Product Manager

This role will be responsible for streamlining materials and product information into proper portfolio profiles and shared with all keyholders before initializing production. The Product Manager ensures project success by coordinating across internal KURZ teams (spanning the US, Germany, and China) and integrating Sales, Engineering, Production, and Quality disciplines.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

• Act as the key liaison and intermediary, linking sales, customers, and production via proper documentation, instructions, and reference support.
• Obtain precise project requirements from customers and ensure internal alignment on deliverables and timing.
• Vetting all incoming materials, pre-flighting all documents to ensure that all jobs are production-ready.
• Monitor project status to identify and report obstacles and engage teams for timely issue-resolution or escalate to Management when necessary.
• Participate in the development of new projects by bridging information regarding products, processes, and decisions between relevant teams.
• Proactively support the coordination of internal teams relating to product development activities (e.g., sample-making; internal production trials; external part trials; mastering and appearance approval).
• Coordinate submissions and assist the team in obtaining approvals.
• Familiarity with APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning)/product development.
• Perform graphic-based tasks.
• Assess incoming forms of communication: job tickets, purchase orders, layout specifications, customer instructions.
• Assess customer art files for quality, specification, and risk.
• Prepare native art files to production standards and generate PDFs.
• Rip and normalize PDFs for press.
• Understand printing and coating processes.
• Understand print and finishing capabilities of conventional equipment as they relate to file preparation.
• Understand proofing standards and quality check methods.
• Troubleshoot customer files, and create/modify imposition layouts.
• Define, collaborate on, and internally communicate corrective and preventative actions.
• Travel may be required (approximately 10%).
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills and Abilities

• Effective communication: Collaborate clearly with integrated team/department to ensure a smooth workflow. Ability to provide clear written Communication of inspection. Ability to communicate with various levels of competence, and profession.
• Math skills: Utilize basic math skills for tasks like interpreting production specifications.
• Safety compliance: Demonstrate a commitment to safety by adhering to respirator requirements as per OSHA standards.
• Physical abilities: Meet the physical demands of the role.
• Technical skills: Possess basic computer skills to operate production related software(SAP, etc.) and maintain digital records.
• Continuous improvement: Maintain a process optimization mindset.

Experience and Education

• Relevant Bachelor's degree (Graphic Design, Printing Technology, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field) or equivalent industry experience
• of 2 years in Project Management
• of 2 years of experience in the manufacturing industry operations
• Min of 3 years of Pre-press (file preparation, ripping, normalization, imposition, color management, and proofing)
• Pre-press software(adobe Suite, Etc.) Experience required
• Familiarity with decorative or film products, including injection molding, in automotive or white goods/appliance applications, is a plus.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)