Project Leader, New Product Introduction (NPI)

Kitchener, Ontario | Hybrid – 4 Days Onsite / 1 Day Remote | Contract for 12 months

Salary Range: $91,200 – $114,000 CAD

At Sonova, we create innovative hearing care solutions that help people enjoy the delight of hearing. We are looking for an experienced Project Leader, New Product Introduction (NPI) to join our Manufacturing Engineering team in Kitchener.

In this role, you will lead the transfer and introduction of new products from R&D into manufacturing and mass production. You will work across Manufacturing Engineering, R&D, Quality, Marketing, Supply Chain and other technical teams to ensure products and manufacturing processes are ready for successful launch.

This is a highly cross-functional position for someone who knows how to lead through influence, drive accountability, manage project deliverables and move complex manufacturing projects forward.

Responsibilities

• Lead New Product Introduction (NPI) and design-transfer activities from R&D into manufacturing.

• Coordinate the transfer of components, subassemblies and finished products into Sonova manufacturing sites.

• Drive manufacturing readiness, including cost, quality, delivery readiness and production yield.

• Lead project planning activities with Manufacturing Engineering teams, including timelines, deliverables and resource requirements.

• Partner closely with R&D, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Marketing, Supply Chain and technical subject-matter experts.

• Ensure manufacturing requirements are considered early in the product-development process.

• Identify manufacturing and testing technologies or processes needed to successfully scale products into mass production.

• Coordinate manufacturing equipment, processes and supporting documentation required for product launches.

• Facilitate project meetings, establish clear action items and hold cross-functional partners accountable for deliverables.

• Provide project reporting and communicate project status, risks, priorities and required actions to key stakeholders.

• Support scaling, relocation and manufacturing-transfer activities as required.

• Lead or coordinate post-launch manufacturing improvement activities.

• Support product and process changes throughout the product lifecycle after market introduction.

• Participate in reliability-related activities and manufacturing issue resolution.

• Support root-cause analysis, corrective actions, CAPA, change requests and Product Change Notifications (PCNs).

• Coordinate first-article inspections and other verification activities associated with manufacturing changes.

• Maintain accurate project and manufacturing documentation.

Qualifications

What You’ll Need

• Bachelor’s degree, diploma or equivalent education in Engineering, preferably Electronics, Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering or a related technical discipline.

• 4+ years of relevant experience in New Product Introduction, Manufacturing Engineering, product industrialization, manufacturing transfer or launching new products into production.

• Experience working with R&D and manufacturing teams to transition products from development into mass production.

• Strong project-management skills with demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams.

• Ability to lead through influence rather than direct authority and drive teams toward deadlines and deliverables.

• Experience facilitating meetings, managing action items and keeping multiple stakeholders accountable.

• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and product-development environments.

• Strong problem-solving, analytical and root-cause-analysis skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines and complex project dependencies.

• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Teams.

• Strong English communication skills, both written and verbal.

Nice to Have

• Experience with Microsoft Project or similar project-management tools.

• Experience with SAP or another ERP system.

• Experience within electronics manufacturing, electromechanical products or mechanical design.

• Medical device or other regulated-industry experience.

• Experience with CAPA, change management and formal product-change processes.

• Experience working with embedded software or product test processes.

• Master's degree in Engineering or a related field.

• Project Management, Lean Six Sigma or other relevant certifications.

• Knowledge of manufacturing logistics and supply-chain considerations.

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role

The ideal candidate is comfortable stepping into an established environment and quickly taking ownership. You should be able to bring different functions together, run productive meetings, identify risks before they become problems and ensure commitments turn into completed deliverables.

This role requires someone who is organized, proactive, quality-focused and comfortable influencing teams across multiple functions while keeping projects moving toward successful manufacturing launch.

Work Arrangement: Hybrid – approximately 4 days onsite in Kitchener and 1 day remote per week.

Employment Type: Contract position.