firstPRO is seeking an experienced Project Management and Product Launch Specialist to join our client’s dynamic team in the Princeton, NJ Area. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in product development and project management, with a proven track record of managing complex projects across multiple sites. This role requires end-to-end product launch experience and proficiency in various project management tools. This is a contract to possible hire opportunity and has a hybrid work model.

Responsibilities:

• Provide tactical leadership to New Product Development teams.
• Ensure project goals are met with a proactive, positive, and assertive leadership style.
• Advocate for a cross-functional team approach to rapid product development.
• Apply concurrent engineering principles, manage risks, and prepare contingency plans.
• Work with functional managers to form and coordinate a multi-disciplinary, cross-functional project team (Engineering, Marketing, Operations, Quality, Purchasing, Customer Service, Contract Manufacturers, etc.).
• Ensure appropriate resources are committed to guarantee project success.
• Identify and manage all cross-functional deliverables for new product development and introduction.
• Lead core team members and manage extended resources, including outsourced support.
• Maintain effective communication with team members, sponsors, Management Staff, and functional managers.
• Conduct regular updates, milestone reviews, meetings, and conference calls.
• Forecast, plan, and control internal and external resources to achieve project objectives.
• Manage project metrics such as Schedule, Budget, Product Performance, and Product Cost.
• Apply organizational tools for project management and execution across multiple functions.
• Keep accurate records and conduct activities in a fair, moral, ethical, and legal manner.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field.
• 4-5 years of experience in product development and project leadership.
• Familiarity with aspects of new product development including engineering, marketing, finance, manufacturing, quality function deployment.
• Skill in project management and proficiency with project management software.
• Proven ability to manage end-to-end product launches.
• Strong proficiency in PowerPoint, Excel, and MS Project.
• Experience in standardizing project processes and methodologies.
• Flexibility to accommodate global project schedules, including calls off-hours.
• Preferred experience in Consumer-Packaged Goods.