Manager, Program (R&D)

Position Overview

The incumbent will lead and drive cross-functional R&D programs from concept through to commercialization. This role will be responsible for managing the full lifecycle of complex product development using hybrid methodologies, ensuring alignment with business goals and compliance standards, and engineering milestones. The ideal candidate must have strong background in program management within technical environments, in R&D intensive industries.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage end to end program execution with exposure to hybrid or Agile practices where applicable.
• Drive Cross-Functional coordination across engineering, design, QA, procurement, regulatory and manufacturing teams.
• Define program scope, objectives timelines, and deliverables in alignment with product and business strategies.
• Develop and manage program schedule, Gantt Charts, resource plans and budgets.
• Ensure timely completion of design reviews, technical milestones, and regulatory compliance checkpoints.
• Proactively identify risks and mitigation plans and escalate issues when necessary to avoid delays.
• Lead regular program reviews and provide updates to senior management and stakeholders.
• Ensure documentation compliance with design controls and quality systems.
• Champion phase-gate processes and continuous improvement in project management practices.
• Facilitate communication among global teams, vendors, and external partners.
• Manage process and product transfer from NPD to Manufacturing.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by management.

Requirements

• Degree in engineering or related technical field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in program management within R&D or product development environments.
• Experience applying best practices in areas such as stakeholder engagement, risk management, and governance.
• Strong command of Waterfall methodology, familiarity with Agile, Scrum, or hybrid models is a plus.
• Proficiency with program/project management tools (eg, MS Project, Jira, Confluence, Smartsheet).
• Excellent skills in stakeholder management, conflict resolution, and cross-cultural communication.
• Ability to lead teams, influence stakeholders, and work cross-functionally.
• Ability to navigate challenges, make decisions, and adapt plans as needed.
• Experience with design control, risk management and quality assurance processes, especially in regulated industries (eg, ISO, FDA, CE)
• Certification such as PMP is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with hardware/software co-development lifecycle and new product introduction (NPI) processes.
• Detail-oriented with a systems-thinking approach.
• Comfortable working in fast paced, innovative R&D settings.