Product Development Manager at Field Ready

ABOUT FIELD READY

Field Ready is a global NGO dedicated to empowering people living in complex environments to make the things they need, where they need them, when they need them. We make useful items to solve problems locally using the latest technology combined with traditional local manufacturing and building capacity for others to do so. In the Near East region, we have four co-working and makerspaces in Iraq, and have operated a workshop in North West Syria since late 2016. We have recently registered in Turkey and are currently building our presence in the country.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Waste for Warmth is a plastic recycling – shelter winterization project by partners Field Ready, Engineers Without Borders Norway (EWB-N) and the Polyfloss Factory Ltd (PFF), with funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affair, through Innovation Norway’s Humanitarian Innovation Programme (HIP). The programme funds and supports development, testing and scaling of new solutions that can contribute to better and more efficient humanitarian action. The Waste for Warmth partnership is developing and testing a new approach to shelter winterisation by making tent insulation in the field. The insulation is made from recycled plastics, using a technology called Polyfloss. The Polyfloss machine processes plastic to a mass of thin fibers of plastic that resembles candyfloss (cotton candy) in appearance, with insulating performance comparable with traditional insulation products. Insulation product prototypes have been developed and tested in Oslo over the past months.

PILOT OBJECTIVES

In Gaziantep, Field Ready will setup a two-month trial manufacturing of Polyfloss and derived products, with a machine arriving at the end of May and manufacturing starting in June 2021. The objective of the pilot is to prove the reliability of the PFF machines in a field context, adapt products to local needs and assess the humanitarian sector interest in the product and local manufacturing process, meeting shelter winterization needs and contributing to work creation and the greening of humanitarian responses.
The pilot should meet the following objectives:

1. Operations test Prove the machine performs over time in a “field location” (2 months active use, full working weeks). This includes development of a capacity-building programme to teach operators how to manufacture adapted products from the Polyfloss raw materials.
2. Product- manufacturing and development Manufacturing of insulation product to prove resource assumptions. Develop simplified manufacturing process (from machine output to product) and solicit end user- and Gaziantep shelter cluster feedback to guide further product development.
3. Develop humanitarian client / partner relationships Prove interest from humanitarian organisations in the insulating products, in implementing the mode of manufacturing. Prove interest from potential scale partners to join the project.
4. Recycling partner / local plastic recycling programmes Test manufacturing with various qualities of input plastics. Explore partnerships for sourcing of waste material.
   PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES

The ideal fit for the position will be someone comfortable setting up and overseeing the Pilot manufacturing operation and heading Product Management for the Project. As product manager you will work to identify customer and user needs and the larger business objectives that the product will fulfil. This will be articulated as goals for further development of the product and manufacturing method. The role will report to, and be closely supported, by Field Ready’s Turkey Lead based in Gaziantep. While the initial objective is to setup the workshop operation and support the manufacturing pilot, it is key for the pilot success to identify and demonstrate market interest for the product and to use this interest to guide further project development. Identifying user needs and and product management will be as important as your technical background. Experience with the humanitarian sector is also valued.

Applicants with product- and industrial design, engineering and architect backgrounds are considered relevant for the position. Entrepreneurship and Business and Administration could be considered an advantage. Tasks include:

• Set up and oversee the manufacturing operation, logistics, sourcing materials and tools for the Waste for Warmth manufacturing pilot in Gaziantep.
• Conduct client and user interviews, with support from with Engineers Without Borders (EWB).
• Translate business-to-technical requirements for product and machine development
• Run product design sprints / oversee design process to further develop the product based on users, clients and test input.
• Work closely with Waste for Warmth team on business modelling, exploring and describing potential avenues to scale the project.
• Give local presentations of the Waste for Warmth Project, coordinate technical demonstrations and sharing of material with interested parties.

REQUIREMENTS

The best applicants will combine relevant know-how with excellent people skills and an ability to get things done under challenging conditions. This is a special opportunity for someone who wants to use their skills and experience to improve the lives of people around the world. The candidate MUST have the following:

• Bachelor in Product Design or Industrial Design or Engineering
• Fluent in English and Turkish (Arabic is an extra value)
• Turkish citizenship or right-to-work in Turkey
• Trustworthy and honest
• Excellent team player
• Excellent IT skills

The position will report to Field Ready‘s Turkey-Syria Program Lead and will coordinate with project partners and coordinate and revise Pilot and Product objectives with the Waste for Warmth Project Manager (EWB).