About this role
Introducing TechPoint <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;text-transform:none;display:inline;">TechPoint Group, is one of the largest UK-owned CEMs. We supply EMS and supply chain services to leading technology companies across the UK and Europe. We operate from a modern, clean environment to support customers in the commercial, space, defence, transport, audio, motorsport, and instrumentation sectors. We have opened a new world-class facility and are looking for new talented people to join us on this exciting journey.</span> The Role The Head of NPI Engineering is responsible for leading the end-to-end New Product Introduction (NPI) process within a high-mix, electronic manufacturing environment. This role ensures the seamless transition of products from design through to full-scale production, driving manufacturability, quality, cost efficiency, and on-time delivery. <br>You will act as the key interface between customers, design engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing operations. <br><br>Key Responsibilities <br>Leadership & Strategy <br><ul><li><span><span>Lead, develop, and mentor the NPI Engineering team </span></span></li><li><span><span>Define and implement NPI strategy aligned with business</span><span>objectives</span><span>and customer requirements </span></span></li><li><span><span>Drive a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and engineering excellence </span></span></li></ul>New Product Introduction (NPI) <br><ul><li><span><span>Own the full NPI lifecycle from concept review to production release </span></span></li><li><span><span>Ensure robust Design for Manufacture (DFM), Design for Test (DFT), and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles are applied </span></span></li><li><span><span>Lead project planning, risk management, and resource allocation for all NPI activities </span></span></li><li><span><span>Act as the primary escalation point for NPI-related issues </span></span></li></ul>Customer & Stakeholder Management <br><ul><li><span><span>Serve as the technical lead for customer engagements during the NPI phase </span></span></li><li><span><span>Collaborate with customers on design</span><span>optimisation</span><span>, cost reduction, and manufacturability improvements </span></span></li><li><span><span>Work cross-functionally with Quality, Supply Chain, Production, and</span><span>Account</span><span>Management teams </span></span></li></ul><br>Process & Production Readiness <br><ul><li><span><span>Ensure manufacturing processes, tooling, and test solutions are fully</span><span>validated</span><span>prior to production </span></span></li><li><span><span>Oversee creation and approval of work instructions, process documentation, and control plans </span></span></li><li><span><span>Drive First Article Inspection (FAI) and production readiness reviews </span></span></li></ul>Quality & Compliance <br><ul><li><span><span>Ensure all NPI activities meet regulatory, customer, and industry standards (e.g., IPC standards) </span></span></li><li><span><span>Support root cause analysis and corrective actions during early production phases </span></span></li><li><span><span>Partner with Quality teams to ensure smooth handover to steady-state production </span></span></li></ul>Continuous Improvement <br><ul><li><span><span>Analyse</span><span>NPI performance metrics (e.g., time to market, yield, cost variance) </span></span></li><li><span><span>Implement Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies </span></span></li><li><span><span>Identify</span><span>opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and</span><span>optimise</span><span>processes </span></span></li></ul>Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) <br><ul><li><span><span>On-time NPI delivery </span></span></li><li><span><span>First pass yield / early production yield </span></span></li><li><span><span>Time to</span><span>production releas</span><span>e</span></span></li><li><span><span>NPI cost vs. target </span></span></li><li><span><span>Customer satisfaction during NPI phase</span></span></li></ul><span><span><br></span></span> About you <ul><li><span><span>Proven leadership experience in NPI, manufacturing engineering, or operations within the electronic manufacturing (EMS) sector </span></span></li><li><span><span>Strong knowledge of PCB assembly, box build, and electronic systems integration </span></span></li><li><span><span>Deep understanding of DFM, DFT, and DFA principles </span></span></li><li><span><span>Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement tools </span></span></li><li><span><span>Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously </span></span></li><li><span><span>Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills </span></span></li><li><span><span>Experience working directly with customers in a technical or engineering capacity </span></span></li></ul>