Senior R&D Program Manager

Job Overview

The role is responsible for leading New Product Development (NPD) and Technology Transfer projects from concept through industrialization, ensuring delivery within defined timelines, budgets, quality, and global process requirements. This position oversees cross‑functional collaboration across R&D, Industrialization, Quality, Sales, and Global teams to define project scope, manage risks, drive stage‑wise NPI deliverables, and ensure compliance with technical governance and KPI frameworks. The role also develops technology roadmaps, supports RFQs and quotations, manages resources, and drives continuous improvement in project management practices, while enabling the successful development and transfer of healthcare products such as medical devices, inhalers, insulin pens, eyedroppers, and closures.

Job Responsibility

• Lead and manage New Product Development (NPD) and Technology Transfer projects from concept through industrialization.
• Plan, execute, and monitor projects to ensure on‑time, on‑cost, and on‑quality delivery in line with global project management processes.
• Define project scope, objectives, milestones, and deliverables in collaboration with cross‑functional teams (R&D, Industrialization, Quality, Sales, BD, and Global counterparts).
• Implement and govern NPI stage‑wise deliverables, ensuring adherence to defined gates and KPIs across pre‑sales and development phases.
• Conduct project risk assessments, develop mitigation plans, and lead transparent project reviews to ensure successful outcomes.
• Develop and maintain technology roadmaps, integrating emerging technologies and industry standards into the organization’s development framework.
• Coordinate product and technology transfers with global teams, ensuring knowledge capture and seamless handover.
• Oversee the development and industrialization of medical devices and healthcare products, including inhalers, insulin pens, eyedroppers, closures, and assembly solutions.
• Plan and manage project resources, including technical, operational, and capital needs.
• Ensure compliance with technical governance frameworks, regulatory requirements, and global standards, actively managing any deviations.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to streamline processes and enhance project execution efficiency.
• Support RFQs and quotation preparation for new development projects in collaboration with Sales and Business Development teams.
• Coordinate with Innovation & Design teams for concept development and design execution.
• Collaborate with Industrialization teams for pilot builds and development of injection molding and assembly equipment.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for project communication, managing internal and external stakeholder expectations.

Job Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
• Certified in PMP, Agile Demonstrated experience as a technical lead on cross-functional engineering projects.
• Minimum 13+ years of experience in Project management and Minimum 5 years in medical devices.
• Strong understanding of design controls, verification / validation, and risk management.
• Experience with people management, mentoring, and team development.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and project management skills.
• Exposure to regulatory requirements (FDA, ISO 13485, ISO 14971...) and quality systems.
• Knowledge of design for manufacturability, cost optimization, and reliability engineering.
• Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification is strongly preferred, demonstrating advanced knowledge of global project management standards, governance, and best practices.
• Relevant certifications such as Prince2, Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Agile Project Management, or SAFe are considered an advantage.
• Six Sigma (Green Belt / Black Belt) or equivalent continuous improvement certifications are desirable to support process optimization and operational excellence.
• Certifications related to medical devices, regulatory compliance, or quality systems (e.g., ISO 13485, risk management) are an added benefit.
• Understanding to first principles engineering and design skills (CAD/CAE).
• Ability to analyze, organize and present large amounts of data in a clear and concise manner.
• Disciplined, detailed and well organized with managing documentation in a regulated environment.
• Ability to execute concurrently multiple projects and manage priorities.
• Ability to work independently as well as delegate appropriately.
• Understanding in Plastic design, part detailing and Knowledge in Mold design.
• Experience working on both high-volume consumables and capital equipment product lines.