself available to encourage idea generation across the business. 
• Keep abreast of product developments within our client’s specific OEM & Distributor sector and amongst its competitors. Use this intelligence to identify new product opportunities.
• Develop project proposals to be considered for entry into the product development process, paying close attention to cost, price and margin and for projects that merit.progression work closely to the Prince2 product development and Stage Gate processes to deliver products in a timely, high quality and financially compelling manner.
• Monitor project status and communicate to the rest of the business including at Board level.
• Work closely with cross functional colleagues in Marketing, Design & Technical, Manufacturing, Quality, Sales & Commercial to ensure stringent validation approvals against the product design where necessary.
• Monitor the evolving needs of customers and the sales teams to ensure that projects are being treated with the right level of priority at any given time.
• Work with sales, procurement and supply chain to establish initial order quantities and with marketing to deliver a fully featured launch process and collateral and also prepare training material in relation to the new product and ensure it is delivered to all relevant parties.
• In partnership with the sales team and technical teams, stay close to early adopters of new products and gather feedback on experiences of the product feeding back improvements to the design team. Feedback positive comment to the sales and marketing teams to incorporate in pitches/marketing material.
• Conduct a ground up review of the product portfolio understanding the detail and intricacies of the range. Rationalise legacy and obsolete products, classify remaining products and create an action plan for each by revisiting features and benefit and re-launch to the sales force or investigate opportunities for VAVE or replacement.
• Build a category development strategy for the product portfolio and manage all products accordingly including looking for opportunities to reduce the size of the portfolio, categorise & bundle product ranges, review opportunities for VAVE, re-energise products by modernising packaging, manage changeovers and ensure terminated products are sold off profitably.
• Create excitement across the business when stock is available in order that the products are more likely to be talked about to customers by the sales team.
• Be fully involved with colleagues in Marketing to deliver fully featured product launch.

Undertake all training of sales/commercial colleagues so that they are fully au fait with product specifications, features and benefits.

Your Background

• Educated to degree level with a strong track record in product management, ideally but not exclusively, gained within the mechanical hardware/components sector focussing on OEM housebuilding, construction, building trade, DIY/hardware sectors or similarly aligned sectors such as larger home furnishings, double glazing, windows, doors, security systems, kitchens, bathrooms, tiling flooring, garden furniture, architectural or other metal products.
• Aesthetically strong, style conscious and very experienced in analysing and evaluating consumer and market trends in home décor, furnishings and fittings, translating them into fantastic new products.
• Must have experience of NPD from concept to launch as well as product portfolio
• management and product lifecycle management through to termination. This is not a pure marketing or design role however you will be working closely with colleagues in Marketing and Design.
• Must include experience of undertaking VAVE/Value Analysis and Value Engineering to ensure that products can realistically be designed and developed and launched into the market at price points which meet market requirements and profit margin targets.
• May have experience of new packaging design and categorisation of products into compelling product bundles for customers.
• Prince 2 Practitioner preferred or experienced in similar project stage gate management methodology.
• Strong strategic analysis and planning skills and an impressive portfolio of new product development from concept to launch.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills
• Comfortable working in a matrix management environment.  Experienced in presenting value propositions to senior executive level both internally and externally with key account clients.
• Experience of working with design and manufacturing colleagues in both the UK and potentially the Far East/Internationally.

To apply without delay, please email your CV to applications@martinveasey.com quoting reference LX 459220 Telephone 01905 381 320 www.martinveasey.com 

FIELD SALES ENGINEER - FABRICATED MANUFACTURING & PROCESSING EQUIPMENT

“Fantastic career development opportunity for time served/graduate Design Engineer, seeking career development into a larger client facing and project management role whilst still retaining design engineering responsibility.”

Salary: £s0-45000 (OTE £60000) Car/Allowance Benefits

Location: Telford, Shropshire (Field Based – Home & Office Based Remit)

Our client is a privately owned engineering and fabrication business specialising in the design of all types of fabricated products for manufacturing and processing equipment, predominantly for the food sector. It has enjoyed impressive growth to date with 2019 being particularly outstanding. As a result, and as part of their ambitious expansion plans, they now seek to appoint a Field Sales Engineer to join their client facing and design team.

Our client prides itself on its responsiveness and its ability to develop bespoke solutions to meet its customers’ needs, including design and on-site installation.

It achieves its high level of customer satisfaction through the direction of the Managing Director, who frequently meets with customers to identify their requirements, conceptualise solutions, communicate with the design team and prepare quotations spending time on site where relevant to ensure a smooth execution.

Customers appreciate this level of service and attention to detail and this is reflected in the firm’s profitability. Our client now wishes to leverage this high service cornerstone to further expand the business to capitalise on the increasing number of opportunities which are being presented.

As Field Sales Engineer you will act as an ambassador and force multiplier – to allow more jobs to be facilitated without a reduction in customer service, whilst at the same time fostering excellent key account relationships to create additional work for both bespoke design and value added, after care services.

The Role:
As Field Sales Engineer you will be a self-motivated, results orientated sales professional with a strong technical design engineering aptitude and excellent communication skills together with a passion and drive to succeed commercially.

You will develop new sales opportunities and will optimise existing accounts ensuring that our client is providing the ultimate service to customers. This requires a Field Sales Engineer with a fabrication background. Someone who understands design and mechanical engineering and is able to work with CAD (Solidworks). Essentially someone who is able to consultatively elicit a customer’s requirements, decipher what needs to be done and can expertly and promptly develop and relay a solution to the customer and all stakeholders within the process from concept to manufacture to installation.

Specifically,

• Working alongside the design team, you will be responsible for the translation of customer requirements from “concept to completion” design of a range of bespoke fabricated solutions, predominantly but not exclusively, food manufacturing and processing equipment.
• This will include commercial discussions regarding pricing and scheduling of design projects.
• You will also own the customer and key account relationship working with client Engineering and Manufacturing teams whilst also supporting your internal colleagues within the Fabrication and Installation teams to provide high levels of customer service. This may include, where appropriate, attendance on site during field installations. This may require unsocial hours working, which would be shared with the MD.
• You will be confident and adept at producing 2d and 3d designs using traditional engineering design drawing methodology, measurements and calculations whilst also being proficient in the use of software such as Solidworks. Experience with the sheet metal Plug-In for Solidworks would be advantageous.
• This will include design for manufacture, developing new drawings whilst also modifying existing drawings to support customer growth and requirements as part of the ongoing after care and key account management process.
• You will carry out physical measurement and testing to prove design concepts, carrying out cost reduction exercises through redesign to reduce cost and manufacturing time whilst ensuring ultimate excellence in design to meet client requirements.

The Ideal Candidate:

• A time served Modern Apprentice/degree educated Mechanical Design Engineer.
• Proven track record in fabricated metalwork design and workshop-based Engineering.
• Experience of purpose-built food manufacturing or processing equipment would be particularly advantageous.
• Existing experience of client interface as part of the design process, visiting customer sites, undertaking a consultative process of understanding client requirements.
• Strong commercial acumen, great attention to detail and excellent presentation skills.
• Have a good understanding of manufacturing processes such as CNC & laser cutting.
• Able to understand a product brief and to design a practical and cost-effective solution.
• Ability to create a method of manufacture and internal drawings
• Ability to liaise with customers and suppliers to solve technical issues
• Experienced in liaising with Operations and the Shop Floor to solve technical/production issues.
• A strong team player, able to work cross functionally with colleagues and clients.
• Comfortable being hands on and involved in the day to day operations as well as key account management and new business sales.
• Available to travel throughout the Midlands and the wider country to oversee installations. This may require unsocial hours to fit in around manufacturing operations. This would be shared with the MD.
• This role is located in Telford so ideal applicants will live within 1 hour maximum of the office.

In return our client offers a very competitive salary and benefits package including company car/allowance, generous bonus scheme and the opportunity to play a part in the ongoing and dynamic growth of a fabulous company.

FIELD SALES ENGINEER - FABRICATED MANUFACTURING & PROCESSING EQUIPMENT

“Fantastic career development opportunity for time served/graduate Design Engineer, seeking career development into a larger client facing and project management role whilst still retaining design engineering responsibility.”

Salary: £30-45000 (OTE £60000) Car/Allowance Benefits

Location: Telford, Shropshire (Field Based – Home & Office Based Remit)

Our client is a privately owned engineering and fabrication business specialising in the design of all types of fabricated products for manufacturing and processing equipment, predominantly for the food sector. It has enjoyed impressive growth to date with 2019 being particularly outstanding. As a result, and as part of their ambitious expansion plans, they now seek to appoint a Field Sales Engineer to join their client facing and design team.

Our client prides itself on its responsiveness and its ability to develop bespoke solutions to meet its customers’ needs, including design and on-site installation.

It achieves its high level of customer satisfaction through the direction of the Managing Director, who frequently meets with customers to identify their requirements, conceptualise solutions, communicate with the design team and prepare quotations spending time on site where relevant to ensure a smooth execution.

Customers appreciate this level of service and attention to detail and this is reflected in the firm’s profitability. Our client now wishes to leverage this high service cornerstone to further expand the business to capitalise on the increasing number of opportunities which are being presented.

As Field Sales Engineer you will act as an ambassador and force multiplier – to allow more jobs to be facilitated without a reduction in customer service, whilst at the same time fostering excellent key account relationships to create additional work for both bespoke design and value added, after care services.

The Role:
As Field Sales Engineer you will be a self-motivated, results orientated sales professional with a strong technical design engineering aptitude and excellent communication skills together with a passion and drive to succeed commercially.

You will develop new sales opportunities and will optimise existing accounts ensuring that our client is providing the ultimate service to customers. This requires a Field Sales Engineer with a fabrication background. Someone who understands design and mechanical engineering and is able to work with CAD (Solidworks). Essentially someone who is able to consultatively elicit a customer’s requirements, decipher what needs to be done and can expertly and promptly develop and relay a solution to the customer and all stakeholders within the process from concept to manufacture to installation.

Specifically,

• Working alongside the design team, you will be responsible for the translation of customer requirements from “concept to completion” design of a range of bespoke fabricated solutions, predominantly but not exclusively, food manufacturing and processing equipment.
• This will include commercial discussions regarding pricing and scheduling of design projects.
• You will also own the customer and key account relationship working with client Engineering and Manufacturing teams whilst also supporting your internal colleagues within the Fabrication and Installation teams to provide high levels of customer service. This may include, where appropriate, attendance on site during field installations. This may require unsocial hours working, which would be shared with the MD.
• You will be confident and adept at producing 2d and 3d designs using traditional engineering design drawing methodology, measurements and calculations whilst also being proficient in the use of software such as Solidworks. Experience with the sheet metal Plug-In for Solidworks would be advantageous.
• This will include design for manufacture, developing new drawings whilst also modifying existing drawings to support customer growth and requirements as part of the ongoing after care and key account management process.
• You will carry out physical measurement and testing to prove design concepts, carrying out cost reduction exercises through redesign to reduce cost and manufacturing time whilst ensuring ultimate excellence in design to meet client requirements.

The Ideal Candidate:

• A time served Modern Apprentice/degree educated Mechanical Design Engineer.
• Proven track record in fabricated metalwork design and workshop-based Engineering.
• Experience of purpose-built food manufacturing or processing equipment would be particularly advantageous.
• Existing experience of client interface as part of the design process, visiting customer sites, undertaking a consultative process of understanding client requirements.
• Strong commercial acumen, great attention to detail and excellent presentation skills.
• Have a good understanding of manufacturing processes such as CNC & laser cutting.
• Able to understand a product brief and to design a practical and cost-effective solution.
• Ability to create a method of manufacture and internal drawings
• Ability to liaise with customers and suppliers to solve technical issues
• Experienced in liaising with Operations and the Shop Floor to solve technical/production issues.
• A strong team player, able to work cross functionally with colleagues and clients.
• Comfortable being hands on and involved in the day to day operations as well as key account management and new business sales.
• Available to travel throughout the Midlands and the wider country to oversee installations. This may require unsocial hours to fit in around manufacturing operations. This would be shared with the MD.
• This role is located in Telford so ideal applicants will live within 1 hour maximum of the office.

In return our client offers a very competitive salary and benefits package including company car/allowance, generous bonus scheme and the opportunity to play a part in the ongoing and dynamic growth of a fabulous company.