Product Development Manager

Company History

Conex Universal Limited is a UK based business part of IBP group. As a business established since year 1909 Conex has built a reputation as one of the top five designers and suppliers of high-quality plumbing fittings and valves in the world. The business is committed to maintain its leading position in delivery of consistently quality products and services to customers in the domestic, commercial, industrial, HVAC and shipbuilding markets worldwide.

The Conex Bänninger brand brings together two great manufacturers of fittings and valves. Bänninger in Giessen, Germany started as a manufacturer of iron fittings in 1909, whilst Conex Sanbra, founded in 1919 in Birmingham, UK manufactured a range of brass and chromium plated water fittings, valves, lavatory and sink mixers.

1920 saw the first introduction of the distinctive >B< trademark into the market, identifying Bänninger products. During the 1930’s, the businesses went from strength to strength with Bänninger becoming the only producer at that time of red brass fittings in Europe. In the 1940’s, Sanbra launched their unique rib-nut design compression range, and the name Conex became the one to ask for when it came to compression fittings.

Many other products followed including, in 1983, the development of the first copper-based press fitting, the precursor of today’s >B< Press range. By 1987, Bänninger had become part of the newly formed IBP Group, which later merged with Conex. In 1994 the brands were combined to become Conex Bänninger. Over the years the brand’s product portfolio has increased extensively with more recent additions meeting the needs of press and push applications.

‘Excellence since 1909’ is not only an ethos that acknowledges the history and heritage of innovation and quality, but a promise to bring the ideal of excellence to everything we do in the future.

Our strategic direction over the next five years is to take advantage of the expanding UK construction industry and gain an increased level of sales and profitability through improved investment in the manufacturing capacity, innovation, and customer service areas of the business.

Technical, Product Development Manager

Location

Kingswinford

Salary Range

Competitive

Benefits

Company pension 5% contribution,

Organisational social gatherings,

Company car/allowance

Life assurance

25 days holiday plus bank holiday

Key objectives

• The Technical, Product Development Manager is responsible for the identification, validation, and research of innovative new products that meet customer requirements, from conception to launch.
• Managing and coordinating the product development team on competitive new product concepts, developing prototypes, testing of prototypes, and making decisions about whether to go ahead with the product.
• Work closely with cross functional project teams on the development projects, maintaining developments to strict timelines to completion.
• Project planning in accordance with the NPD process whilst developing the NPD process further.
• Manage the development budget to project and company requirements.
• Managing and coordinating all efforts of the UK Technical Services team with close interaction across the Group. Overseeing the design, technical enquiry service and quality functions for existing products and processes.

Coordination

• Is responsible for coordinating product updates and improvements, technical engineering, quality assurance, testing and implementation of projects. They are required to coordinate the activities of the staff members of their team.

Project Management

• Will have a direct involvement in key new product development projects from determining technical goals to be reached to coordinating the work of each employee until a project is completed. During this time, the manager will ensure that times updates are available to the Group Board and others involved on the status of the project.

Committees and Trade associations

· Actively participate on technical trade association committees, leading on areas related to the company products.

· Actively participate on the development of national and international standards related to the company products through relevant committees.

Engineering Knowledge

• Because of the variety of tasks required to be performed, it is essential that you hold a wide range of knowledge about, production, materials, physics, design, and mathematics, as well as practical applications of engineering science and technology. All these topics are taken into account during the production of technical plans, drawings and models.

Communication

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills are required in order to effectively manage communication with a broad variety of colleagues within the organization. Knowing how to provide efficient communications with colleagues at all levels is essential to the work.
• Must also have a strong awareness of customer expectations.
• The Technical, Product Development Manager is responsible for maintaining relationships in their team and colleagues across the group.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

· Extensive Engineering/Product development and Technical experience

· Degree educated – Relevant degree – mechanical engineering etc.

· Membership of relevant Professional body

Mandatory training to be undertaken (*in addition to the below, any other courses deemed appropriate for role)

· Product and technical requirements

Within 1 month of starting

· Information security

Within first 6 months of starting

· Diversity and Inclusion training

Within first 3 months of starting

· Anti-Bribery & competition law courses

Within first month of starting.

Once every 2 years

· Continuous professional development

Ongoing

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

• Bereavement leave
• Company car
• Company events
• Company pension
• Flexitime
• Free flu jabs
• Free parking
• Life insurance
• On-site parking
• Sick pay
• Wellness programme

Schedule:

• Flexitime
• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Kingswinford: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 05/04/2023
Reference ID: PDM