New Product Introduction Team Lead
Baseyard
Job Description
Baseyard is building a next-generation industrial ecosystem for defence and dual-use technologies in Portugal. Our mission is to help advanced technology companies industrialise, manufacture, and scale unmanned systems, mission-critical platforms, and advanced technologies.
We are looking for an experienced and hands-on New Product Introduction (NPI) Team Lead to lead the industrialisation and launch of new products into manufacturing. This role will serve as the bridge between customers, engineering, supply chain, quality, and manufacturing, ensuring products move efficiently from design to stable serial production.
The NPI Team Lead will build and lead the NPI function, coordinate cross-functional product launches, and establish scalable processes for onboarding new customers and technologies into Baseyard’s manufacturing ecosystem.
New Product Introduction (NPI) Team Lead
About
Baseyard is building a next-generation industrial ecosystem for defence and dual-use technologies in Portugal. Our mission is to help advanced technology companies industrialise, manufacture, and scale unmanned systems, mission-critical platforms, and advanced technologies.
We are looking for an experienced and hands-on New Product Introduction (NPI) Team Lead to lead the industrialisation and launch of new products into manufacturing. This role will serve as the bridge between customers, engineering, supply chain, quality, and manufacturing, ensuring products move efficiently from design to stable serial production.
The NPI Team Lead will build and lead the NPI function, coordinate cross-functional product launches, and establish scalable processes for onboarding new customers and technologies into Baseyard’s manufacturing ecosystem.
Responsibilities
- Build and lead Baseyard’s New Product Introduction (NPI) function.
- Manage the complete NPI lifecycle from customer onboarding through serial production.
- Act as the primary interface between customers, engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and operations during product introduction.
- Lead product industrialisation activities, including Design for Manufacturing (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), process development, and production readiness.
- Coordinate product transfer from customer engineering teams into Baseyard manufacturing.
- Develop and manage NPI project plans, timelines, milestones, risks, and deliverables.
- Drive cross-functional readiness reviews including design reviews, manufacturing readiness reviews, pilot builds, and production approvals.
- Coordinate prototype, pilot production, and production ramp-up activities.
- Ensure manufacturing documentation is complete, including BOMs, BOOs, work instructions, process flows, routing, tooling, fixtures, and quality documentation.
- Coordinate supplier onboarding and readiness together with Procurement and Supply Chain teams.
- Support sourcing decisions and manufacturing feasibility assessments.
- Coordinate validation activities, first article inspections (FAI), PPAP (where applicable), qualification testing, and production acceptance.
- Lead issue resolution during product launch and early production.
- Manage Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) and product change implementation.
- Drive lessons learned and continuous improvement across NPI processes.
- Develop standard NPI methodologies, templates, KPIs, and governance.
Scope of the Role
The NPI Team Lead will coordinate projects involving:
- Customer onboarding
- Product industrialisationDesign transfer
- Manufacturing process development
- Production readiness
- Prototype builds
- Pilot production
- Production ramp-up
- Supply chain readiness
- Tooling and fixture implementation
- Quality planning (APQP, Control Plans, PFMEA where applicable)
- Engineering change management
- Cross-functional product launches
- EU-funded product development projects
The role works closely with:
- Head of Engineering & Technical Operations
- Plant Manager
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Production
- Quality
- Supply Chain & Procurement
- R&D
- Business Development
- Customers and external technology partners
What We’re Looking For
- 3+ years of experience in New Product Introduction (NPI), Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or Technical Program Management.
- Experience leading product industrialisation from prototype to serial production.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and production operations.
- Experience working with multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Experience coordinating customer product transfers.
- Strong project management and organisational skills.
- Ability to manage multiple product launches simultaneously.
- Experience with BOMs, BOOs, ERP systems, production routing, and manufacturing documentation.
- Experience with DFM, DFA, manufacturing readiness, and production validation.
- Strong problem-solving and risk management capabilities.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Hands-on and proactive leadership style.
- Fluent English is required.
Nice to Have
- Experience in defence, aerospace, robotics, electronics, automotive, medical devices, or other high-tech manufacturing industries.
- Experience with EMS (Electronics Manufacturing Services) or contract manufacturing.
- Knowledge of APQP, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans, SPC, and Lean Manufacturing.
- Experience with ERP/MES systems (Microsoft Dynamics 365, SAP, IFS or similar).
- Familiarity with IPC standards and electronics manufacturing.
- Experience with EU-funded R&D or industrialisation projects.
What We Offer
- Opportunity to build and lead the NPI function in one of Europe's fastest-growing defence and dual-use industrial ecosystems.
- Work with international customers developing cutting-edge technologies.
- Ownership of product industrialisation across multiple technology domains.
- Close collaboration with executive leadership and engineering teams.
- High degree of autonomy and responsibility.
- International working environment with ambitious growth plans.
- Competitive salary based on experience.
- Excellent career growth opportunities as Baseyard scales.