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NPD Readiness Lead

Marmon Holdings · Carol Stream, IL · Full time

Posted Sep 8, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a launch where early-life failures hurt customers. What would you have done differently?

What they are checking: Whether they learn from launch problems and connect them to readiness gaps.

How do you work across engineering, supply chain, support and field service to hit readiness milestones?

What they are checking: Whether they can lead several functions to a deadline without having direct authority over any of them.

Tell me about a checklist or framework you built that other teams kept using.

What they are checking: Whether they create repeatable processes rather than heroic one-off efforts.

What would you do

How would you plug service readiness into a product development process that has ignored it?

What they are checking: Whether they can influence engineering timelines and gates without slowing launches.

Engineering wants to launch on schedule even though service manuals and parts are not ready. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they can lay out the risk clearly and push for a plan instead of just saying no.

About the work

What does it mean for a new product to be service-ready at launch?

What they are checking: Whether they think about diagnostics, training, parts and documentation before the first unit ships.

How do you make sure field technicians are trained before a new piece of foodservice equipment is installed?

What they are checking: Their approach to training plans and timing for service networks.

What diagnostics and documentation would you insist on before launch?

What they are checking: Whether they know what technicians need to fix equipment fast in a busy restaurant.

How would you measure whether readiness work reduced avoidable service demand?

What they are checking: Whether they can prove the value of their work with metrics like call rates and first-time fix.

How do you gather feedback from the field after launch and feed it back to engineering?

What they are checking: Whether they close the loop to speed up time to stable performance.

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The full job description

As published by Marmon Holdings.

Marmon Foodservice Technologies, Inc. As a part of the global industrial organization Marmon Holdings—which is backed by Berkshire Hathaway— you’ll be doing things that matter, leading at every level, and winning a better way. We’re committed to making a positive impact on the world, providing you with diverse learning and working opportunities, and fostering a culture where everyone’s empowered to be their best. Though you may not know us by name, you’ve most likely enjoyed meals and refreshments supported by our industry-leading brand portfolio. For decades, we’ve designed and manufactured foodservice equipment for some of the world’s biggest, most recognized consumer brands. We are driven to innovate with a clear purpose in mind: revolutionizing the future of foodservice. Guided by our commitment to Doing Things That Matter, Leading at Every Level, and Winning a Better Way, we focus on delivering meaningful impact for our customers, our communities, and each other. Ensures new products are service-ready at launch by driving end-to-end operational readiness across diagnostics, training, documentation, field execution, and support—preventing avoidable demand, reducing early-life failures, and accelerating time to stable performance. This role creates value by translating product development outputs into clear, executable service readiness—ensuring Support, Field, Training, and Customer Operations teams are prepared to diagnose, resolve, and support new products effectively from day one. Through cross-functional coordination and disciplined readiness processes, the NPD Readiness Lead reduces escalation risk, improves first-time resolution, and protects customer experience during product introduction. Role Summary The NPD Readiness Lead is responsible for ensuring all new products are fully prepared for service execution prior to and during launch, acting as the operational bridge between Product Development, Engineering, and Aftermarket teams. This role owns end-to-end service readiness for new product introductions (NPD)—including diagnostics, documentation, training alignment, field readiness, and early-life support. The NPD Readiness Lead ensures that all service-facing teams are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and processes required to support new products at launch and stabilize performance post-release. Key Responsibilities 1. End-to-End Service Readiness Ownership (NPD) • Own service readiness for all new product introductions • Ensure readiness across: • Technical support (diagnostics and troubleshooting) • Field service execution • Training and capability development • Documentation and knowledge tools • Define readiness criteria and ensure all requirements are met prior to launch • Prevent gaps that would result in avoidable escalations, repeat contact, or field failure • At times project management may be required 2. Cross-Functional Coordination (Engineering, Product, Support, Field) • Act as the primary operational interface between: • Engineering / Product Development • Support Contact Center • Field Service (ASA) • Training (Virtual + University) • Ensure alignment between: • Product design intent • Serviceability and diagnostic capability • Translate technical product details into clear, executable service requirements 3. Diagnostic & Technical Readiness • Ensure diagnostic pathways are defined, validated , and documented prior to launch • Partner with Engineering and operational teams to: • Identify likely failure modes • Develop troubleshooting logic and flows • Validate that support teams can: • Diagnose issues accurately • Apply correct resolution pathways • Ensure readiness aligns to diagnose-before-dispatch principles 4. Training Alignment & Capability Enablement • Partner with: • Technical Training Specialist (Virtual) • Technical Trainer (Internal University) • Technical Trainer (External) • Ensure training content is: • Developed prior to launch • Aligned to real product functionality and failure modes • Validate readiness of: • Dispatch/Warranty • Technical Case Owners • Customer Operations Lead • Field/ASAs • Ensure capability is sufficient to support first-time resolution from launch 5. Documentation & Knowledge Readiness • Ensure all service-facing content is complete and validated prior to launch: • Work instructions • Diagnostic flows (e.g., Zingtree) • Technical documentation • Job aids and field guides • Establish a single source of truth for new product support • Identify and close gaps that would create confusion or inconsistent execution 6. Launch Execution & Early-Life Support • Support go-live readiness and launch execution • Provide heightened oversight during early product lifecycle • Monitor: • Early failure trends • Escalation patterns • Diagnostic gaps • Act quickly to resolve readiness issues impacting service execution 7. Diagnostic Troubleshooting & Resolution • Lead technical diagnosis of equipment issues using structured troubleshooting methods • Identify root cause through effective questioning, analysis, and tool utilization • Resolve issues via: • Phone fix / remote guidance • Knowledge base resources • Correct field dispatch when required • Reinforce diagnose-before-dispatch principles to minimize unnecessary service events • Ensure all resolutions are accurate , complete, and repeatable 8 . Demand & Failure Mode Feedback Loop • Capture and analyze: • Early-life product failures • Repeat issues and escalation drivers • Translate insights into actionable improvements for: • Engineering (design or product adjustments) • Training (capability gaps) • Support (process or diagnostic improvements) • Ensure learnings are fed into the broader closed-loop improvement model 9 . Risk Identification & Mitigation • Identify risks to service readiness prior to product launch: • Incomplete diagnostics • Training gaps • Documentation deficiencies • Field readiness issues • Proactively escalate risks and drive mitigation plans • Ensure launch occurs with clear visibility of readiness status and residual risks 9. Standardization & Continuous Improvement of Readiness Model • Develop and refine standardized NPD Service Readiness processes • Ensure repeatable, scalable readiness practices across products • Continuously improve readiness based on: • Launch performance • Service outcomes • Feedback from cross-functional teams Key Decisions Owned • Readiness status determination (ready vs. at risk vs. not ready) • Prioritization of readiness gaps impacting launch success • Escalation of product, capability, or documentation risks • Validation of diagnostic readiness and service pathways • Recommendations for product or training adjustments based on early-life performance Measures of Success • First-Time Resolution (New Products): Strong resolution quality at launch • Early-Life Failure Rate: Reduction in repeat issues and failures post-launch • Escalation Rate (New Products): Minimized escalations due to readiness gaps • Time to Stability: Speed at which new products reach steady-state performance • Customer Effort (CES): Reduced friction during initial product adoption • Training Readiness: Capability achieved ahead of or at launch • Documentation Completeness: Availability and usability of service content • Field Dispatch Accuracy: Reduction in unnecessary or incorrect dispatch • Readiness Compliance: % of readiness criteria achieved prior to launch Qualifications & Experience • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in technical, engineering, or service-related field • 5–8+ years of experience in: • Technical support • Field service • Product support or NPD environments • Experience working cross-functionally with: • Engineering • Product teams • Service operations Key Skills & Competencies • Strong technical and diagnostic understanding • Systems thinking across product, service, and customer impact • Cross-functional leadership and influence without authority • Ability to translate technical complexity into operational execution • Strong problem-solving and risk identification capability • Data-driven decision making and insight generation • Clear communication and stakeholder alignment • Project management experience Nice-to-Have / Future-Focused Capabilities • Experience supporting product launches or NPD programs • Familiarity with service readiness frameworks or stage-gate processes • Experience in aftermarket or equipment-based service environments • Exposure to training, documentation, or knowledge systems • Lean / continuous improvement experience Travel Expectations • 25-30% for customer installations and visits . Benefits We support your well-being with comprehensive and easy-to-use benefits that you’ll be eligible to enroll in on your first day of employment. Here are some of the highlights: • Medical, Dental, Vision, and Prescription Drug insurance plans • Access to a Health Advocate who is an expert in Marmon’s health plan and can help you select the best health benefits for you and your family • Tax advantaged spending accounts for health and dependent care expenses • Wellness programs and resources including Telehealth, Mental Health, Fitness, and Family Planning • Generous paid time off for personal use, holidays, and parental leave • Company-sponsored life insurance • 401(k) with fully vested company match; Marmon may also make an additional annual discretionary contribution to your account, whether or not you contribute on your own • Financial and retirement advising About Marmon Holdings Marmon Holdings, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company, comprises 11 groups and more than 100 autonomous businesses with total annual revenue of $10 billion. Marmon’s 28,000-plus team members are celebrating the company's 70th anniversary in 2023 and helping write the next chapter of Marmon's story. Pay Range: 70,400.00 - 105,600.00 We offer a comprehensive benefits package that may include medical, dental, vision, 401k matching, and more! Following receipt of a conditional offer of employment, candidates will be required to complete additional job-related screening processes as permitted or required by applicable law . We are an equal opportunity employer, and all applicants will be considered for employment without attention to their membership in any protected class. If you require any reasonable accommodation to complete your application or any part of the recruiting process, please email your request to careers@marmon.com, and please be sure to include the title and the location of the position for which you are applying.

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