Job Description: Program Manager IV Optical Connectivity (NPI)
Job Title: Program Manager IV Optical Connectivity (New Product Introduction)
Location: Webster / Rochester, New York
Work Arrangement: Onsite
Travel Requirement: 10 25%
Experience: 8+ Years
Job Type: Full-Time
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Program Manager IV Optical Connectivity (NPI) to lead complex New Product Introduction (NPI) programs for advanced optical connectivity products. This role requires strong technical program management, cross-functional leadership, and product development experience to drive programs from early development through validation, qualification, and production launch.
The ideal candidate will coordinate engineering, manufacturing, operations, supply chain, and quality teams to ensure program milestones, schedules, deliverables, and product readiness objectives are achieved. Experience with hardware development, manufacturing environments, fiber optics, or optical connectivity is highly desirable.
Key Responsibilities
-
Lead and manage New Product Introduction (NPI) programs from concept and development through prototype builds, validation, qualification, and production launch.
-
Develop and maintain comprehensive program plans, schedules, milestones, deliverables, and resource requirements.
-
Coordinate cross-functional teams across engineering, manufacturing, operations, supply chain, procurement, and quality.
-
Monitor program progress, identify dependencies and risks, resolve issues, and implement mitigation plans to maintain timelines.
-
Facilitate program reviews and communicate status, risks, decisions, and key milestones to stakeholders and leadership.
-
Coordinate prototype builds, product testing, engineering validation, and production-readiness activities.
-
Partner with manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure supplier readiness, material availability, and production capacity alignment.
-
Drive accountability across workstreams to ensure timely completion of deliverables and program objectives.
-
Manage scope changes, schedule adjustments, and competing priorities while maintaining program quality and business goals.
-
Identify opportunities to improve NPI processes, program execution, and cross-functional collaboration.
-
Ensure program activities align with established engineering, quality, and operational requirements.
Required Qualifications
-
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Technology, Operations, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
-
8+ years of experience in program management, technical project management, engineering program management, NPI, product development, or related areas.
-
Demonstrated experience managing complex, cross-functional programs in a hardware, engineering, or manufacturing environment.
-
Strong understanding of the product development lifecycle, including prototype development, testing, validation, qualification, and production launch.
-
Proven ability to develop and manage program schedules, milestones, dependencies, risks, and deliverables.
-
Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams and driving accountability across multiple workstreams.
-
Strong stakeholder management, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
-
Ability to identify program risks, resolve execution challenges, and communicate issues proactively.
-
Experience using program or project management tools such as Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Jira, Asana, or Planisware.
-
Ability to work onsite in the Webster / Rochester, New York area and travel as required.
Preferred Qualifications
-
Experience in fiber optics, optical connectivity, photonics, fiber assemblies, or high-speed interconnect technologies.
-
Familiarity with AI infrastructure, hyperscale data centers, or advanced connectivity solutions.
-
Experience managing NPI programs involving complex hardware products and manufacturing operations.
-
Understanding of supplier readiness, material planning, manufacturing processes, and production ramp-up.
-
Experience coordinating engineering validation, product qualification, and manufacturing readiness activities.
-
Familiarity with Agile, Scrum, Kanban, or other project execution methodologies.
-
Experience managing multiple programs or workstreams in a fast-paced, technically complex environment.
Key Skills
-
Technical Program Management
-
New Product Introduction (NPI)
-
Hardware Product Development
-
Engineering Program Management
-
Cross-Functional Team Leadership
-
Program Planning and Scheduling
-
Risk and Issue Management
-
Product Validation and Qualification
-
Production Readiness and Launch Execution
-
Manufacturing and Supply Chain Coordination
-
Stakeholder Communication
-
Microsoft Project / Smartsheet / Jira / Asana / Planisware
-
Optical Connectivity / Fiber Optics / Photonics (preferred)
Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a proactive and highly organized program management professional with a strong track record of delivering complex hardware or engineering programs. They can align cross-functional teams, manage competing priorities, anticipate risks, and drive execution from early product development through successful production launch. Experience in optical connectivity or advanced manufacturing is a strong advantage.
