Skills & Competencies for Product Development Manager

Product Development Manager job profile

JOB SUMMARY for Product Development Manager

Manages and coordinates product development projects.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES for Product Development Manager

Evaluates and resolves technical feasibility, design optimization, and production issues. Ensures that labeling and marketing/promotional literature match product specifications. Researches and monitors existing client base and industry developments and identifies potential new product opportunities. Works with other departments to establish a design, technology, product development, and vendor strategy. Manages project budgets and prepares financial analysis reports for top management.

Product Development Manager SALARY RANGE

BASE 50%
$140,574
TOTAL 50%
$154,669
Job Level
M02
Job Code
MM18000039
Education/Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Reports To
Top Management

Product Development Manager Skills and Competencies List

Proficiency Levels and Behavioural Indicators
Salary.com identifies five increasing levels of proficiency for each skill/competency. Some jobs require only a relatively low level of proficiency in each skill/competency, while other jobs will require a more advanced level of proficiency in the same skill/competency. These levels rate the degree of proficiency (skill level, expertise) we expect the incumbent to perform in the given skill/competency for the given job. Note that we intentionally do not associate timeframes or years of experience in performing the skill/competency because that can be misleading. Proficiency levels identify what the incumbent knows and can do rather than how long they have been doing it. Also, note that the proficiency levels are cumulative, e.g., a level 4 proficiency implies the ability to perform all the behaviors at the lower levels.
Check each Product Development Manager skill and competencie below to view definitions.

6 hard skills or competencies (industry competencies) for Product Development Manager

1 Industry Competency – Feasibility Study
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-Analyzing economic, technical, and legal considerations to determine the cost and risks of projects.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the process of generating feasibility questionnaires.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Collects information and documentation for a proposed study to help determine feasibility.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Handles the design of the feasibility questionnaires for studies.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Facilitates feasibility activities to design and present recommendations within defined timelines.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Creates a catalog of factors that warrant the need for carrying out a feasibility study.
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2 Industry Competency – Engineering Change Management
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Creating, reviewing, and implementing engineering change requests, orders, and notifications.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the goal of engineering change management in ensuring minimal disruption to quality improvements.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Gathers technical drawings and documents needed for the engineering change management process.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Follows quality assurance procedures for validating engineering changes.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Manages engineering change request processing and implementation procedures for controlled items.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Establishes user-defined codes to define the reason and status of engineering change management within the organization.
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3 Product Development Manager - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Product Development Manager
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Product Development Manager
Proficiency Level - 5

3 general skills or competencies (Job family competencies) for Product Development Manager

1 Job Family Competencies – Market Research
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Gathering information about a business's potential customers to determine the feasibility of a new product or service.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Discusses different types of market research, such as focus groups, polls, and surveys.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Conducts market research to support the execution of new product initiatives.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Generates questionnaires, surveys, and other data collection resources.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Facilitates one-on-one interviews with clients to identify and understand their needs.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Champions the adoption of advanced techniques and tools in enhancing marketing research processes.
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2 Job Family Competencies – Product Development
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-Overseeing the creation of new products or improvement of the performance, cost, or quality of existing products to achieve business goals.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Explains the principles and concepts of product development.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Enters all project-related information into the software tracking tool.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Manages various phases of product development, including design, development, and implementation.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Oversees all facets of a product development initiative, from site map creation to launch.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Leads the execution of a product roadmap based on planned product development activities.
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3 Product Development Manager - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Product Development Manager
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Product Development Manager
Proficiency Level - 5

14 soft skills or competencies (core competencies) for Product Development Manager

1 Core Competencies – Business Acumen
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Insight into our organization's business, goals, and values. Ability to design and implement initiatives that facilitate successful outcomes.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Explains our key business strategies and priorities.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Reports and communicates market and competitor status regularly to the management team.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Evaluates supply chain efficiency with an eye toward improving shortcomings.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Leverages the latest technologies and tools that enhance business analytics.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Designs and implements feedback loops to identify and promptly address business problems.
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2 Core Competencies – Budgeting
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Applying specific policies, tools and practices to plan and prepare projected revenues, expenses, cash flows, and capital expenditures.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Explains the different purposes and uses of our organization's budgets.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Produces budget reports showing planned vs. actual variances highlighted and explained.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Reviews and helps approve major budget adjustments to negotiate and reconcile line variances.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Monitors budgeting processes to ensure adherence to our organization's financial practices and standards.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Forecasts asset needs to leverage available inventory and data compilation for annual budgeting.
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3 Product Development Manager - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Product Development Manager
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Product Development Manager
Proficiency Level - 5

Summary of Product Development Manager skills and competencies

There are 6 hard skills for Product Development Manager, Feasibility Study, Engineering Change Management, Value Engineering, etc.
3 general skills for Product Development Manager, Market Research, Product Development, Product Marketing.
14 soft skills for Product Development Manager, Business Acumen, Budgeting, Planning and Organizing, etc.
While the list totals 23 distinct skills, it's important to note that not all are required to be mastered to the same degree. Some skills may only need a basic understanding, whereas others demand a higher level of expertise.
For instance, as a Product Development Manager, he or she needs to be proficient in Business Acumen, be proficient in Budgeting, and be skilled in Planning and Organizing.

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