Mgr, Product Development

Job Description

Join Worthington Enterprises as Manager of Product Development within the North American Building Products Innovation team. You will lead the project management function and Innovation programs, focusing on early exploration, uncovering needle‑moving opportunities, and driving the strongest ideas to completion. The scope covers both new product development (NPD) and non‑product value‑add initiatives such as channel innovation, brand strategy, and new profit models.

NPD management spans the entire Stage Gate process (0–5), working with sponsors, corporate support functions, team members and plant level employees. The ideal candidate will influence and lead cross‑functional teams that do not report directly to them, thriving in self‑directed, collaborative environments and navigating ambiguous situations with confidence.

• Lead product development from concept to launch, including ideation, feasibility, design, prototyping, testing, and market introduction.
• Drive early hypothesis testing for value‑add opportunities (Stage Gate 0–1), guiding diverse teams through ambiguity to ensure a steady stream of market‑aligned innovations.
• Conduct comprehensive market research to identify emerging trends, evaluate the competitive landscape, and uncover new growth opportunities.
• Collaborate closely with product management, sales, marketing, finance, and other departments to align strategy and execution.
• Cultivate an innovation culture, encouraging creative thinking, continuous improvement, and human‑centered design.
• Define, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) for business development and innovation efforts.
• Mentor and develop team members, providing honest feedback and support.

• Entrepreneurial, trail‑blazer spirit with agile hypothesis testing.
• Experience in human‑centric design, innovation, or complex problem solving, especially non‑product value‑add creation.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity as an individual and NPD team lead, moving through front‑end fuzziness to feed the innovation funnel.
• Facilitation skills to bring out the best in each team member.
• Market research expertise for Stage Gate 0–1 and identifying key assumptions to test.
• Change‑management mindset, building trust and credibility with indirect stakeholders.
• High emotional intelligence, building empathy and adjusting communication styles.
• Track record of high performance and effective behavior encouragement.
• Self‑directed, confident in ambiguous environments.
• Strong business acumen, understanding levers that impact the bottom line.
• Collaborator and team player, fostering open dialogue.
• Curious, learning mindset, seeking core understanding before problem solving.
• Leadership ability to inspire and motivate diverse teams.
• Clear communicator, tailoring messaging to the audience.

• Transformation, sales, marketing, finance, or customer service background.
• Exposure to PMO and comparative agile/traditional project management methodologies.
• Coaching and feedback experience with direct and indirect teams.
• Experience in Industrial Products, software or connectivity hardware (plus).
• Hands‑on NPD process from ideation to manufacturing and launch.
• Success in collaborative work environments.
• Experience with manufacturing and/or sourcing partners.
• Cross‑functional resource and project meeting management.

• 5–10 years of work experience in a business or consulting firm.
• 2+ years of project management experience, familiarity with PM tools and software.
• PMP certification or intent to work toward one.

Worthington Enterprises is a dynamic, inclusive company that empowers employees to innovate and grow. We invite applicants whose talents align with this position or other opportunities in our organization. Apply today to unlock your career potential. We provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities throughout the application and hiring process. Contact  for assistance.

Worthington Enterprises (NYSE: WOR) designs and manufactures market‑leading brands across Building Products and Consumer Products. Our Building Products segment includes cooking, heating, cooling, water solutions, architectural and acoustical grid ceilings, and metal framing. The Consumer Products segment offers tools, outdoor living, and celebrations solutions. Brands include Balloon Time®, Bernzomatic®, Coleman®, CoMet®, Elgen®, Garden Weasel®, General®, HALO™, Hawkeye™, Level5 Tools®, Mag Torch®, NEXI™, Pactool International®, Power Core®, Ragasco®, Well‑X‑Trol®, and XLite™.

Established in 1955, Wright companies operate with a people‑first philosophy and headquarter in Columbus, Ohio, employing ~6,000 people across North America and Europe.