Role Purpose
The NPD Lead will drive the identification, qualification, and execution of new product development projects for Avocet Materials Group, ensuring that all ARC projects, internal and customer-facing, are delivered on time, on budget, and to defined quality standards.
The NPD Lead will own early-stage customer engagement, feasibility assessment, product definition, and project scoping for new technologies. The role requires strong technical understanding, structured project management, and cross-functional communication across R&D, production, commercial, and quality teams.
Key Responsibilities
1. Project Leadership & Governance
* Lead early-stage NPD projects from concept to formal qualification, ensuring:
* Defined scope, milestones, and success criteria
* Effective cross-functional activity coordination
* Risk identification and mitigation
* Ensure that NPD projects align with ARC objectives for delivery timelines and budget discipline.
* Maintain consistent use of ARC project tools: risk register, milestone plan, budget tracker, and test plan documentation.
2. NPD Pipeline Development & Customer Engagement
* Identify, screen, and prioritise high-value NPD opportunities across existing and new markets.
* Engage proactively with customers to understand application needs, technical pain points, and commercial potential.
* Lead customer discovery activities, technical workshops, and requirement gathering.
* Build business cases and commercial value assessments for high-potential new opportunities.
3. Technical Feasibility & Early Development
* Coordinate feasibility testing (lab trials, design concepts, prototypes).
* Translate customer needs into clear technical specifications for early development stages.
* Evaluate risks, manufacturability, and cost drivers to support go/no-go NPD decisions.
* Prepare NPD project charters and documentation for qualification into Avocet’s product life cycle.
Required Skills & Experience
Technical Skills
* Degree in science, engineering or equivalent.
* Experience with design-for-manufacture (DFM), prototype development, or lab-based feasibility work.
* Strong understanding of metals, polymers, joining technologies, and industrial manufacturing processes. (Preferred)
Project & Commercial Skills
* Demonstrable experience in NPD, R&D project management, and technical customer-facing roles.
* Ability to write structured technical documentation and business cases.
* Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
* Experience prioritising and managing multiple technical projects with tight timelines.
Interpersonal Skills
* Confident communicator with ability to engage technical and commercial stakeholders.
* Able to turn ambiguous customer problems into structured technical requirements.
* Comfortable presenting to customers and senior leadership.
* Collaborative mindset with ability to coordinate cross-functional teams.
Personal Attributes
* Proactive and self-driven, with a strong sense of ownership.
* Comfortable in a fast-paced, innovation-led environment.
* Curious, commercially aware, and passionate about turning ideas into scalable products.
* Structured and precise approach to technical documentation and project execution.
Location
Holmes Chapel, Cheshire (on-site)
Salary
£35,000 – £40,000 per year