NPI Project Manager - Audio Technology

NPI Project Manager - Audio TechnologyBased: High Wycombe / HybridTerm: Permanent, full time Salary: Up to £50000 pa + excellent benefitsWe are looking for a Project Manager to join the Programme Team at Focusrite. In this role, you will lead New Product Introduction (NPI) hardware projects from concept through to market launch, taking ownership of project planning, delivery, risk management and stakeholder alignment throughout the product development lifecycle. The right candidate will be a strong communicator, an adaptive learner, and able to manage cross-functional project teams across Engineering, Product Management and Marketing. You will thrive shaping your day-to-day work, balancing multiple projects in parallel, and collaborating with stakeholders at all levels to deliver successful business outcomes.This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of complex product development initiatives and would suit both established Project Managers and experienced delivery professionals seeking a highly collaborative, project leadership role.You will be part of a team of enthusiastic project managers, within a dynamic company committed to growth and continuous innovation in sound recording and music production equipment.For this full time position we will consider a hybrid working pattern of 3 days per week based at our High Wycombe head office.Your responsibilities:Collaborate with Programme, Engineering and Product Management to produce product development strategies that can deliver on Business Case and product roadmap objectives.Apply and leverage our internal project management framework to deliver successful project outcomes, creating and executing project delivery plans and detailed stage plans with deliverables and review gates.Work closely with the cross functional delivery teams, Technical Programme Managers, and Programme Manager to manage priorities, resolve workload conflicts, and drive the project delivery plan to move from product concept realisation through to mass production. Project ownership will be for the entire development process, end-to-end.Proactively identify and expose project and programme risks, ensuring mitigation plans are implemented to support successful delivery. Independently estimate and track project costs and project performance measures (schedule/cost/quality), managing by exception and ensuring Business Case targets are met. Build and nurture strong relationships with internal project teams, key stakeholders and contract manufacturing partners to ensure successful delivery and foster a culture of continuous improvement.Apply problem-solving techniques from previous experience to overcome delivery issues and spot opportunities, remove blockers and build consensus among key stakeholders. Work alongside Scrum Masters in the organisation to deliver the total value proposition for new products, including accompanying software and customer experience elements.Propose and drive improvements to project delivery processes, tools and ways of working, contributing to the ongoing evolution of the Programme Management framework.You will:Have experience managing cross-functional project teams towards a shared goal with a high degree of autonomy.Have experience working within structured project management environments and using digital planning and reporting tools.Demonstrate excellent spoken and written English.Possess strong problem-solving, organisational and interpersonal skills.Demonstrate a continuous improvement mindset, seeking to refine processes, tools and ways of working.Be comfortable communicating project status, risks and delivery plans to a wide range of stakeholders.Ideal candidates will:Have experience with new product development (NPD) lifecycles and project managing the development of hardware products.Have worked on projects using Agile principles and methodologies.Have knowledge of audio tech/music production.Have experience managing project budgets, risks and stakeholder communications throughout the product development lifecycle.About UsFocusrite plc is a global music and audio group that develops and markets music technology products. Used by audio professionals and amateur musicians alike, its solutions facilitate the high-quality production of recorded and live sound. Our audio technology brands stand together, seeking to enrich lives through music by removing barriers to creativity – ‘we make music easy to make’.The Focusrite Group trades under thirteen established and rapidly growing brands: Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Novation, ADAM Audio, Sequential, Oberheim, Martin Audio, Optimal Audio, Ampify Music, Linea Research, Sonnox, TiMax and OutBoard. With a high-quality reputation and a rich heritage spanning decades, its brands are category leaders in the music-making industry.Music technology is an enriching space to work in and we enjoy a Group-wide open-door culture which encourages innovation. This culture, combined with a passion for the inspirational solutions we create, has led to the group winning numerous accolades, including four Queen's Awards for Enterprise and the AIM Company of the Year Award 2021.The Focusrite Group is dedicated to building a great place to work and as an equal opportunity employer we are committed to Diversity and Inclusion. The group mission is to cultivate an equitable culture, internally and externally, where all people feel they are welcome and positively represented, whether office-based or working remotely. Equally, we recognise the major impact that climate change is having on our world and work every day towards being industry leaders in a carbon neutral future.Benefits include flexible/hybrid working, company pension, life insurance, private healthcare, employee purchase scheme, company music events, free lunch in the canteen at Focusrite HQ. We arrange company training sessions and encourage personal development.

NPI Project Manager - Audio Technology

Based: High Wycombe / Hybrid

Term: Permanent, full time

Salary: Up to £50000 pa + excellent benefits

We are looking for a Project Manager to join the Programme Team at Focusrite. In this role, you will lead New Product Introduction (NPI) hardware projects from concept through to market launch, taking ownership of project planning, delivery, risk management and stakeholder alignment throughout the product development lifecycle.

The right candidate will be a strong communicator, an adaptive learner, and able to manage cross-functional project teams across Engineering, Product Management and Marketing. You will thrive shaping your day-to-day work, balancing multiple projects in parallel, and collaborating with stakeholders at all levels to deliver successful business outcomes.

This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of complex product development initiatives and would suit both established Project Managers and experienced delivery professionals seeking a highly collaborative, project leadership role.

You will be part of a team of enthusiastic project managers, within a dynamic company committed to growth and continuous innovation in sound recording and music production equipment.

For this full time position we will consider a hybrid working pattern of 3 days per week based at our High Wycombe head office.

Your responsibilities:

• Collaborate with Programme, Engineering and Product Management to produce product development strategies that can deliver on Business Case and product roadmap objectives.
• Apply and leverage our internal project management framework to deliver successful project outcomes, creating and executing project delivery plans and detailed stage plans with deliverables and review gates.
• Work closely with the cross functional delivery teams, Technical Programme Managers, and Programme Manager to manage priorities, resolve workload conflicts, and drive the project delivery plan to move from product concept realisation through to mass production. Project ownership will be for the entire development process, end-to-end.
• Proactively identify and expose project and programme risks, ensuring mitigation plans are implemented to support successful delivery.
• Independently estimate and track project costs and project performance measures (schedule/cost/quality), managing by exception and ensuring Business Case targets are met.
• Build and nurture strong relationships with internal project teams, key stakeholders and contract manufacturing partners to ensure successful delivery and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Apply problem-solving techniques from previous experience to overcome delivery issues and spot opportunities, remove blockers and build consensus among key stakeholders.
• Work alongside Scrum Masters in the organisation to deliver the total value proposition for new products, including accompanying software and customer experience elements.
• Propose and drive improvements to project delivery processes, tools and ways of working, contributing to the ongoing evolution of the Programme Management framework.

You will:

• Have experience managing cross-functional project teams towards a shared goal with a high degree of autonomy.
• Have experience working within structured project management environments and using digital planning and reporting tools.
• Demonstrate excellent spoken and written English.
• Possess strong problem-solving, organisational and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrate a continuous improvement mindset, seeking to refine processes, tools and ways of working.
• Be comfortable communicating project status, risks and delivery plans to a wide range of stakeholders.

Ideal candidates will:

• Have experience with new product development (NPD) lifecycles and project managing the development of hardware products.
• Have worked on projects using Agile principles and methodologies.
• Have knowledge of audio tech/music production.
• Have experience managing project budgets, risks and stakeholder communications throughout the product development lifecycle.

About Us

Focusrite plc is a global music and audio group that develops and markets music technology products. Used by audio professionals and amateur musicians alike, its solutions facilitate the high-quality production of recorded and live sound. Our audio technology brands stand together, seeking to enrich lives through music by removing barriers to creativity – ‘we make music easy to make’.

The Focusrite Group trades under thirteen established and rapidly growing brands: Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Novation, ADAM Audio, Sequential, Oberheim, Martin Audio, Optimal Audio, Ampify Music, Linea Research, Sonnox, TiMax and OutBoard. With a high-quality reputation and a rich heritage spanning decades, its brands are category leaders in the music-making industry.

Music technology is an enriching space to work in and we enjoy a Group-wide open-door culture which encourages innovation. This culture, combined with a passion for the inspirational solutions we create, has led to the group winning numerous accolades, including four Queen's Awards for Enterprise and the AIM Company of the Year Award 2021.

The Focusrite Group is dedicated to building a great place to work and as an equal opportunity employer we are committed to Diversity and Inclusion. The group mission is to cultivate an equitable culture, internally and externally, where all people feel they are welcome and positively represented, whether office-based or working remotely. Equally, we recognise the major impact that climate change is having on our world and work every day towards being industry leaders in a carbon neutral future.

Benefits include flexible/hybrid working, company pension, life insurance, private healthcare, employee purchase scheme, company music events, free lunch in the canteen at Focusrite HQ. We arrange company training sessions and encourage personal development.

Our audio technology brands stand together, seeking to enrich lives through music by removing barriers to creativity. We want to create opportunities for everyone to enjoy making music, from musicians trying to capture their unique sound, to the professionals delivering the greatest shows on earth.The Focusrite Group has an illustrious history with four Queen's Awards for Enterprise among a host of other accolades. We comprise thirteen successful and rapidly growing brands: Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Martin Audio, ADAM Audio, Novation, Ampify Music, Sequential, Oberheim, Optimal Audio, Linea Research, Sonnox, OutBoard and TiMax. With a high-quality reputation and a rich heritage spanning over four decades, our brands continue to shape the music-making world. Focusrite leads that world in audio interfacing technology – more musicians record through Focusrite than any other brand. The Focusrite Pro team are focussed on the complex needs of the audio professional for whom sound is not just a passion, but a way of life. Martin Audio have been uniting audiences for almost five decades with their awe-inspiring touring and installation loudspeaker systems. Based in Berlin, ADAM Audio are precision innovators in the field of professional monitoring and loudspeaker technology, made famous by their unique ART ribbon tweeter. Novation is obsessed with helping electronic music makers find new ways to produce and perform new music. Born out of that team and based in Tileyard, King's Cross, London, Ampify Music make innovative music-making apps that are highly accessible, yet extendable and deep. Sequential and Oberheim have been a leading force in the resurgent popularity of analogue synthesizers. These instruments are a mainstay of performing and recording artists and can be seen and heard on countless stages and recordings. Optimal Audio offers a streamlined portfolio across controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers all working seamlessly together, making it easy to select the right product, install and use. Linea Research, based in Letchworth Garden City, designs and manufactures high power amplifiers, networked Digital Signal Processors and system control software for commercial use sound systems. Sonnox in Oxfordshire designs award-winning high quality audio plugins for mixing and mastering. OutBoard offer a range of stage rigging motor controls plus electrical safety test products and TiMax specialise in immersive sound experiences.Music technology is an enriching space to work in, and that’s not about to change. We embrace its evolution, and that means remaining open to new ideas. We enjoy a Group-wide open-door culture, where we can all contribute and everyone is heard as we grow and develop, both as individuals and as a team. We encourage innovation and fresh-thinking and are passionate about the inspirational solutions we create. Behind our success is a tightly knitted, like-minded family of music and audio lovers. We’re always pulling together to try and make a difference; our frequent appearance in ‘The Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For’ is testament to this.As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage people to apply regardless of religion, ethnic background, age, disability, nationality, sexual orientation or gender identity. We recognise the diversity shortcomings of our industry and are committed to driving change. Read more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion Equally, we recognise the major impact that climate change is having on our world and work every day towards being industry leaders in a carbon neutral future. You can read our environment policy here

Our audio technology brands stand together, seeking to enrich lives through music by removing barriers to creativity. We want to create opportunities for everyone to enjoy making music, from musicians trying to capture their unique sound, to the professionals delivering the greatest shows on earth.The Focusrite Group has an illustrious history with four Queen's Awards for Enterprise among a host of other accolades. We comprise thirteen successful and rapidly growing brands: Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Martin Audio, ADAM Audio, Novation, Ampify Music, Sequential, Oberheim, Optimal Audio, Linea Research, Sonnox, OutBoard and TiMax. With a high-quality reputation and a rich heritage spanning over four decades, our brands continue to shape the music-making world.

Focusrite leads that world in audio interfacing technology – more musicians record through Focusrite than any other brand. The Focusrite Pro team are focussed on the complex needs of the audio professional for whom sound is not just a passion, but a way of life. Martin Audio have been uniting audiences for almost five decades with their awe-inspiring touring and installation loudspeaker systems. Based in Berlin, ADAM Audio are precision innovators in the field of professional monitoring and loudspeaker technology, made famous by their unique ART ribbon tweeter. Novation is obsessed with helping electronic music makers find new ways to produce and perform new music. Born out of that team and based in Tileyard, King's Cross, London, Ampify Music make innovative music-making apps that are highly accessible, yet extendable and deep.

Sequential and Oberheim have been a leading force in the resurgent popularity of analogue synthesizers. These instruments are a mainstay of performing and recording artists and can be seen and heard on countless stages and recordings. Optimal Audio offers a streamlined portfolio across controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers all working seamlessly together, making it easy to select the right product, install and use. Linea Research, based in Letchworth Garden City, designs and manufactures high power amplifiers, networked Digital Signal Processors and system control software for commercial use sound systems. Sonnox in Oxfordshire designs award-winning high quality audio plugins for mixing and mastering. OutBoard offer a range of stage rigging motor controls plus electrical safety test products and TiMax specialise in immersive sound experiences.

Music technology is an enriching space to work in, and that’s not about to change. We embrace its evolution, and that means remaining open to new ideas. We enjoy a Group-wide open-door culture, where we can all contribute and everyone is heard as we grow and develop, both as individuals and as a team. We encourage innovation and fresh-thinking and are passionate about the inspirational solutions we create. Behind our success is a tightly knitted, like-minded family of music and audio lovers. We’re always pulling together to try and make a difference; our frequent appearance in ‘The Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For’ is testament to this.

As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage people to apply regardless of religion, ethnic background, age, disability, nationality, sexual orientation or gender identity. We recognise the diversity shortcomings of our industry and are committed to driving change.
Read more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion
Equally, we recognise the major impact that climate change is having on our world and work every day towards being industry leaders in a carbon neutral future. You can read our environment policy here