Product Designer

Planet Group; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Planet Group in Milwaukee seeks a Product Development Project Manager to guide planning, development, and implementation of new product initiatives within SIC. You’ll collaborate with Engineering, Manufacturing, Marketing, Sourcing, and Quality to deliver on time and within budget.

The role requires strong communication, risk management, and hands-on experience with Agile practices and stage-gate processes. A PMP or equivalent certification is preferred, with travel up to 25%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in engineering or related field.
• Approximately 8 years of related professional experience in engineering-focused product development.
• Project management certificate or PMP certification is preferred.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available now or in the future.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

Responsibilities

• Lead project planning and execution for new product development initiatives, including resource coordination, budget management, and delivery tracking.
• Manage cross-functional teams responsible for new product design, development, and implementation (Engineering, Manufacturing, Sourcing, Quality).
• Support Agile project management practices and ensure alignment with development processes.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, milestones, deliverables, and budgets to ensure commitments are met.
• Identify, assess, mitigate, and communicate project risks, issues, and dependencies to stakeholders.
• Provide regular project status updates to leadership, highlighting progress and financial performance.

Skills

Project management

Agile methodologies

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

PM certification (PMP)

Tools

Microsoft Project

Smartsheet

Jira

Jira Align

Confluence

Job description

Job Title: Product Development

Location: Milwaukee WI
Contract length: 12-months
Pay: $ 42-47 per hour

The Project Manager will lead the planning, development, and implementation of new product development initiatives within the Sensing, Safety, and Industrial Components (SIC) business. Projects include new product introductions, brand-label products, and co-developed products using an Agile development framework.

This role partners with cross-functional teams across Engineering, Product Marketing, Manufacturing, Sourcing, Quality, and other business functions to deliver projects on time and within budget. Responsibilities include managing project schedules, coordinating resources, monitoring financial performance, mitigating risks, and communicating progress to business and senior leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead project planning and execution for new product development initiatives, including resource coordination, budget management, and delivery tracking.
• Manage cross-functional teams responsible for new product design, development, and implementation, including Engineering, Manufacturing, Sourcing, and Quality.
• Support Agile project management practices and ensure alignment with established development processes.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, milestones, deliverables, and budgets to ensure commitments are met.
• Identify, assess, mitigate, and communicate project risks, issues, and dependencies to stakeholders.
• Apply a working knowledge of software, firmware, mechanical, electrical, and hardware engineering disciplines to support project planning and risk management.
• Provide regular project status updates to business and senior leadership, highlighting progress, risks, financial performance, and delivery expectations.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration, manage stakeholder expectations, and drive alignment toward project objectives.
• Support standardized product development processes, including stage-gate reviews and project governance.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States; employment visa sponsorship is not available now or in the future.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

Preferred Qualifications

• Approximately 8 years of related professional experience.
• Experience managing projects in an engineering-focused product development environment.
• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline or equivalent practical experience.
• Project management certificate or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Experience with Agile methodologies; Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification or similar credentials are beneficial.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to facilitate collaboration and manage stakeholder relationships.
• Experience with project management tools such as Microsoft Project and Smartsheet.
• Experience with Atlassian tools, including Jira, Jira Align, and Confluence.
• Knowledge of standardized product development processes, including stage-gate methodologies.
• Demonstrated project management experience involving mechanical, electrical, and firmware engineering disciplines.