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Director of NPI (New Product Introduction)

Job DescriptionJob Description

Job Title

Director of New Product Introduction | Director of NPI | Director of Program Launch

Location Goodyear, AZ or Buffalo, NY

Department Engineering / Operations / Program Management

Employment Type Full-Time

Company Overview
GTI Energy designs, engineers, and manufactures complex modular systems supporting modular data center infrastructure, energy storage, power platforms, defense, and industrial markets. Operating in a high-mix, engineered-to-order environment, GTI delivers steel enclosures, integrated platforms, and mission-critical modular systems. Successful product launches require strong technical leadership, disciplined execution, and cross-functional coordination from concept through production ramp.

Position Overview
GTI Energy is seeking a Director of New Product Introduction (NPI) to lead the end-to-end launch of new products, programs, and customer platforms across the organization. This role is responsible for managing cross-functional execution from customer handoff through design maturity, sourcing readiness, manufacturing readiness, pilot builds, and production launch.

The Director of New Product Introduction will serve as a key customer-facing leader at the program level, ensuring GTI delivers technical credibility, execution confidence, and launch discipline throughout the product lifecycle. This role requires a strong technical background in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or Manufacturing Engineering, combined with leadership experience in complex manufacturing environments.

Key Responsibilities

NPI Strategy & Program Launch Leadership

  • Lead enterprise New Product Introduction (NPI) strategy across multiple concurrent customer programs and product launches
  • Own execution from project award through production ramp, ensuring scope, timing, cost, and quality targets are achieved
  • Establish structured launch plans, phase gates, milestones, and readiness criteria across engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, and quality
  • Drive successful handoff from quoting, commercial, or business development teams into execution

Customer-Facing Program Leadership

  • Serve as the executive-level point of contact for customers during new product launches and major program transitions
  • Lead customer meetings covering schedules, technical risks, readiness status, engineering progress, and launch plans
  • Build trust and confidence with customers through strong communication, accountability, and technical credibility
  • Support escalation management and rapid resolution of customer concerns during launch phases

Cross-Functional Execution

  • Lead cross-functional teams including Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Manufacturing, Operations, and Program Management
  • Ensure engineering deliverables support sourcing, fabrication, assembly, and system integration schedules
  • Coordinate supplier readiness, material availability, tooling, and manufacturing capacity for launches
  • Remove roadblocks and drive alignment across departments to maintain launch timelines

Technical Leadership & Product Readiness

  • Apply engineering judgment to assess technical feasibility, manufacturability, and launch risk
  • Ensure product designs support production scalability, quality, serviceability, and cost targets
  • Review design maturity, BOM readiness, documentation completeness, and change management controls
  • Support resolution of technical issues across electrical, mechanical, structural, and manufacturing disciplines

Manufacturing Readiness & Production Ramp

  • Ensure manufacturing readiness through pilot builds, pre-production runs, validation plans, and operator training
  • Partner with plant leadership to prepare facilities, staffing, tooling, and work instructions for launch
  • Drive First Pass Yield (FPY), throughput, cycle time, takt time, and on-time delivery during ramp phases
  • Lead launch war-room activities during critical production ramp periods

Risk Management & Continuous Improvement

  • Identify program risks early and implement mitigation plans across technical, supply chain, and operational areas
  • Lead structured problem solving using Root Cause Analysis, 5 Whys, Fishbone, and corrective action processes
  • Capture lessons learned from launches and improve future NPI processes
  • Standardize launch governance, metrics, and best practices across the organization

Leadership & Team Development

  • Build and lead a high-performing NPI organization including Program Managers, Engineers, and launch resources
  • Develop talent, establish accountability, and create strong execution discipline
  • Coach teams on customer communication, technical ownership, and cross-functional leadership
  • Support hiring and organizational design as GTI scales

Performance Metrics & Reporting

  • Own launch KPIs including on-time launch, milestone adherence, FPY, cycle time, takt time, cost performance, and customer satisfaction
  • Provide executive-level updates on launch health, risks, timelines, and resource needs
  • Drive visibility and accountability across active NPI programs

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related technical discipline
  • 10–15+ years of experience in New Product Introduction, Program Management, Engineering, or Operations leadership roles
  • Experience leading complex product launches in industrial manufacturing, contract manufacturing, modular systems, or engineered-to-order environments
  • Strong customer-facing experience at the program or executive level
  • Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams through high-pressure launch environments
  • Strong understanding of manufacturing readiness, engineering release processes, BOM control, and supply chain readiness
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent launches and competing priorities

Qualifications

  • Experience with modular data centers, BESS, power platforms, or industrial infrastructure products
  • Background in fabrication, welding, assembly, electrical integration, or system-level manufacturing
  • Experience with ERP / PLM systems such as NetSuite or similar platforms
  • PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or related certification
  • Experience scaling NPI organizations in high-growth manufacturing environments