Product Development Manager - Technical Nonwovens

Nzicht BV; Paris; Sur place; EUR 90 000 - 120 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

International exposure

Résumé du poste

Nzicht BV is seeking a Product Development Manager for Technical Nonwovens to lead end-to-end development and adjust chemistries to meet customer needs. You will work across R&D, Operations, Quality, Product Management, Marketing and Sales in an international setting.

You will translate market trends into innovative products, lead cross-functional teams, and contribute to sustainability and regulatory initiatives while delivering commercially successful solutions.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in relevant technical field.
• Several years of solid experience in product development, R&D or technical product management within technical textiles, nonwovens, or advanced materials.
• Experience managing complex development projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Fluency in English; additional European languages are a plus.

Responsabilités

• Lead international product development projects from concept through industrialization.
• Translate customer requirements and market trends into innovative product solutions.
• Develop new formulations, materials and manufacturing concepts with focus on esthetics, compatibility, cost and performance.
• Improve existing products in terms of performance, manufacturability, quality and cost efficiency.
• Collaborate closely with production teams to optimize processes.
• Serve as technical expert for complex customer applications.
• Support Sales and Product Management during customer visits and technical discussions.
• Benchmark competitive technologies and identify future market opportunities.
• Build technical expertise across the organization through coaching and knowledge sharing.
• Support product certification, standardization and regulatory compliance.
• Contribute to sustainability initiatives through material and binder developments.
• Build relationships with customers, suppliers, research institutes and external technical organizations.
• Report to the R&D Portfolio Manager

Connaissances

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Customer focus

Project management

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Travel readiness

Formation

Master's degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Engineering or related

Description du poste

Shape the future of sustainable nonwoven solutions

Our client is a leading international manufacturing company with a strong reputation for technological innovation, operational excellence and sustainable growth. As part of a globally operating industrial organization, the company develops and manufactures advanced technical textile and coating solutions.

The organization combines the strengths of an international industrial group with the entrepreneurial mindset of a local manufacturing operation. Decision-making is pragmatic, collaboration is cross-functional and employees are encouraged to take ownership and contribute to continuous improvement. The company offers an environment where technical expertise, leadership and innovation are genuinely valued.

To support its continued growth and operational ambitions, we are looking to strengthen our Central-European R&D organization with a highly motivated (M/F/X):

Product Development Manager – Technical Nonwovens

Your Mission

As Product Development Manager, you are responsible for the complete lifecycle of new product development—from identifying market needs to successful industrial implementation.Your main focus will be adjusting our product and process chemistries in line with customer needs.

You translate customer expectations, market trends and technological opportunities into innovative products that create value for both customers and the business.

Operating in an international environment, you build bridges between R&D, Operations, Quality, Product Management, Marketing and Sales. You ensure that ideas evolve into commercially successful products while continuously improving existing technologies and manufacturing processes.

This is a highly visible position where technology, innovation and business strategy come together.

Your Responsabilities

You will play a leading role in developing the company's future product portfolio by:

• Leading international product development projects from concept through industrialization.
• Translating customer requirements and market trends into innovative product solutions.
• Developing new formulations, materials and manufacturing concepts, showing a thorough understanding of esthetics, chemical compatibility, cost and product characteristics
• Improving existing products regarding performance, manufacturability, quality and cost efficiency.
• Collaborating closely with production teams to optimize manufacturing processes.
• Acting as the technical expert for complex customer applications.
• Supporting Sales and Product Management during customer visits and technical discussions.
• Benchmarking competitive technologies and identifying future market opportunities.
• Building technical expertise across the international organization through coaching, training and knowledge sharing.
• Supporting product certification, standardization and regulatory compliance.
• Contributing to sustainability initiatives through innovative material and binder developments.
• Building strong relationships with customers, suppliers, research institutes and external technical organizations.
• You will be reporting to the R&D Portfolio Manager

This position offers an excellent career path for an ambitious expert who wants to grow into broader management responsibilities within out international organization.

Your Profile

You combine technical depth with strong interpersonal skills and enjoy working in an international, multidisciplinary environment.

You probably bring:

• A Master's degree (or PhD) in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Engineering or a related discipline.
• Several years of solid experience in product development, R&D or technical product management within technical textiles, nonwovens, composites, polymers or advanced materials.
• Experience managing complex development projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence technical and commercial stakeholders.
• A customer-oriented mindset and genuine curiosity for innovation.
• A structured yet pragmatic approach and able to manage multiple projects in parallel.
• Fluency in English. Additional European languages are considered an advantage.
• Willingness to travel internationally (approximately 30–50%).

What We Offer

This position offers considerably more than a traditional R&D role.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Develop technologies that directly influence future market growth.
• Work on international innovation projects with significant strategic impact.
• Collaborate with highly experienced specialists across multiple European manufacturing sites.
• Combine scientific expertise with commercial exposure.
• Drive sustainability through innovative product development.
• Enjoy significant autonomy while working within an internationally recognized industrial organization.
• You will join a financially strong international manufacturing company that continues to invest heavily in innovation, sustainability and people development.
• In return, you can expect:
• A strategically important international position.
• High visibility within the organization.
• Significant autonomy and ownership.
• An attractive salary package complemented by comprehensive fringe benefits.
• A collaborative culture where innovation, continuous improvement and entrepreneurship are genuinely valued.