Senior Program Manager, NPI

Jobtailor; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Vantedge in San Jose seeks an experienced NPI Program Manager to lead complex, multi-site programs from quote through production stabilization. You will coordinate design reviews, DFM discussions, and cross-functional teams across engineering, quality, planning and operations to ensure on-time delivery and budget adherence.

You will own program plans, manage risks, report to executives, and act as the primary customer liaison for high-impact initiatives, shaping the company’s NPI processes and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, or a closely related technical field.
• Minimum 7 years of program or project management experience in a precision manufacturing environment, with at least 4 years managing complex NPI programs.
• Demonstrated ability to manage large-scale, multi-site, or multi-discipline programs with cross-functional teams across geographically distributed operations.
• Proven ability to develop and execute detailed program plans; skilled in critical path management, risk identification, and stakeholder communication.
• Strong financial acumen – experience with program budgets, cost modeling, ROI analysis, and capital expenditure justification.
• Excellent executive communication skills – able to present program status, risk, and decisions clearly to executive level and customer stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of GD&T and DFM principles for precision manufactured components.
• Proficiency in project management tools (Smartsheet, MS Project, or equivalent) and Microsoft Office Suite

Responsibilities

• Lead complex, multi-site NPI programs end-to-end.
• Own program execution from initial quote and customer engagement through design, qualification, and full production stabilization.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive program plans including schedules, milestones, resources, and budgets.
• Hold cross-functional teams accountable for timely execution and drive decisions to keep programs on track.
• Serve as the senior customer interface for high-impact programs.
• Represent the company in customer design reviews, DFM discussions, quoting presentations, and escalations requiring senior-level judgment.
• Provide proactive, clear communication on program status, risks, and decisions to prevent surprises.
• Drive risk management, financial oversight, and executive reporting.
• Proactively identify, assess, and manage program risks; develop mitigation plans.
• Coordinate DFM analysis, quoting support, financial projections, ROI analysis, and capex justification.
• Provide program reporting to VP of Engineering, executive leadership, and customer stakeholders.
• Contribute to PM process standards and tools development across sites.

Skills

NPI Program Management

Cross-Functional Leadership

Financial Acumen

Risk Management

GD&T and DFM Principles

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

Smartsheet

MS Project

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

• Lead complex, multi-site NPI programs end-to-end
• Own program execution from initial quote and customer engagement through design, qualification, and full production stabilization – spanning multiple Vantedge manufacturing sites and disciplines
• Develop and maintain comprehensive program plans including schedules, critical paths, milestone gates, resource requirements, and budgets – with clear accountability across all contributing sites and functions
• Hold cross-functional teams – including Site Engineering Managers, Quality, Planning, and Operations – accountable for timely execution; remove roadblocks and drive decisions to keep programs on track
• Serve as the senior customer interface for high-impact programs
• Serve as the primary customer point of contact for assigned programs – owning communication, alignment, and relationship management at the program level
• Represent Vantedge in customer design reviews, DFM discussions, quoting presentations, and program escalations requiring senior‑level technical and commercial judgment
• Ensure proactive, clear communication to customers and internal stakeholders on program status, risks, and decisions; prevent surprises through early identification and escalation
• Drive risk management, financial oversight, and executive reporting
• Proactively identify, assess, and manage program risks; develop mitigation plans and engage stakeholders well ahead of issues impacting schedule, cost, or customer commitments
• Coordinate DFM analysis, quoting support, financial projections, ROI analysis, and capital expenditure justification for major programs; ensure financial targets are understood and tracked through program execution
• Provide clear and concise program reporting to all levels including the VP of Engineering, executive leadership, and customer stakeholders; operate effectively across multiple concurrent programs in a dynamic, matrixed environment
• Contribute to PM process standards and team development
• Partner with the Director of PM, NPI to develop and continuously improve program management tools, templates, reporting standards, and NPI process documentation across the corporate and site PM organizations
• Provide guidance and mentorship to site‑level project managers and NPI resources; model PM best practices and foster a consistent program execution culture across the network

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, or a closely related technical field
• Minimum 7 years of program or project management experience in a precision manufacturing environment, with at least 4 years managing complex NPI programs
• Demonstrated ability to manage large‑scale, multi‑site, or multi‑discipline programs with cross‑functional teams across geographically distributed operations
• Proven ability to develop and execute detailed program plans; skilled in critical path management, risk identification, and stakeholder communication
• Strong financial acumen – experience with program budgets, cost modeling, ROI analysis, and capital expenditure justification
• Excellent executive communication skills – able to present program status, risk, and decisions clearly to executive level and customer stakeholders
• Working knowledge of GD&T and DFM principles for precision manufactured components
• Proficiency in project management tools (Smartsheet, MS Project, or equivalent) and Microsoft Office Suite

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in leading complex NPI programs, managing cross‑functional teams, and executing detailed program plans while ensuring financial oversight and effective communication with stakeholders. Proficient in risk management and program reporting within a precision manufacturing environment.

Highest‑signal resume keywords

• NPI Program Management
• Cross‑Functional Team Leadership
• Financial Acumen
• Risk Management
• GD&T and DFM Principles

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Program Management
• Critical Path Management
• Stakeholder Communication
• Cost Modeling
• ROI Analysis
• Capital Expenditure Justification
• Program Planning
• Multi‑Site Coordination
• Project Management
• Manufacturing Technology

Soft Skills

• Executive Communication
• Relationship Management
• Mentorship
• Problem Solving
• Decision Making

Industry Keywords

• Precision Manufacturing
• NPI Process
• Program Execution
• Design Reviews
• Customer Engagement

Tools & Technologies

• Smartsheet
• MS Project
• Microsoft Office Suite