Npi Operations Program Manager Jobs in Phoenix, AZ

Position Overview
GTI Energy is seeking an NPI Manager to lead programmatic execution of New Product Introduction initiatives across multiple product lines and customer programs. This role is responsible for driving projects through defined phase gates, coordinating cross-functional deliverables, managing timelines, escalating risks, and ensuring launch readiness from concept through production release.

Unlike a highly technical engineering leadership role, the NPI Manager is a functional execution leader focused on program governance, milestone attainment, business readiness, and cross-functional accountability. This role ensures GTI moves products to market quickly, cleanly, and with operational readiness.

The ideal candidate has strong experience leading product launches, engineering programs, manufacturing transfers, or complex cross-functional initiatives in industrial, manufacturing, OEM, or engineered-to-order environments.

Key Responsibilities

NPI Program Leadership & Phase Gate Ownership

• Lead multiple New Product Introduction programs from concept through pilot build, validation, launch, and production ramp
• Drive projects through structured phase gate milestones with clear deliverables, owners, and due dates
• Maintain overall program plans, timelines, readiness trackers, and critical path schedules
• Ensure cross-functional teams meet commitments required for gate approvals and launch progression
• Facilitate gate review meetings with leadership and stakeholders

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate Engineering, AME, Supply Chain, Quality, Operations, Planning, Finance, and Commercial teams throughout product launch lifecycle
• Drive accountability across teams for drawings, BOMs, tooling, sourcing, capacity, quality plans, and documentation readiness
• Align internal resources to changing priorities in a fast-growth environment

Launch Readiness & Manufacturing Handoff

• Ensure manufacturing readiness for new products including labor plans, routings, tooling status, training, work instructions, and material availability
• Support pilot builds, first articles, validation runs, and production ramp plans
• Confirm readiness of ERP data, BOM structures, inventory setup, and production controls
• Coordinate successful handoff from development teams into sustained operations

Risk Management & Escalation

• Identify launch risks related to schedule, design maturity, suppliers, quality, capacity, or cost
• Build mitigation plans and drive closure with accountable owners
• Escalate unresolved issues quickly with clear recommendations and decision needs
• Maintain risk registers and executive visibility dashboards

Customer & Internal Program Communication

• Provide regular status updates to executive leadership, commercial teams, and internal stakeholders
• Support customer-facing program meetings where required regarding timelines, readiness, and milestones
• Translate technical complexity into concise business updates and decisions
• Maintain strong communication cadence across all functions

Continuous Improvement of NPI Process

• Improve GTI’s phase gate process, launch governance, templates, readiness checklists, and reporting systems
• Standardize launch metrics and lessons learned processes across product lines
• Reduce missed milestones, late engineering changes, poor handoffs, and launch instability
• Drive scalable NPI systems to support hyper-growth product expansion

Metrics & KPI Ownership

• Track and report KPIs including on-time gate completion, launch readiness, engineering release timing, supplier readiness, first pass yield during launch, ramp
• Build executive scorecards for NPI portfolio visibility
• Drive corrective actions when programs fall behind schedule or readiness targets

Leadership & Influence

• Lead through influence across matrixed teams without requiring direct authority over all functions
• Build urgency, ownership, and execution discipline across program stakeholders
• Coach functional teams on launch discipline and accountability expectations
• Serve as a central quarterback for new product execution at GTI

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Business, or related discipline
• 6–10+ years of experience in Program Management, NPI, Product Launch, Operations, Engineering Project Management, or related leadership roles
• Proven experience leading cross-functional product launches or manufacturing transfers
• Strong experience with phase gate processes, milestone planning, and program governance
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects in fast-paced industrial environments
• Strong communication, organization, and executive presence

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in modular manufacturing, data centers, power systems, BESS, fabrication, or engineered-to-order products
• Experience working closely with AME, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain functions
• PMP, Lean Six Sigma, APICS, or related certifications preferred
• ERP / PLM / project management system experience preferred
• Experience in hyper-growth manufacturing environments strongly preferred

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.