Technical Project Manager - Manufacturing and Product Development

Hans Metal; Kanpur, Delhi; On-site; INR 2,500,000 - 4,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Hidemen Group is seeking a hands-on Technical Project Manager for Manufacturing & Product Development, based in New Delhi. You will own and drive multiple concurrent projects from concept through production, coordinating engineering, suppliers, tooling partners, and QA to ensure on-time delivery.

The role emphasizes end-to-end project execution, risk management, and clear milestone tracking, with regular factory visits across India to accelerate development and production readiness.

Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing project management or NPD.
• Experience coordinating multiple projects and suppliers.
• Hands-on familiarity with metal components and tooling.
• Willingness to travel across India.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple manufacturing and NPD projects from concept to production.
• Develop detailed project plans with milestones and dependencies.
• Coordinate internal and external stakeholders across functions.
• Identify risks, bottlenecks, and mitigation actions.
• Ensure smooth transition from prototype to commercial production.

Skills

Project management

English proficiency

Hindi proficiency

Stakeholder coordination

Problem solving

Tools

Excel/Google Sheets

PLM/ERP systems

Job description

About the Role

Hidemen Group is looking for a hands‑on Technical Project Manager Manufacturing & Product Development to lead manufacturing and new‑product‑development projects from initial concept through successful production and delivery.

We manufacture and source premium metal hardware and leather products for customers in the U.S. and other international markets. Our product portfolio includes stainless‑steel, solid‑brass, and other metal components used in leather goods, equestrian/tack products, architectural applications, and custom manufacturing.

This is primarily a project management and execution role, not a purchasing position.

The successful candidate will take ownership of multiple product‑development and manufacturing projects, establish clear timelines and milestones, coordinate internal and external stakeholders, identify risks and bottlenecks, and ensure projects move from concept to commercial production on schedule.

You will act as the central project owner, ensuring that engineering, suppliers, tooling partners, manufacturing facilities, quality teams, procurement, and management remain aligned throughout the project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Project Management & Execution

• Manage multiple manufacturing and new‑product‑development projects simultaneously from concept through production and delivery.
• Develop detailed project plans with clear milestones, timelines, dependencies, responsibilities, and target completion dates.
• Own and drive the complete product‑development lifecycle:

Concept Technical Drawing Prototype Tooling/Mold Sample Testing/Approval Production Quality Control Delivery

• Conduct regular project reviews and follow up with all stakeholders to ensure agreed actions are completed on time.
• Maintain project trackers and dashboards showing project status, milestones, pending actions, owners, deadlines, risks, and delays.
• Identify potential delays, technical issues, capacity constraints, and other project risks before they affect the final delivery date.
• Develop recovery plans and corrective actions when projects fall behind schedule.
• Escalate critical issues with clear recommendations and proposed solutions.
• Manage project priorities and resources across multiple concurrent developments.

Product Development & Manufacturing Coordination

• Coordinate development of stainless‑steel, brass, and other metal hardware, including buckles, rings, snaps, hooks, fittings, custom components, and cast/machined products.
• Work with suppliers and engineering resources on technical drawings, CAD/STEP files, prototypes, samples, molds, tooling, tolerances, finishes, and production requirements.
• Coordinate external CAD/design and engineering resources when new drawings or technical modifications are required.
• Track prototype and sample revisions through final approval.
• Ensure approved specifications are correctly transferred from development into production.
• Coordinate with casting, machining, tooling, polishing, plating, finishing, assembly, and other manufacturing partners as required.
• Support troubleshooting of technical and manufacturing issues during development and production.
• Ensure a smooth and controlled transition from prototype to pilot production to commercial production.

Cross‑Functional & Supplier Management

• Serve as the primary project coordinator between management, product development, engineering, procurement, quality, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.
• Establish clear responsibilities and deadlines for each stakeholder.
• Conduct structured follow‑ups with suppliers, engineers, tooling/mold makers, factories, finishing facilities, and internal teams.
• Hold stakeholders accountable for committed timelines and deliverables.
• Work closely with the Procurement Manager while maintaining a clear distinction between project ownership and purchasing responsibilities.
• Visit suppliers and manufacturing facilities across India to review project progress, resolve issues, and accelerate development when necessary.

Process Improvement

• Develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) for new‑product development and manufacturing project management.
• Establish standardized project trackers, development checklists, milestone reviews, and reporting systems.
• Analyze project delays and identify recurring bottlenecks and root causes.
• Continuously improve processes to reduce development lead times, tooling delays, sample iterations, and production delays.
• Help establish stronger project‑management discipline and accountability across suppliers and internal teams.
• Create lessons‑learned documentation to improve future product‑development projects.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who combines strong project‑management discipline with practical manufacturing knowledge.

The ideal candidate should be comfortable managing timelines and project dashboards while also being willing to visit factories, review samples, discuss technical issues, and push suppliers and teams toward resolution.

Preferred Qualifications

• 4–8 years of experience in manufacturing project management, new product development (NPD), engineering project management, industrial product development, or a related role.
• Demonstrated experience managing projects from concept/prototype through production launch.
• Experience managing multiple projects, suppliers, timelines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Experience with metal components, casting, machining, tooling, molds, fabrication, or industrial manufacturing is strongly preferred.
• Working understanding of engineering drawings, CAD/STEP files, dimensions, tolerances, prototypes, samples, tooling, and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to create and manage project plans, timelines, milestone trackers, action registers, and status reports.
• Strong ability to identify project risks, bottlenecks, and dependencies.
• Excellent follow‑up, coordination, negotiation, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to independently drive projects forward rather than simply report delays.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English and Hindi.
• Strong working knowledge of Excel/Google Sheets and project‑management, PLM, or ERP systems.
• Willingness to travel regularly to suppliers and manufacturing partners across India.

Highly Valuable Manufacturing Experience

Candidates with hands‑on exposure to any of the following will have an advantage:

• Investment casting / lost‑wax casting
• Stainless‑steel and brass components
• CNC machining
• Tooling and mold development
• Die casting / metal forming
• Polishing, buffing, plating, and metal finishing
• Prototype and sample development
• Leather hardware and accessories
• Supplier manufacturing processes
• Quality control and production troubleshooting

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Success in this position will be measured primarily on project execution and delivery, including:

• Percentage of projects achieving agreed milestones on time
• On‑time completion of new‑product‑development projects
• Reduction in overall product‑development lead time
• Reduction in overdue projects and delayed milestones
• Faster prototype, tooling, and sample‑development cycles
• Accuracy and timeliness of project‑status reporting
• Early identification and resolution of project risks
• Improved supplier and stakeholder accountability
• Successful transition from prototype to commercial production
• Reduction in repeated development and production issues
• Improvement in overall on‑time delivery

Location: New Delhi

The position will be based in New Delhi and will coordinate manufacturing and product‑development activities with our internal teams and supplier network across India.

Regular travel to manufacturing facilities and supplier locations will be an important part of the role. The selected candidate should be comfortable visiting suppliers, tooling partners, engineering resources, and production facilities whenever required to keep projects on schedule.

Candidates based in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Faridabad, or the wider Delhi NCR region are encouraged to apply.

Ideal Candidate

This role is best suited for someone who thinks like a project owner rather than a coordinator.

You should be the person asking:

What is the next milestone? Who owns it? When will it be completed? What could delay it? What needs to happen today to keep the project on schedule?

If you have experience managing complex manufacturing projects, coordinating multiple suppliers and technical teams, and taking products from an idea or drawing through successful production, we would like to hear from you.