New Product Development Manager

We're Watts. Together, we're reimagining the future of water.

We feel proud every day about what we do. We're all part of the same crucial mission, no matter what function we support -- it's to provide safe, clean water for the world, and to protect our planet's most valuable resource.

What we do:

For 150 years, Watts has built best-in-class products that are trusted bycustomers in residential and commercial settings across the world.We areat theforefront of innovation, working with cutting-edge technology to provide smart andconnected, sustainable water solutions for the future. Watts is a leading brand with aquality reputation - and we have a dynamic future ahead.

Scope of Position

The NPD Manager leads all new product development and introductory activities for water quality conditioning and filtration solutions. This role is responsible for driving crossfunctional execution of the product roadmap, ensuring new products are effectively developed, validated, and launched.

Working closely with Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, Operations, Quality, Manufacturing, and Sales, the NPD Manager establishes disciplined NPD processes, aligns stakeholders, and ensures timelines, manufacturability, and customer requirements are met. The role combines strategic oversight with handson leadership to deliver successful product launches that support business objectives.

This position is responsible for supervision of New Product Development Engineers.

This position reports to the Director of Research and Development and is an onsite role based in Fort Worth, Texas.

Primary Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the New Product Development team in all aspects of new product introduction to deliver against the product roadmap.
• Establish and maintain a phased NPD process with defined deliverables from internal stakeholders, including performance metrics across functions.
• Develop and maintain tools to track and communicate all aspects of product and productintroduction changes, accounting for evolving configurations and customer requirements.
• Facilitates regular production meetings to coordinate interactions, communicate status, capture and ensure schedule commitments are met and barriers for action and elevation are identified.
• Maintain rolling action item lists focused on barrier removal, accountability, and process efficiency.
• Collaborate across crossfunctional teams-including Production, Quality, Manufacturing, Engineering, Sales, and Product Management-to drive product changes.
• Develops and maintains performance metrics/dashboard that drives milestone fidelity and highlights key phase gate deliverables.
• Sets and enforces documentation standards for the new product development team.
• Drives decision-making and sets team priorities to ensure new product introductions align with business needs.
• Ensures alignment of all functions to the change activities keeping critical timelines to drive success.
• Serves a critical role within a broader program management team, with cross-functional team members aimed at meeting customer requirements.
• Develop and drive multi-functional site level management teams to assist in resolving product issues in concert with the program management teams.
• Assess and drive the manufacturability needs for all changes being introduced
• Contribute hands on to the development and testing of new products.
• Assume responsibility for other projects and duties as assigned by Director of Research and Development or Company management.
• Responsibility directly tied to Watts Value (Integrity, Accountability, Continuous Improvement, Transparency).
• Travel Requirements: 20%

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in an engineering field from an accredited university
• 7+ years' experience in new product development
• Experience and working knowledge of water treatment systems
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Understanding of and adherence to applicable laws, codes, policies, regulations, and safety practices and procedures, as applicable.
• Must successfully establish employment eligibility and satisfactorily complete background checks and required pre-employment testing as a condition of employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong team facilitation and leadership skills to drive effective decision-making and execution of action plans.
• Ability to tactfully assign task accountability and recognize accomplishments on behalf of WAS leadership.
• Ability to create processes for tracking, prioritizing and forecasting new product development process status.
• Strong communications toolset that allows for simplifying complex issues and interactions.
• Able to identify and prioritize needed actions to elevate barriers of various nature (technical, administrative, resource requirements):
• Able to team effectively with site leadership, factory personnel, Engineering and other functions with high degree of performance credibility.
• Strong bias for speed, intelligent risk-taking, and fast learner
• Justifies resource requirements with appropriate financial analysis and business rationale
• Laboratory management skills
• Understanding of lean principles and constraint theory for managing processes
• Knowledge of sales, inventory, and operations planning methods, service part planning/optimization tools, MRP and ERP systems preferred.
• Proven leadership success with strong written and oral communication skills. Experience motivating teams in the face of exceptional challenges.

General Applicable Company Competencies

• Commitment to Watts' values of integrity, accountability, continuous improvement and innovation, and transparency.
• Punctuality and dependability.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing work priorities and stressful conditions.
• Adherence to all personnel policies, procedures, and standards of process as implemented by Watts.
• Maintain productive and collaborative relationships with other Watts employees.
• Adherence to Watts' seven cultural beliefs: Growth Mindset, Customer-Focused Innovation, Constant Communication, Clear Goals, Collaborate Globally, Be Inclusive, and Take Action.

Working Conditions:

While performing the job duties, you will be working on-site at a manufacturing facility and will perform the majority of your duties in an office environment. You may, at times, be required to be present on the manufacturing floor and will be required to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment. You will be required to work in the office at the Fort Worth, Texas location (Monday - Friday). Your scheduled work hours will be communicated to you by your manager.

Physical Requirements: Specific physical abilities required for this position include, but are not limited to:

• Ability to remain seated at a desk or workstation for extended periods.
• Ability to perform repetitive tasks like typing on a keyboard or using a mouse for extended periods.
• Ability to physically move around the office, organize or transport files, packages, or other office-related materials.
• Ability to read documents, use a computer, and perform data entry tasks.
• Ability to communicate clearly with management and coworkers, particularly in meetings or phone calls.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment such as computers, printers, phones, and copiers.
• Ability to occasionally lift and carry light objects, such as office supplies, documents, or small equipment.

Nothing in this job description restricts Watts' right to assign or reassign duties, responsibilities, and working hours/conditions to this position at any time. This position is "at will," which means that either the employee or Watts may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, and for any lawful reason.

#LIOnsite

Watts in it for you:

Please note that the following benefits apply only to permanent roles and do not apply to internship roles.

• Competitive compensation based on your skills, qualifications and experience
• Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits
• Family building benefits, including paid maternity/paternity leave
• 10 paid holidays and Paid Time Off
• Continued professional development opportunities and educational reimbursement
• Additional perks such as fitness reimbursements and employee discount programs
• Learn more about our benefit offerings here: https://tapintowattsbenefits.com/

How we work:

At Watts, our culture is team-oriented and supportive. Employees here genuinely care about the quality of their work, and about each other. Our people are the heart of who we are and contribute to our longevity and continued success.

And this is a place where you can have a big career. No matter your role, there are opportunities for learning and development, and your daily contributions make a meaningful impact on the lives of people who use our products and on the future of water.

Watts is committed to equal employment opportunity. We follow a policy of administering all employment decisions and personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, national origin, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic disposition or carrier status, marital status, military or veteran status, minorities, or any other category protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Consistent with the obligations of state and federal law, Watts will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Any employee who needs a reasonable accommodation should contact Human Resources.