Manager, Product Development - Home Appliances
Newell Brands · Huntersville
Job ID: 19008
Alternate Locations:
Newell Brands is a leading consumer products company with a portfolio of iconic brands like Graco®, Coleman®, Oster®, Rubbermaid®, Sharpie® and Yankee Candle® - and 24,000 talented teammates around the world. Our culture is built on values in action: Integrity, Teamwork, Passion for Winning, Ownership, and Leadership. We work together to win, grow, and make a real impact—supported by a high-performing, inclusive, and collaborative environment where you can be your best, every day.
Job Summary:
The Leader, Product Development will take small household appliances from concept to production launch — solving real engineering problems fast, then proving them out with the rigor Newell’s Product Development Process demands. You’ll partner closely with Program Management, Marketing, Industrial Design, Manufacturing, Regulatory, Quality and Supply Chain, mentor one to two junior engineers or co-ops on your project team, and increasingly lean on AI-enabled design and engineering tools to accelerate the pace of innovation without cutting corners on quality.
This position will include the following activities:
- • Own the engineering efforts on NPD projects from concept through production launch, following Newell’s Product Development Process.
- • Ensure every appliance meets or exceeds expectations for cost, technical execution and product performance.
- • Apply technical expertise, root cause analysis and sound judgment to solve complex problems and develop innovative, real-world solutions.
- • Mentor and help develop one to two junior engineers or co-ops, providing technical guidance and day to day coaching as they build their own capability.
- • Work independently while thriving in a collaborative team — take ownership of your deliverables, plan ahead and help the team push past obstacles, fast.
- • Some travel and occasional meetings outside standard business hours.
Job Responsibilities:
- • Develop innovative products that meet customer expectations, financial targets and industry and government compliance standards.
- • Lead multiple NPD projects through Newell’s Stage/Gate process — define timelines, hit milestones and deliver on time, to cost and to quality specification.
- • Translate consumer needs and product usage insights into clear technical specifications.
- • Generate Engineering Product Specifications and lead development of DFMEA documents, DVP&R and Quality Specification.
- • Build test plans and partner with internal and external labs to validate designs against goals.
- • Draft and review ECNs, lead design and technical reviews, and review CAD and drawings with crossfunctional teams.
- • Generate basic CAD — increasingly using AI-assisted design tools — to build rough working prototypes and move quickly from idea to evaluation.
- • Conduct IP searches and partner with legal on IP clearance and patent filing.
- • Review manufacturing trial results, testing data and PPAP documentation; lead design, tooling or process changes based on findings.
- • Benchmark competitive products and identify design opportunities.
- • Partner cross-functionally to assess designs for safety, manufacturability and reliability, and drive product or process improvements — from quick fixes to large-scale cost reductions.
- • Apply materials and manufacturing process knowledge — including injection molding — to guide design and material decisions.
- • Provide input into project / departmental budgets and cost tracking, building early fluency in the financial trade-offs behind product decisions.
- • Guide the day-to-day technical development of one to two junior engineers or co-ops — reviewing their work, unblocking problems, and helping them grow.
- • Partner with the department Manager/Snr Manager to plan resources and activities to drive the future growth of the business.
Qualifications:
- • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Mechanical/Plastics/Mechatronics Engineering or related field.
- • 6-10 years of product development experience, including some experience informally guiding or mentoring other engineers.
- • Strong interpersonal and program management skills, with the ability to guide projects through Newell’s NPD Gate process.
- • Comfort taking early ownership of team-level outcomes — able to guide your own work and a junior engineer’s at the same time without dropping either.
- • Strong problem-solving, organizational and risk-management skills — comfortable planning, prioritizing and multi-tasking across concurrent projects.
- • Hands-on prototyping, design validation and testing experience.
- • Working competency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks or Creo preferred), including creation & review of 3D models.
- • Working knowledge of — or ability to quickly learn — manufacturing processes used in small household appliances.
- • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the confidence to give direct, constructive feedback.
- • Comfort working with modern engineering software, with openness to AI-assisted design, simulation or prototyping tools.
Preferred Qualifications:
- • Consumer products experience is a plus.
- • Experience with electro-mechanical devices.
- • Prior experience mentoring, training, or informally leading other engineers or interns.
- • Familiarity with AI-assisted or generative design, simulation, or prototyping tools.
Newell Brands (NASDAQ: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Rubbermaid, Sharpie, Graco, Coleman, Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Yankee Candle, Paper Mate, FoodSaver, Dymo, EXPO, Elmer’s, Oster, NUK, Spontex and Campingaz. We are focused on delighting consumers by lighting up everyday moments. Newell Brands and its subsidiaries are Equal Opportunity Employers and comply with applicable employment laws. EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled are encouraged to apply.