Product Development Manager: A Deeper Look into the Job

The role of a product development manager is very important within organizations and corporations.

The role of a product development manager is very exciting and depends on the product of the company. However, the skills expected when the job is applied for and the skills that need to be developed along the way vary over a wide range. For the entry level job of a product development manager, the job description would ask for people supervision skills, creativity, technical soundness, good public relation skills, alertness, leadership skills, technical and administrative and managerial skills. However, for a senior person, the job description would require records of previous complete product development, in-depth analysis capability, awareness of competitor products and their brand positioning, excellent written and communication skills, being computer savvy, having knowledge of manufacturing and market trends, etc. With reference to engineering jobs, a product development manager will work on the product from the design prototypes on blueprints, working with the engineers for optimum design and manufacturing, production planning and control, and quality assurance of the final product. At the entry level he would need a graduate degree in engineering from a reputed university and a postgraduate degree in management. To get a good product development engineer’s job, a practical project in a reputed manufacturing concern can be undertaken to supplement the strength of the degree. In engineering jobs, a product development manager who is a quick learner is always under a lot of demand. When the company concerned belongs to the service industry, for example, a financial services company, the product development manager would help to design and create financial products, portfolios, insurance policies, etc. Entry level jobs require you to qualify for relevant examinations in the specified industry. You can also be a postgraduate in finance and management subjects from reputed institutions to qualify for entry level jobs.