NPD Team Leader

Jonathan Lee; Bryn; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Jonathan Lee is seeking an NPD Team Leader to drive new product development from concept through production. You will lead cross-functional delivery across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Procurement, Service, and external suppliers, ensuring milestones and quality standards are met.

The role requires a technical degree and proven experience in leading engineering or product development initiatives, with strong stakeholder management and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Lead and coordinate NPD projects with milestones and deliverables.
• Mentor and develop NPD Engineers and report progress to Technical Manager.
• Strong leadership and structured delivery approach in product development.

Responsibilities

• Lead NPD projects across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Procurement.
• Maintain project plans, risk registers and development schedules.
• Apply DFM/DFA/Design for Serviceability to improve efficiency and reliability.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Education

Degree or HNC/HND in Mechanical/Electrical/Electronic/Product Design Engineering

Tools

PLM

ECN workflows

Job description

Step into a career-defining opportunity as an NPD Team Leader and play a pivotal role in bringing new products from concept to production. This NPD Team Leader position sits at the heart of the product development and engineering industry, combining real responsibility with the chance to lead cross-functional delivery across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Procurement, Service, and external suppliers. Expect meaningful variety, strong leadership scope, and the satisfaction of seeing improvements land in the real world.

What You Will Do:

• Lead and coordinate New Product Development projects, ensuring milestones, deliverables, and outcomes stay on track.
• Manage multiple engineering activities simultaneously, maintaining clear project plans, risk registers, and development schedules.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration across Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and procurement partners.
• Support Engineering Change Notices (ECNs), product revisions, and release processes, maintaining control and quality standards.
• Apply Design for Manufacture (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and Design for Serviceability to improve efficiency and reliability.
• Mentor and develop NPD Engineers while reporting progress, risks, and decisions to the Technical Manager.

What You Will Bring:

• A degree or HNC/HND (or equivalent experience) in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, or Product Design Engineering.
• Proven experience leading engineering or product development projects, with a confident, structured delivery approach.
• Strong understanding of product development processes, including PLM and engineering change workflows.
• Solid knowledge of manufacturing processes such as sheet metal, plastics, machining, and fabrication, plus insight into electrical systems and embedded electronics integration.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence decisions and keep teams aligned.

This NPD Team Leader role supports the company's focus on innovation, continuous improvement, and delivering safe, compliant products that meet quality and commercial objectives. From shaping product architecture decisions and coordinating proto@types through validation and field trials, the impact is tangible and aligned to long-term business success.

Location:

Head Office Wigan, with occasional UK and overseas travel as required.