Engineering Program Manager, NPD

turtlebox; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Complimentary lunch

12 annual holidays plus PTO

Comprehensive health benefits & 401k

Awesome discounts

Job summary

Turtlebox Audio is seeking a Project Manager to own the program schedule, budget, and risk across NPD programs. You’ll coordinate Engineering, ID, Quality, Supply Chain, and Product to keep the program visible and on track. You will run weekly cross-functional cadences, surface blockers early, and push for clear decisions.

Travel up to 10% may be required, and you’ll report to the Product Director. This role demands someone who builds trust, communicates without friction, and helps the team

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline or Business — Engineering, Physics, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in an engineering program management role within a hardware product development environment.
• Demonstrated track record managing complex, cross-functional NPD programs through EVT, DVT, PVT, and production launch.

Responsibilities

• Own the Program — Schedule, Budget, and Risk: manage master project schedules from kickoff to launch and surface impacts.
• Define milestones, dependencies, and critical path with functional leads.
• Track costs against budget and flag variances early.
• Maintain a live risk register and mitigation plans.
• Run the Cross-Functional Rhythm: lead weekly cadence and track open actions.
• Prepare clear status updates for leadership with factual data.
• Drive Gate Reviews with agendas and leadership readouts.
• Be the Communication Hub: ensure information flows to all stakeholders.
• Build and improve the stage-gate process and tracking systems.

Skills

Cross-functional coordination

Stakeholder management

Excellent communication

Organizational skills

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Adaptability

Experience with PM tools

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline or Business

Tools

MS Project

Smartsheet

Jira

Job description

About Turtlebox Audio

The first Turtlebox was born out of necessity. After breaking every “loud” product on the market through routine outdoor use, the idea of the Turtlebox was born in our garage, not as a business but just for personal use. Nothing else could get the job done.

Most portable speakers aren’t actually meant for the outdoors and can’t withstand the elements, the ones that can aren’t loud enough to be heard. When you’re at the beach or on an ATV, you need sound to carry in order to hear it over the wind, waves, and boat engines, you need a Turtlebox.

We soon realized that there was a huge need for the Turtlebox among likeminded adventurers and our journey began to set out to make the world’s loudest most rugged outdoor portable speaker.

Click here for a peek inside our workplace!

Role Overview:

Turtlebox's mission is to engineer the most durable, loudest, and premium sounding speakers on the market. Bringing that to life takes organization, products don't ship unless someone is watching the clock, tracking every open action, and making sure the right people are talking to each other at the right time.

We're looking for a Project Manager who thrives in that role. This position reports to the Product Director. You own the schedule. You run the cross-functional rhythm. You know when something is off track before the team does, and you know how to move people without friction — because you've built enough trust and credibility that when you ask for a status or flag a risk, people respond. You're not here to babysit; you're here to make a high-performing team even more effective by taking the coordination burden off them so they can do the work they're best at.

This is a hub-of-communication role. Every active development program runs through you. Engineering, Industrial Design, Quality, Supply Chain, and Product all count on you to keep the program visible, the blockers surfaced, and the schedule honest.

Key Responsibilities:

Own the Program — Schedule, Budget, and Risk

• Build and maintain master project schedules for all active NPD programs — from kick-off through EVT, DVT, PVT, and launch; keep them current and surface schedule impacts immediately when reality changes
• Define milestones, task dependencies, and critical path items in collaboration with functional leads
• Track program costs against budget — tooling, NRE, third-party testing, and other program spend — and flag variances early
• Maintain a live risk register for every active program — document risks, assess probability and impact, own the mitigation plan, and always be a few steps ahead of the next problem

Run the Cross-Functional Rhythm

• Own the weekly cross-functional project cadence — run efficient meetings, capture decisions and actions, and follow up until they're closed
• Track all open action items across Engineering, ID, Quality, and Supply Chain — know what's on track, what's slipping, and what needs escalation
• Prepare clear, accurate project status updates for leadership — no spin, just the facts on where things stand
• Drive Gate Reviews — build the agenda, prepare the status package, run the session, and give leadership a straight read on where the program stands, what's at risk, and what decisions need to be made

Drive Accountability Without Authority

• Hold every function accountable to their commitments — with persistence, professionalism, and the credibility that comes from knowing the details
• Push the team to produce their best work without adding unnecessary pressure — you know when to apply heat and when to remove a blocker
• Escalate quickly and clearly when something is blocked and can't be resolved at the working level
• Never let a missed task or an unclear owner slide — every action has a name and a date

Be the Communication Hub

• Serve as the connective tissue across Engineering, ID, Quality, Supply Chain, and Product Management on every active program
• Make sure information flows to the people who need it — proactively, not reactively
• Maintain a single source of truth for project status, timelines, decisions, and open items
• Keep stakeholders informed without burying them — good communication is clear, concise, and timely

Build and Improve the Process

• Develop and refine the stage-gate process for NPD programs as the team and product line scale
• Identify recurring bottlenecks and systemic gaps in how programs are run — propose and implement improvements
• Build templates, tools, and tracking systems that give the team visibility without adding administrative burden

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline or Business — Engineering, Physics, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or related field
• 5+ years of experience in an engineering program management role within a hardware product development environment
• Demonstrated track record managing complex, cross-functional NPD programs through EVT, DVT, PVT, and production launch
• Exceptional organizational skills — you manage multiple programs simultaneously without dropping anything
• Natural communicator who can adapt to engineers, designers, factory partners, and executives in the same day
• Comfortable with ambiguity and fast-moving priorities — you create structure where it doesn't exist
• Firm but collaborative — you get people to deliver without burning relationships
• Detail-oriented at the task level, but always tracking the big picture
• Proficient with project management tools — MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, or equivalent

Preferred Experience:

• PMP certification or equivalent formal project management training
• Experience in consumer electronics, audio, or outdoor/ruggedized product development
• Familiarity with hardware development stage-gate processes and build phases (EVT/DVT/PVT)
• Experience coordinating with contract manufacturers or offshore suppliers
• Background managing programs that involve regulatory certification timelines

Work Environment and Physical Requirements:

• This position involves working in a traditional work environment, 5 days a week
• Occasional lifting and carrying of up to 30lbs
• Able and willing to travel 10%, including internationally, for supplier audits and build support

Why Join Turtlebox?:

• Be part of a fast-growing premium outdoor audio brand with strong momentum in wholesale and D2C.
• Coworkers who are as passionate about music and adventure as you are.
• Thrive in an entrepreneurial culture with room for creativity, ownership, and innovation.
• Complimentary lunch every day.
• 12 annual holidays plus Paid Time Off.
• Comprehensive health benefits & 401k matching.
• Awesome discounts to complete your Turtlebox collection!

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