Dir., Technical Product Management

Job Description

Location : US Remote / Hybrid / On-site as required by manufacturing engagement

Reports to : Head of Manufacturing Systems

Grade : Senior / R5-equivalent

About the role

We are hiring a Senior Product Manager to lead strategic development of our Integrated Printing and Plastic Manufacturing system a mission-critical platform that orchestrates complex configurable manufacturing across printing and plastics lines. This senior leadership role requires deep domain fluency across both industrial software and automation / controls. You will set the product vision align multi-year strategy with executive priorities and partner closely with manufacturing leadership engineering and operations to deliver capabilities that materially improve throughput quality flexibility and cost-to-serve for highly customized manufacturing requirements.

Why this role matters

The platform drives end-to-end execution of complex custom orders : quoting / configuration planning and scheduling production execution quality and fulfillment.

Your leadership will reduce waste shorten lead times lower TCO and enable new commercial models for custom and low-volume production.

You will operate at the intersection of executive strategy software delivery control systems engineering and shopfloor operations shaping the technical and operational trajectory of the business.

Key responsibilities

Product vision strategy & leadership

Set and continuously evolve the multi-year product vision and strategy for the Integrated Printing & Plastic Manufacturing system ensuring alignment with executive priorities and plant-level objectives.

Own the product roadmap balancing strategic investments (e.g. automation integration configurators advanced scheduling) with tactical delivery and technical sustainability.

Develop and defend high-value business cases and investment priorities to senior stakeholders and the executive team.

Stakeholder engagement & influence

Act as the senior product leader and primary point of contact for manufacturing leadership engineering commercial teams supply chain quality IT and external partners / vendors.

Lead stakeholder engagement strategies facilitation of governance forums and executive-level decisioning to align priorities and resolve trade-offs.

Serve as product champion in executive discussions articulating risks dependencies and expected outcomes.

Technical ownership : software automation / controls

Provide technical leadership across software integrations and automation / controls; translate shopfloor realities into robust digital and control solutions.

Drive architecture-level decisions and integration approaches across MES / MOM ERP PLM IIoT platforms PLC / SCADA vision / inspection systems and robotics.

Ensure solutions meet functional performance reliability safety and security requirements appropriate for industrial environments.

Requirements definition & systems design

Lead scoping requirements definition and prioritization for large cross-cutting initiatives (configurable BOMs dynamic routing nested work orders advanced scheduling in-line inspection and feedback loops).

Produce system design inputs models and prototypes; evaluate alternative designs and trade-offs with technical SMEs.

Own requirements baselines change control and acceptance criteria ensuring delivered solutions map to expected outcomes.

Delivery adoption & benefits realization

Lead cross-functional delivery programs (software controls integrations data / analytics automation vendors) ensuring disciplined program governance and predictable delivery.

Drive release planning deployment user acceptance and adoption across plants; partner with change management to embed new ways of working with operators and supervisors.

Define measure and report product KPIs and benefits realization (e.g. OEE lead time yield scrap rates order-to-ship lead time TCO) iterating until outcomes are achieved.

System & architecture governance

Ensure compliance with enterprise architecture security data governance safety and regulatory requirements; manage risks from integrations and on-prem / edge control systems.

Collaborate with Infrastructure Cybersecurity and Architecture teams to define integration patterns and operating models for edge-cloud solutions and vendor-supplied automation.

People & capability development

Mentor and coach product managers product owners and feature managers; build product management capability within manufacturing and digital teams.

Help define hiring needs competency development and team structure to scale the product function.

Required experience & skills

7 years product management experience with progressive seniority; 5 years leading complex enterprise / manufacturing systems or industrial software products.

Strong hands-on experience spanning software systems (MES / MOM ERP integrations cloud / edge) and automation / controls (PLCs SCADA robotics vision systems).

Deep domain knowledge of manufacturing processes including : production planning tooling / changeovers nested BOMs quality inspection material handling.

Proven track record owning end-to-end product lifecycle for large complex systems and delivering measurable business outcomes.

Demonstrated ability to create and defend business cases and lead benefits realization at scale.

Expertise in requirements management for multi-stakeholder initiatives; comfortable negotiating priorities and baselining requirements.

Strong systems thinking architecture awareness and experience working with software engineering and control systems teams.

Excellent stakeholder management executive communication and facilitation skills; experience engaging at C-suite and shopfloor levels.

Data-driven mindset with experience defining and tracking product KPIs and using data for prioritization.

Experience with safety security and regulatory considerations in industrial environments.

Desirable

Prior experience deploying MES PLM CPQ or production configurators in custom-manufacturing contexts.

Understanding of industrial networking MQTT edge compute and cloud integration patterns.

Experience with advanced scheduling / optimization engines digital twins or simulation-driven design.

MBA or advanced technical degree.

Education

Bachelors degree in Engineering Computer Science Industrial Engineering Manufacturing or equivalent experience. Advanced degree preferred.

Behaviors and competencies

Strategic and systems thinker who balances long-term vision with pragmatic execution.

Influential leader who builds trust across functions and drives consensus.

Comfortable with ambiguity and rapid learning in technical and operational domains.

Customer-centric empathetic to operators and planners while holding teams accountable to outcomes.

Analytical metrics-driven and iterative in approach.

What we offer

A senior high-visibility role that shapes the future of manufacturing capability and commercial growth.

Cross-functional engagement with senior business leaders engineers and plant managers.

Competitive compensation benefits and opportunities for professional development.

How to apply

Please submit your CV and a cover note (max 500 words) describing a complex manufacturing product or system you led end-to-end the measurable outcomes achieved and why youre excited about this senior role.

Required Skills :

Asset Management Automation in Systems Integration Benefits Management Client-Centric Communication Customer Experience Management Data Governance Enterprise Architecture Management ERP Integrations Industrial Engineering Management System Development Plastics Fabrication Prioritization Production Management Product Management Project Prioritization Requirements Management Safety Protocols Software Product Management Stakeholder Buy-In Stakeholder Relationship Management Strategic Planning System Designs

Preferred Skills :

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only :

Our company is committed to inclusion ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race color age religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin protected veteran status disability status or other applicable legally protected a federal contractor we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws visit :

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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together talented and committed people with diverse experiences perspectives skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas broad experiences backgrounds and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one anothers thinking and approach problems collectively.

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U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5 2023 employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week Monday - Thursday although the specific days may vary by site or organization with Friday designated as a remote-working day unless business critical tasks require an on-site Hybrid work model does not apply to and daily in-person attendance is required for field-based positions; facility-based manufacturing-based or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as remote.

The salary range for this role is

$169700.00 - $267200.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employees position within the salary range will be based on several factors including but not limited to relevant education qualifications certifications experience skills geographic location government requirements and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical dental vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family) retirement benefits including 401(k) paid holidays vacation and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at can apply for this role through (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only : We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only : We will consider for employment all qualified applicants including those with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws including the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully

Merck & Co. Inc. Rahway NJ USA also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC Rahway NJ USA does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place introductions are position specific. Please no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status : Regular

Relocation : No relocation

VISA Sponsorship : No

Travel Requirements :

25%

Flexible Work Arrangements :

Hybrid

Shift : Not Indicated

Valid Driving License :

No

Hazardous Material(s) :

n / a

Job Posting End Date :

11 / 20 / 2025

• A job posting is effective until 11 : 59 : 59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.

Key Skills

Financial,AXA,Horticulture,Market Research,Chemistry

Employment Type : Full-Time

Experience : years

Vacancy : 1

Monthly Salary Salary : 169700 - 267200