Product development manager

Product development managers coordinate the development of new products from beginning to end. They receive briefings and start envisioning the new product considering design, technical and cost criteria. They conduct research on market needs and create prototypes of new products for untapped market opportunities. Product development managers also improve and boost technological quality.

The following job titles also refer to product development manager:

research and development manager
product designer
product development specialist
innovation department manager
product development executive

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as product development manager. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Product development manager is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to product development manager.

metallurgical manager
foundry manager
product manager
chemical tester
banking products manager

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of product development manager. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of product development manager with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of product development manager.

Product life-cycle: The management of the life-cycle of a product from the development stages to the market entry and market removal.
Market research: The processes, techniques, and purposes comprised in the first step for developing marketing strategies such as the collection of information about customers and the definition of segments and targets.

These skills are necessary for the role of product development manager.

Combine business technology with user experience: Analyse and exploit the points where technology, user experience, and business meet in order to create and develop new products.
Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
Plan product management: Manage the scheduling of procedures which aim to maximise sales objectives, such as forecasting market trends, product placement, and sales planning.
Draw conclusions from market research results: Analyse, draw conclusions and present major observations from the results of market research. Suggest on potential markets, prices, target groups, or investments.
Develop new products: Develop and generate new products and product ideas based on market research on trends and niches.
Calculate production costs: Calculate the costs for every production stage and department.
Calculate design costs: Calculate design costs to make sure the project is financially viable.
Analyse consumer buying trends: Analyse buying habits or currently prevalent customer behaviour.
Design customer experiences: Create customer experiences to maximise client’s satisfaction and profitability.
Design prototypes: Design prototypes of products or components of products by applying design and engineering principles.
Analyse data about clients: Study data about clients, visitors, customers or guests. Gather, process and analyse data about their characteristics, needs and buying behaviours.
Define technical requirements: Specify technical properties of goods, materials, methods, processes, services, systems, software and functionalities by identifying and responding to the particular needs that are to be satisfied according to customer requirements.
Follow company standards: Lead and manage according to the organisation’s code of conduct.
Develop product design: Convert market requirements into product design and development.
Perform market research: Gather, assess and represent data about target market and customers in order to facilitate strategic development and feasibility studies. Identify market trends.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of product development manager. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Innovation processes: The techniques, models, methods and strategies which contribute to the promotion of steps towards innovation.
Design drawings: Understand design drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.
Physics: The natural science involving the study of matter, motion, energy, force and related notions.
Engineering processes: The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.
Cost management: The process of planning, monitoring and adjusting the expenses and revenues of a business in order to achieve cost efficiency and capability.
Quality standards: The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.
Legal requirements of ict products: The international regulations related to the development and use of ICT products.
Types of metal manufacturing processes: Metal processes linked to the different types of metal, such as casting processes, heat treatment processes, repair processes and other metal manufacturing processes.
Chemistry: The composition, structure, and properties of substances and the processes and transformations that they undergo; the uses of different chemicals and their interactions, production techniques, risk factors, and disposal methods.
Marketing mix: Principle of marketing that describes the four fundamental elements in marketing strategies which are the product, the place, the price and the promotion.
Marketing principles: The principles of managing the relationship between consumers and products or services for the purpose of increasing sales and improving advertising techniques.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of product development manager. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Analyse cultural trends: Keep up to date with popular cultural trends such as pop culture, cultural and social slang.
Ensure compliance with environmental legislation: Monitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation. Ensure that the processes are compliant with environment regulations and best practices.
Conduct metallurgical structural analysis: Perform detailed analysis related to researching and testing new metal products.
Design metal components: Design metal components in response to a need. Provide support by writing documents, manuals, metallurgical investigations, and reports in support of customer liaison.
Lead a team: Lead, supervise and motivate a group of people, in order to meet the expected results within a given timeline and with the foreseen resources in mind.
Maintain relationship with customers: Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with customers in order to ensure satisfaction and fidelity by providing accurate and friendly advice and support, by delivering quality products and services and by supplying after-sales information and service.
Consult with technical staff: Seek the advice of technical staff concerning the requirements, operation, and use of various products and systems.
Speak different languages: Master foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.
Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
Optimise financial performance: Direct and coordinate the organisation’s financial operations and budget activities, in order to optimise financial performance.
Perform product testing: Test processed workpieces or products for basic faults.
Think analytically: Produce thoughts using logic and reasoning in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Manage the customer experience: Monitor, create and oversee customer experience and perception of brand and service. Ensure pleasant customer experience, treat customers in a cordial and courteous manner.
Work in metal manufacture teams: Ability to work confidently within a metal manufacturing group with each doing a part but all subordinating personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole.
Create technical plans: Create detailed technical plans of machinery, equipment, tools and other products.
Analyse economic trends: Analyse developments in national or international trade, business relations, banking, and developments in public finance and how these factors interact with one another in a given economic context.
Develop promotional tools: Generate promotional material and collaborate in the production of promotional text, videos, photos, etc. Keep previous promotional material organised.
Improve business processes: Optimise the series of operations of an organisation to achieve efficiency. Analyse and adapt existing business operations in order to set new objectives and meet new goals.
Liaise with industry experts: Consult and cooperate with industry experts who handle matter that is relevant to you and your business.
Measure customer feedback: Evaluate customer’s comments in order to find out whether customers feel satisfied or dissatisfied with the product or service.
Manage product testing: Oversee the testing procedures to ensure that the end-product complies with the quality and safety requirements.
Identify market niches: Analyse the composition of the markets, segment these into groups, and highlight the opportunities that each one of these niches represent in terms of new products.
Liaise with engineers: Collaborate with engineers to ensure common understanding and discuss product design, development and improvement.
Liaise with managers: Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.
Ensure products meet regulatory requirements: Study, implement, and monitor the integrity and compliance of products with the required regulatory aspects by law. Advise on applying and abiding by regulations on the product and manufacturing regulations.
Prepare market research reports: Report on the outcomes of the market research, main observations and outcomes, and notes helpful for analysing the information.

1223 – Research and development managers

 

 

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References

1. Product development manager – ESCO