Sr. Project Leader - New Product Development (NPD)

Job Description:Senior Project Leader – New Product Development EngineeringThe Senior Project Leader is accountable for the successful delivery of high-complexity, high-priority new product development (NPD) programs for outdoor power equipment (OPE). This role sets project direction, aligns senior cross-functional stakeholders, and drives execution through ambiguity while maintaining ownership of product performance, cost, quality, schedule, and risk. The Senior Project Leader anticipates organizational and technical barriers, creates decision-ready paths forward, and coaches others in disciplined project leadership.Key Job Functions & ResponsibilitiesPortfolio-Level Project StrategyLeads high-complexity programs with broad technical scope, significant investment, aggressive timing, or elevated business risk.Owns project scope convergence and ensures product strategy, user needs, CTQs, business case, and execution plan remain aligned.Influences senior stakeholders to resolve complex trade-offs and secure timely decisions, resources, and priorities.Anticipates how project decisions affect adjacent products, platforms, suppliers, operations, and future business needs.Execution, Risk & Decision LeadershipEstablishes an operating rhythm that aligns resources, functions, and global teams around critical outcomes.Anticipates risks before they affect the critical path and drives robust mitigation, contingency, and recovery plans.Leads teams through uncertainty and changing priorities while sustaining momentum and accountability.Escalates candidly with clear facts, business impact, options, recommendation, and required decision.Independently drives milestone and metric success across multiple projects or a major strategic program.Business, Quality & Launch AccountabilityOwns closure of gaps to product cost, tooling, capital, margin, performance, quality, compliance, supplier readiness, and launch targets.Guides investment and risk decisions using technical evidence, user impact, financial analysis, and schedule implications.Ensures manufacturing and supplier strategies are capable, scalable, and aligned to quality and volume requirements.Sponsors complex root-cause, recovery, and corrective-action efforts when major issues threaten the program.Organizational Leadership & CoachingBuilds senior-level alignment across business units, functions, and global organizations.Simplifies complex technical and business topics for executive audiences without hiding risk or overstating confidence.Coaches Project Engineers and Project Leaders in scope convergence, planning, risk, escalation, and executive communication.Strengthens project leadership processes, standards, tools, and organizational learning.Required QualificationsBachelor of Science in an engineering discipline or a closely related technical field.Minimum 8 years, preferred 10 years of relevant engineering, product development, manufacturing, or technical project leadership experience.Demonstrated success leading high-complexity or high-priority products through global development and launch.Advanced ability to lead cross-functional teams, influence senior leaders, resolve complex trade-offs, and maintain accountability.Strong business acumen, including product cost, investment, margin, risk, and portfolio implications.Strong technical judgment across design, validation, manufacturing, quality, compliance, and supplier development.Preferred QualificationsExperience with outdoor power equipment, power tools, consumer products, battery systems, or complex electromechanical platforms.Experience leading multi-product platforms, major supplier transitions, or programs with significant tooling and capital investment.Formal project management, systems engineering, Six Sigma, or related training.Demonstrated experience developing project leadership capability in others.TravelUp to 15% travel (international and domestic).SummaryLocation: Anderson, SCType: Full time