Product Development Project Manager

Modern Synthesis is a biotech company bringing life to new materials. Founded by ex-Adidas designer Jen Keane and synthetic biologist Dr. Ben Reeve, we work with bacteria to produce an entirely new class of nanocellulose-based materials, which deliver performance without plastics and aesthetics without animal inputs. Designed for applications within fashion and beyond, our 100% biobased materials not only displace animal leathers or plastic-based materials, but also generate entirely new textile possibilities for designers. You can read more about our technology on our website.

We believe that big breakthroughs happen when disparate disciplines, perspectives and ideas collide. As a team of biologists, chemists, designers, engineers, business experts, and microbes, we benefit from these creative collisions on a daily basis. From our strong culture of debate (hot takes always welcome ️) to our bi-weekly deep dives, we intentionally embed collaboration and growth into everything we do.

We hire people, not roles, so we can be flexible on scope. We strongly encourage you to apply if you think you’re qualified for a portion of this role, and can demonstrate a proven ability to take on new skills and challenges.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Product Development Project Manager is responsible for managing the development of our next generation materials for the fashion and sportswear industries. This position will work closely with dynamic cross-functional teams to ensure that development projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Material Development Project Delivery

• Manage the development process for our leather-alternative products from concept to delivery
• Improve and implement project management tools and best practises
• Develop and manage project plans and timelines
• Lead project progress and steering meetings
• Track development progress, proactively identifying and mitigating risks
• Manage project budgets
• Review deliverables and support with the testing and evaluation of new materials

Project Scoping & Planning

• Support our commercial team with developing customer relationships and gathering product requirements
• Develop project objectives, milestones, deliverables, resource allocation, risks and timelines with key stakeholders
• Act as the primary liaison between the customers and stakeholders for development projects aligning of deliverables and expectations across project phases
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure products meet customer expectations, aligned with our technical capabilities
• Define and tracking product requirements, aligned to a quality function deployment (QFD) or similar framework
• Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and competitor activity within next-generation materials and textiles

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a related field, such as textile engineering, textile design, materials science or polymer science
• 3+ years of experience in product development
• Experience working in cross-functional teams
• Strong project management skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Proficiency with project management tools

DESIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
The following skills and experience are not required for the role, but would be beneficial for a successful applicant:
Experience with textiles or material innovation

• Knowledge or experience of development within the fashion and sportswear industries
• Experience with structured new product development processes, from initiation to product launch
• Experience with Jira or similar software
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Experience working in a start-up environment

• Company pension scheme
• Private Health Insurance, including vision, dental and stipends
• Enhanced Parental Leave Policy
• Hybrid working arrangements
• Flexible working hours
• Cycle-to-work Scheme
• Headspace subscription
• Individual training budget for professional development, including access to LinkedIn Learning