Product Development Manager

Involve Recruitment (Midlands) Ltd) have partnered with a well-established manufacturer to appoint a Product Development Lead. This is a critical hire, replacing a long-standing technical leader and offering the chance to shape the next generation of products within a highly specialised sector. This role is ideal for a hands-on senior product engineer who still enjoys solving technical problems, but is ready to take ownership of the product function and lead a small, capable team. The Role This is a 70% hands-on / 30% leadership position, combining technical depth with strategic responsibility. You’ll take full ownership of the product development lifecycle — from concept through to launch — while leading and developing a small internal team. Key responsibilities include: * Owning the product roadmap, lifecycle, and range strategy * Leading all new product development projects end-to-end * Driving continuous improvement across existing products (tolerances, materials, modular systems) * Managing supplier engineering and component cost optimisation * Leading the patent process and innovation strategy (with external attorneys) * Line managing a team including engineers and a product development specialist * Acting as the senior technical representative in key external discussions (OEMs, B2B partners, industry bodies) We’re looking for a technically strong, commercially aware product developer who can both deliver and lead. You’ll likely bring: * A proven track record of launching complex mechanical or precision-engineered products * Strong hands-on engineering capability (CAD review, tolerances, materials, prototyping issues) * Experience leading small technical teams (2–5 people) * Exposure to regulated or certified product environments * Experience working with patents (named inventor or closely involved) * A strategic mindset, with the ability to own and evolve a product portfolio * A decisive, structured, and data-driven approach Experience in sectors such as Precision engineering, Safety-critical hardware, Automotive component, Medical devices, Hydraulics / fasteners or similar