New Product Development Manager (Furniture/Mattress)

MVC Resources · Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · 1 month ago

Key Responsibilities:

Lead the end-to-end New Product Development (NPD) process, from concept ideation and feasibility assessment through product launch and commercialization.
Identify new product opportunities based on market trends, consumer needs, customer feedback, and emerging industry developments.
Develop product concepts, specifications, cost targets, and commercialization plans aligned with business objectives.
Evaluate new ideas and product concepts based on commercial viability, technical feasibility, production capability, and profitability.

Manage multiple NPD projects simultaneously, ensuring projects are delivered within agreed timelines, budgets, quality standards, and commercial objectives.
Establish clear project milestones, timelines, deliverables, and responsibilities across all relevant functions.
Coordinate product trials, prototypes, testing, validation, and pre-launch activities to ensure successful commercialization.
Identify potential project risks and develop practical solutions to overcome technical, operational, or commercial challenges.

Work closely with R&D, Production, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing, and Finance teams throughout the product development lifecycle.
Translate customer and market requirements into clear product specifications and development briefs.
Coordinate with suppliers and external partners to source new materials, components, technologies, or solutions required for product development.
Ensure effective communication between technical and commercial teams to facilitate smooth product launches.

Work with Finance, Procurement, and relevant stakeholders to develop accurate product costing and establish commercially viable pricing.
Evaluate product margins, manufacturing costs, material costs, and potential return on investment.
Identify opportunities for cost optimization and value engineering without compromising product quality or customer requirements.
Support commercial teams with product information, value propositions, and technical details during customer presentations and business development activities.

Coordinate product testing, validation, and performance evaluations to ensure products meet required specifications and quality standards.
Work closely with Quality and Production teams to identify and resolve product issues during trials and commercialization.
Ensure new products comply with relevant industry standards, regulatory requirements, and customer specifications where applicable.

Monitor market trends, competitor products, technological developments, and customer preferences to identify opportunities for innovation.
Gather feedback from customers, sales teams, and other stakeholders to continuously improve product offerings.
Conduct competitor benchmarking and market assessments to strengthen product positioning and differentiation.

Develop and execute product launch plans in collaboration with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and other relevant functions.
Ensure all product documentation, specifications, costing, samples, packaging, and commercial materials are ready prior to launch.
Monitor new product performance after launch and identify opportunities for improvement, optimization, or further product development.
Conduct post-launch reviews to assess commercial performance against initial objectives and identify lessons learned.

Establish and continuously improve NPD processes, workflows, documentation, and project management practices.
Develop appropriate KPIs to measure NPD effectiveness, including development lead time, project success rate, launch performance, and commercial contribution.
Drive a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the organization.

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Product Development, Business, Science, Manufacturing, or a related discipline.
Minimum 5–8 years of experience in New Product Development, Product Management, R&D, Project Management, or a related commercial/technical function.
Proven experience managing the end-to-end product development and commercialization process.
Experience within a manufacturing, industrial, consumer products, or B2B environment will be advantageous.
Candidates with experience managing multiple NPD projects and working across technical and commercial functions are highly preferred.

Strong understanding of product development processes, product testing, commercialization, and manufacturing requirements.
Good commercial understanding with the ability to evaluate product costing, margins, pricing, and business viability.
Strong project management capabilities with the ability to manage timelines, budgets, resources, and multiple stakeholders.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a structured approach to evaluating product opportunities.
Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint; familiarity with ERP, PLM, or project management systems is an advantage.

Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical and commercial teams.
Excellent project coordination and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.
Proactive, commercially minded, and highly results-oriented.
Creative thinker with a strong interest in innovation and identifying new business opportunities.
Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and managing multiple projects with competing priorities.
Strong ownership and accountability, with the ability to drive projects from concept through to successful commercialization.