Senior Manager, New Product Development (R&D)

New Product & Portfolio Development

Lead development and launch of strategically positioned new products that expand and enhance PBE’s portfolio.

Identify opportunities for product enhancement through claims development, demos, and consumer-relevant performance improvements.

Ensure products are designed for scalability, manufacturability, and margin optimization.

Consumer & Market-Driven Innovation

Partner with Marketing to integrate consumer insights into product design and value propositions.

Translate consumer needs, competitive dynamics, and market trends into actionable product requirements.

Support development of differentiated technical and marketing claims that drive purchase intent.

Techical & Operational Execution

Own and execute the New Product Development roadmap, aligned with corporate growth objectives.

Oversee NPD projects through stage-gate or equivalent development processes.

• Lead development of new test methods, demos, and validation tools to support claims and product differentiation.
• Collaborate with Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure smooth commercialization.

Cross-Functional Leadership

Serve as a core R&D partner to Marketing, Sales, and Operations for new product initiatives.

Communicate complex technical concepts in clear, business-relevant terms.

Influence senior stakeholders through data-driven recommendations and strong execution credibility.

Contribute to talent development and capability building within R&D.

Support budget planning and resource allocation for NPD initiatives.

Qualifications

• Must be open to working in-person at our Dunbridge, Ohio location.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Product Development, Materials Science, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in R&D, product development, or innovation.
• Demonstrated success launching new products from concept through commercialization.
• Strong consumer and market orientation with proven ability to lead cross-functional teams in ambiguous environments.
• Builder mindset with comfort creating new capabilities from scratch.
• Strong execution discipline paired with strategic thinking and high learning agility.
• Clear communication and stakeholder influence skills across technical and non-technical audiences.

Pay

Negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Schedule

Full-time position.

Benefits

• Excellent health benefits including free access to onsite and local health clinics, paid personal and vacation time, an annual profit-sharing bonus, a 401k plan with company match, company-paid disability and life insurance, and more.

Company Culture

We foster a supportive environment where safety, quality, teamwork, and continuous improvement come first.