Associate Project Manager / Project Manager - NPI

Job Description

The Associate Project Manager / Project Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and closing cross‑functional projects, with a strong emphasis on New Product Introduction (NPI), manufacturing readiness, and operational execution. This role partners closely with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and external suppliers to ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, cost, and quality targets.

The role is hands‑on and execution‑focused, requiring strong ownership, stakeholder management, and the ability to drive clarity and accountability across complex, fast‑paced environments.

Responsibilities:

       Project Planning & Execution

• Lead end‑to‑end project execution from concept through launch and handover to sustaining teams.
• Develop and maintain integrated project plans, schedules, milestones, dependencies, and critical paths.
• Drive adherence to project scope, timeline, cost, and quality objectives.
• Proactively identify risks, issues, and constraints; develop and execute mitigation and recovery plans.

Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Serve as the primary point of contact across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Compliance, and external partners.
• Facilitate regular project reviews, executive updates, and cross‑functional alignment meetings.
• Drive accountability by clearly defining owners, deliverables, and due dates.
• Escalate risks and decisions appropriately with data‑driven recommendations.

NPI & Manufacturing Readiness

• Lead NPI execution.
• Coordinate tooling, fixtures, jigs, DFMs, FAIs, NPI builds, and ramp readiness.
• Ensure manufacturing processes, documentation, and quality controls are in place prior to mass production.
• Manage supplier readiness, capacity constraints, and on‑site build support as required.

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Manage internal and external stakeholders with varying priorities and levels of influence.
• Coordinate with suppliers, CM partners, and vendors to ensure delivery against commitments.
• Track supplier performance, open actions, and readiness gaps.

Reporting & Governance

• Own project dashboards, action trackers, RAID logs, and executive summaries.
• Provide clear, concise, and timely communication on project status, risks, and decisions.
• Ensure compliance with internal project governance and phase‑gate requirements.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve project execution, processes, and tools.
• Capture lessons learned and drive standardization and best practices across programs.
• Mentor junior team members where applicable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or a related field.
• 3–8 years of project management experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing cross‑functional, operational, or manufacturing‑related projects.
• Strong working knowledge of project management fundamentals (scope, schedule, cost, risk, change control).
• Excellent communication, organization, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification strongly preferred.
• Experience in manufacturing, consumer electronics, or regulated/high‑volume production environments.
• Experience with NPI, ramp‑to‑volume, or factory transfer programs.

Key Competencies

• Strong ownership mentality with the ability to operate independently.
• Comfortable driving execution in ambiguous and high‑pressure environments.
• Highly detail‑oriented while maintaining a clear view of overall program objectives.
• Data‑driven decision‑making and structured problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to influence without direct authority.

Additional Information

What to Do Next: Please attach your resume including links to your Github and website where applicable. If you want to show your super powers in other ways – include that information too. You can be sure that Cricut® is an employer who values individuality, equality and diversity, so tell us what you’re all about. If you are a Maker or a DIY enthusiast, whether you think you are a good one or not, we would love to hear about it when you send us your information!