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%
$140,217
TOTAL 50%
$154,270
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)
Lists the applications used in a feasibility study.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Supports the feasibility study processes, including reviews and studies of budget proposals.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Works with management to conduct feasibility studies to implement proposed project requirements.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Oversees the feasibility study process to develop contingency plans for projects.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Establishes and shares strategic statistical input, feasibility assessments, and follow-ups.
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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)
Lists the methodologies and practices in engineering change management processes.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Supports the implementation of change documentation activities to eliminate error.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Performs engineering change control and processes all technical data requests for classified documentation.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Monitors performance outcomes to improve accuracy and consistency of all handled documentations.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Generates value-added proposals to implement top-level engineering change management.
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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)
Explains the importance of market research in elevating business success.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Identifies and applies appropriate research methods in conducting market research.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Leverages market research data to gain valuable insights into customer needs.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Monitors the competitors' capabilities to maintain a competitive advantage in the market.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Develops SOPs for researching market conditions, competitors, and consumer trends.
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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)
Lists the processes in creating a product development plan.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Gathers relevant data to assist leaders with idea generation and new product brainstorming.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Performs product and market analysis to identify the need for product enhancement.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Oversees the execution phase, including finding defects or further changes to the new product.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Oversees the transformation of consumer needs to product benefits and specifications.
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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)
Names our key stakeholders from a business value chain perspective.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Supports the planning, implementation, and management of training programs that foster process improvements.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Implements effective marketing strategies that achieve improved business outcomes.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Optimizes business processes based on deep insight into various business unit functions.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Evaluates industry and market trends to identify new business opportunities.
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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 importance of budget reporting and forecasting in our workplace.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Supplies supporting information and justification for major line items.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Utilizes software tools and applications to forecast our annual budget accurately.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Provides in-depth training to our entire organization about the zero based budgeting methodology.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Introduces technologies, policies, and programs for more effective budget management.
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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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