New Product Development Manager

Rain For Rent; Bakersfield (CA); On-site; USD 96,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off (PTO)

Tuition reimbursement

Training and career development

Pet insurance

Military/veteran friendly employer

Job summary

Rain for Rent is seeking a New Product Development Manager in Bakersfield, CA to drive identification, development, and commercialization of new rental products. You will bridge Engineering, Sales, Operations, Procurement, and NPD Engineers to turn market opportunities into profitable rental offerings.

You will lead the stage-gate process, coordinate pilots, validate demand, and support product readiness for fleet introduction while partnering with multiple teams to ensure successful market

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in product management or related fields.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Experience in commercialization or industrial rental operations preferred.

Responsibilities

• Identify and develop new rental product opportunities aligned with market needs and company strategy.
• Lead the stage-gate product development process for new rental fleet products.
• Coordinate pilots, validate demand, and prepare products for fleet introduction.
• Define product requirements with Engineering and support readiness for market launch.
• Develop launch plans, pricing, messaging, and branch readiness.
• Train Sales and Operations on new products and adoption strategies.
• Track KPIs like New Product Revenue, ROR, fleet utilization, and adoption.

Skills

Product management

Product development

Fleet management

Engineering

Commercialization

Industrial rental operations

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, Engineering, or related discipline

Job description

The New Product Development Manager owns the identification, evaluation, development, commercialization, launch, training, and adoption of new rental products during the first 0-24 months of the product lifecycle. The position serves as the bridge between Rental Fleet, Sales, Operations, Procurement, and NPD Engineers to turn market opportunities into profitable rental offerings by supporting successful commercialization of new rental fleet products.

What we do:

At Rain for Rent® , we move water—every day. As the leading provider of temporary liquid handling solutions, we’re recognized for our systems engineering expertise, cost-effective problem solving, and the high value we deliver to organizations facing critical liquid management challenges. Our experienced teams, supported by skilled engineers, are continually redefining what customers expect from a liquid handling provider. We design innovative equipment and harness cutting-edge technology to meet the demands of the toughest environments. From water handling and irrigation to temporary liquid storage, our solutions consistently exceed customer expectations for quality and service. We are committed to completing every project safely, efficiently, on time- and done right the first time.

Rain for Rent employees take great pride in being part of a family-owned company with a rich and enduring legacy. Since 1934, we’ve delivered consistent, high-quality products and services to our customers. With more than 70 locations across the U.S., Canada, and the UK, Rain for Rent® remains committed to excellence. Honesty and integrity are at the core of everything we do. Our dedicated team strives to exceed expectations through exceptional service and unwavering quality. Through the years we have held steadfast by maintaining our values of hard work, honesty, integrity, commitment and good stewardship. Continual diversification and a willingness to change directions with our products and services have driven our success.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Market Opportunity Development

• Identify new rental product opportunities that support market growth, customer needs, and company strategic objectives.
• Build business cases and develop financial forecasts to evaluate new product opportunities.
• Evaluate Return on Rental (ROR), utilization potential, and market rental rates (pricing).
• Prioritize opportunities and maintain a new product portfolio aligned with business objectives.

Product Development and Commercialization

• Lead the product development stage-gate process for new rental fleet products.
• Coordinate pilots, validate customer demand, and prepare products for fleet introduction.
• Partner with Engineering to define product requirements, resolve technical needs, and support product readiness.
• Manage product development activities during the first 0-24 months of the product lifecycle.

Value Engineering and Supplier Development

• Develop supplier partnerships that support new product development, value acquisition, and lifecycle profitability.
• Improve rental product reliability, serviceability, transportability, and standardization.
• Evaluate product design, configuration, and supplier options to optimize long-term fleet performance.

New Product Commercialization Leadership

• Lead the identification, commercialization, and adoption of new rental products.
• Serve as the bridge between Engineering, the field organization, and Rental Fleet Management to convert market opportunities into profitable rental offerings.
• Partner with Engineering, New Product Development Engineers, Sales, Operations, Procurement, Marketing, Product Management, and Rental Fleet Management.

Go-To-Market Leadership

• Develop launch plans, pricing strategies, product positioning, marketing support, and branch readiness plans.
• Coordinate with Sales, Operations, Marketing, and Product Management to ensure a successful market introduction.
• Support communication of product value, target markets, use cases, and rental pricing strategy.

Training and Adoption

• Train Sales and Operations teams on new rental products, applications, value proposition, and operational readiness.
• Drive utilization and adoption of new products across the field organization.
• Monitor product performance, collect customer and field feedback, and recommend improvements.
• Track key performance indicators including New Product Revenue, ROR, Fleet Utilization, Adoption Rate, Vitality Index, and Successful Product Launches.
• Other duties as assigned in support of the operation.

Education and/or Experience

A bachelor’s degree in business, Engineering, or a related discipline is required. A minimum of five (5) years of experience in product management, product development, fleet management, engineering, commercialization, or industrial rental operations is required. A combination of education and experience will be considered.

What we offer

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Matching 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Competitive base salary
• Nine paid holidays and a generous paid time off (PTO) program
• Tuition reimbursement to support continued education
• Company-sponsored training and career development opportunities
• Pet insurance and many other valuable perks

We are proud to support those who have served our country. We are honored to share that Rain for Rent has earned the Military Friendly® Employer Gold (MFE) Gold Designation for 2026! This is our fourth consecutive year being recognized, and our second year achieving Gold-level distinction. We are committed to hiring and supporting veterans. Vets - Rain for Rent®

• Rain for Rent does not accept 3rd party applicants**

Rain for Rent is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and affirmative action employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, veteran status, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and other statuses protected by law.

Estimated rate of pay - $96,000 - $120,000 annually DOE