NPD Project Manager

ghd hair; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

ghd is seeking a Senior Project Manager with a strong NPD background to lead end-to-end development of electrical products, limited editions and wetline lines. The role is based in Cambridge with a hybrid pattern (3 days in the office, 2 days from home) and involves cross-functional coordination with R&D, manufacturing, design and supply chain teams.

The successful candidate will manage multiple concurrent projects, ensure delivery within time, scope, cost and quality constraints, and present

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of NPD project management experience in a fast-moving, complex environment.
• Experience running multiple projects from inception to market delivery.
• Experience with full project lifecycle.
• Experience in supplier relationship management.
• Engineering experience in consumer electronics or similar is desirable.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, able to influence at all levels.
• Organised, self-motivated and able to work under pressure.
• Understanding of commercial priorities; Agile familiarity is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop, document, and manage end-to-end ghd electrical product projects, including packaging.
• Capture milestones, schedules, and budgets aligned with PM framework.
• Lead cross-functional teams across R&D, manufacturing, design, and supply chain.
• Collaborate with product managers, commercial, and finance to deliver business case.
• Improve project management processes and documentation; support governance.
• Manage interdependencies, risks, and stakeholder communications.

Skills

NPD project management

Multi-project leadership

Stakeholder communication

Agile methodology

PRINCE II (nice to have)

Job description

Iconic British brand ghd is a global leader in high end professional hair styling tools and the UK’s number one recommended styling brand. Loved by stylists and consumers, loved by press, and loved by the people that work for the brand!

Merging science and innovation, with luxury beauty and style; ghd combines cutting edge technologies and beautiful designs to create the most technically advanced hair tools in the world. ghd tools deliver “safer for hair” heat styling that have become an essential part of the daily lives of professional hair stylists and consumers globally.

Renowned for game changing innovation and superior performance, at ghd we are on a mission to transform lives with the power of a good hair day!

ROLE OVERVIEW

We are looking to recruit a Senior Project Manager with a strong NDP background to join our project management team.

This role will be responsible for project managing all aspects of the full end to end project lifecycle for the development of ghd electrical products, Limited Editions and wetline products.

This person will be required to work within the clear and consistent framework for governance to ensure delivery within agreed constraints of time, scope, cost, and quality.

This is a far-reaching role, with end-to-end accountability for multiple projects running concurrently. It is truly cross functional, international, works closely with 3rd party suppliers, and will require an experienced project manager with excellent communication skills and a background in engineering and electrical product development.

This position is a 12-month fixed term contract.

LOCATION

This role will be based in our Cambridge office, and we offer a hybrid working pattern of 3 days in the office and 2 days WFH.

JOB ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop, document, and manage a range of different ghd electrical product projects, including its packaging. Focus is on the complete end to end lifecycle of the product, from concept to in-market.
• Capturing all milestones, detailed schedules (including ghd supplier partners schedules) and budgets for a range of ghd projects, in a way that is consistent with ghd project management framework.
• Lead a team including members from R&D, manufacturing partners, industrialisation, quality, design, and supply chain to develop electrical products for launch into market. Engineering expertise will be key to in success in this area.
• Work closely with product managers, claims, commercial and finance teams to ensure delivery of product concept and business case.
• Contribute to/support the head of project management in continually improving the project management department, with associated processes and documentation.
• Identify, manage, and document potential project interdependencies and risks and elevate any issues in a prompt manner.
• Manage the relationships in terms of change activities and communication across departments and externally with suppliers and other stakeholders.
• Present at board level all aspects of the project including technical content.
• Working with various ghd teams on developing project briefs, work packages, managing timelines and budgets for projects, escalating if these fall outside of agreed limits/tolerance.
• Ensure all key stake holders, internal and external, are clear on their responsibilities so that their tasks and all key milestones/deadlines are met to execute and deliver the projects successfully.
• Coordinate and lead project status meetings, including peer reviews with internal teams and highlight any bottle necks of workload or issues/risks in a timely manner.
• Provide minutes/risk registers/timelines for all project meetings and make sure actions are implemented.
• Lead stage gate meetings for your projects, provide content, present and minute. Ensure all actions are implemented.

REQUIREMENTS

• At least 5 years of NPD Project management experience in a fast moving, complex environment
• Experience of running multiple projects and initiatives from inception to successful delivery and tracking in market
• Specific experience of full project lifecycle.
• Specific experience in supplier relationship management.
• Experience in engineering in consumer electronics business or similar would be desirable.
• Excellent communicator both verbally and in written form, engaging stakeholders at all levels
• Persuasive and adaptable communication skills and the ability to influence at all levels of the organisation.
• Must be organised and self-motivated.
• Ability to understand commercial priorities and respond accordingly.
• Comfortable working in high pressure, rapidly changing environments
• PRINCE II certification is a plus.
• Understanding of Agile methodology is a plus

VALUES

We at ghd are proudly committed to our Company Values and aim to attract and retain employees who live our Values.

• Collaborative – We work together to create the extraordinary.
• Creative – We foster creativity & excellence to create value for our brands and business.
• Courageous – We are agile, entrepreneurial & we own our future.
• Connected – We stay connected and ensure we are always consumer first.

We’re a young company that’s achieved great things by creating a best in class range of products that are loved by stylists and consumers alike. We remain fiercely ambitious, with big growth plans, exciting new innovation in the pipeline and geographic expansion.

We pride ourselves on remaining true to our founding ethos - the spirit of transformation - and have established a position at the forefront of the competitive fashion styling sector, where we are renowned as one of the leading hair styling brands around the world and synonymous with style and sophistication.