Technical Product Lead - Consumables

Randstad Switzerland; Risch-Rotkreuz; On-site; CHF 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Randstad Switzerland seeks a Technical Product Lead for consumables in a global diagnostics environment. You will own the product lifecycle from quality and supply to cost management, leading a cross-functional squad and interfacing with suppliers and regulatory teams.

You will drive production capacity planning, manage budgets (OPEX/CAPEX), and represent External Manufacturing in system development, while traveling as needed to support global operations. English and German are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant technical or business field (Engineering, Natural Science, or Business Administration).
• 1–3 years of product leadership experience, ideally in a matrixed environment.
• Proven track record in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) spanning quality, supply, compliance and cost management.
• Experience in External Manufacturing with day-to-day supplier interaction and managing production risks/issues.
• Experience in strategy and capacity planning, including multi-year plans and business-case calculations for new investments.
• Experience navigating IVD or medical device environments with strict regulatory/product documentation requirements.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and German for global stakeholder presentations.

Responsibilities

• Maintain accountability for the assigned product across its lifecycle including quality, supply, compliance, cost, risk and documentation.
• Manage product changes, complaints, deviations and production assets and execute risk management.
• Develop and implement product-wide production capacity plans aligned with strategy and investments.
• Manage budget planning for SMC cost accounts, chair the Squad and decide on prioritization and resource allocation.
• Coordinate with suppliers, sub-suppliers, procurement, IPM and other functions to align on demand forecasts and performance.
• Represent External Manufacturing in system development projects and PCQT-level business teams.
• Compile Annual Product Review Report with stakeholders and trigger actions, risks, mitigations.
• Chair operative Product Meetings with suppliers, monitor contract content and safety/ hub stock.
• Develop production output reports and report progress to leadership.
• Track demand forecasts with partners and trigger follow-up actions.
• Foster strategic prioritization and support team development and leadership feedback.

Skills

Product leadership

PLM experience

External Manufacturing

Strategy & capacity planning

IVD/medical device domain

Ambiguity navigation

Matrix leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Science/Business

Master's degree (nice to have)

Job description

For one of our clients, a world leader in in-vitro diagnostics, we are currently looking for a Technical Product Lead - Consumables.

General Information:

• Latest Start Date: 01.02.2027
• Planned duration: 12 months
• Team: 9 people
• Working hours: Standard
• Travel: Depending on product portfolio, 10% (-20%) with peaks rather than continuous traveling, global travelling possible

About the job:

External Manufacturing is the competence center for parts and products in the diagnostic workflow, manufactured by external suppliers. This includes the development of new products, product care activities, the assurance of supply as well as the supplier selection and maintenance in close collaboration with Procurement.

The Perfect Candidate:

As the Technical Product Lead for consumables you will be fully accountable for the assigned product throughout its lifecycle, covering quality, supply, compliance, and cost management. In this role, you will ensure overall Squad / Product Team performance and manage product/ production risks and issues, while holding full accountability for the Squad budget (OPEX/CAPEX).

You are the focal point for your designated products and work in an interdisciplinary team ensuring a holistic view of necessary activities. In this position you have versatile and varied responsibilities interacting with our Suppliers, Supply Chain, Quality and Regulatory as well as System Development and Business Management ensuring continuous learning and development. Together with the team members you have the possibility to exercise your leadership, enfolding the swarm intelligence of the people surrounding you. The need to visualize complex interdependencies for fact based decision making, ensures ample opportunity to use your communication and presentation skills.

Tasks & Responsibilities:

• Maintain complete accountability for the assigned product across its lifecycle, including quality, supply, compliance, cost, risk management, product specifications, production process specifications, and product documentation.
• Manage all product changes, complaints, deviations, and production assets, including equipment, spare part management, and the execution of operative risk management.
• Develop and implement the product-wide production capacity plan in line with the Product Strategy, planning replacements and new investments, including the calculation of business cases.
• Manage the SMC cost account, including budget planning and identifying potential savings. Chair the Squad, provide necessary leadership, and act as the final decision-maker for prioritization, resource allocation, and conflict management.
• Manage and influence key internal and external stakeholders—including suppliers, sub suppliers, procurement, OPPM functions, business partners (e.g. IPM), and the GSC—to align on demand forecasts and operational performance.
• Hold accountability for overall Squad performance and manage the comprehensive Squad budget, including OPEX, CAPEX, development, and PCQT budgets.
• Represent External Manufacturing in system development projects and within Business Teams at the PCQT level.
• Compile the Annual Product Review Report in collaboration with key stakeholders, identifying and triggering appropriate actions, risks, and mitigations.
• Chair operative-level Product Meetings with suppliers and sub-suppliers, maintain an understanding of supplier contract content, and monitor supplier safety stock and hub stock against established targets.
• Develop production output reports in collaboration with relevant functions and report progress directly to the leadership team.
• Track demand forecast developments and fluctuations with business partners to trigger necessary follow-up actions.
• Foster a clear strategic prioritization and mindset within the Squad, support team members in assuming their responsibilities, and provide performance feedback to the leadership team.

Must Haves:

• You hold a Bachelor's degree in a relevant technical or business field such as Engineering, Natural Science, or Business Administration
• You have 1-3 years of product leadership experience, ideally within a matrixed environment
• You have a proven track record in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), encompassing quality, supply, compliance, and cost management
• You have experience in External Manufacturing, including day-to-day supplier interaction and managing production risks and issues
• You have experience in Strategy and Capacity Planning, such as developing multi-year plans and calculating business cases for new investments.
• You have experience navigating In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) or medical device environments, ensuring adherence to strict regulatory and product documentation standards
• You excel at navigating ambiguity, resolving complex challenges, and serving as a decisive problem-solver to overcome technical obstacles efficiently.
• You are fluent in written and spoken English and German for conducting frequent presentations to global stakeholders.

Nice to haves:

• You have a Master's degree in a technical or business discipline.
• Ability to balance strategic portfolio goals (40%) with high-volume operational execution (60%).
• Successfully manage Squad budgets (OPEX/CAPEX) and SMC cost accounts to drive savings and efficiency.
• Possess a results-oriented mindset with the tenacity to act as the final decision-maker for prioritization and resolve technical roadblocks.
• Proven matrix leadership skills to empower 5-10 person squads and foster a culture of accountability and psychological safety.
• Demonstrated competence in dealing with ambiguity and solving complex, multifaceted problems effectively.
• Experience in IVD product development following design control, manufacturing and testing.
• Extensive knowledge of Process Management methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, etc.) and in-vitro diagnostic related regulations, such as ISO 13485, IVDR, FDA 21 CFR part 820 etc.
• Flexibility and willingness to travel globally to support external manufacturing