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Protolabs
Global Product Director, 3D Printing
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What they do
A Director of Manufacturing oversees management of all areas of manufacturing to produce products and direct activities so that approved products are manufactured on schedule and within quality standards and cost objectives.
$168,222 / year median in Minnesota
+6% projected growth
Job Description
Be yourself at Protolabs Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a diverse team that feels they are valued in the workplace. So do you feel you do not meet every single requirement but still intrigued? We encourage you to still apply! You can help make our company even better. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, age, mental or physical ability, or any way you represent yourself. We strongly believe diversity makes for more successful teams. Why Protolabs? We are the leaders in digital manufacturing. We hire doers, makers, and creative thinkers who tackle our roles with an entrepreneurial spirit. Our culture is centered around meaningful work that brings new and innovative products to market at unprecedented speeds. We are a diverse team that comes from all walks of life and take pride in our team who is smart, genuine, humble, and passionate about what we do. It's our people who fuel our creativity and make our culture feel like home. Join Our Team as Global Product Director, 3D Printing! We are accepting applications from candidates based in Minnesota or North Carolina. This is a hybrid role based in our Maple Plain, MN, or Raleigh, NC office, with on-site work expected on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. The Global Product Director,3D Printing is a strategic and data-driven role responsible for leading, managing and directing the product-related activities within the 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing) Product Line.
This role is responsible for proactive management of Protolabs' 3D Printing offering across the full range of additive technologies and materials. The successful candidate will work closely with operations, engineering and R&D, sales, marketing and leadership to maximize the growth, development and return on investment of the organization's product portfolio today and in the future. At its core, this role owns the strategy and the business plans' implementation for all 3D Printing offerings and is jointly accountable for their profitability with the sales and operations.
The Global Product Director leads and directs the 3D Printing product team, translating deep additive manufacturing expertise and product strategy into scalable, repeatable go-to-market execution that accelerates adoption across segments and regions. This role reports into the Chief Technology and AI Officer. What you'll do: Strategy & Planning Promote and influence strategy formulation and investment decisions and develop 3D Printing product roadmaps with strong market orientation and outstanding financial outcomes Own the product planning process for the additive manufacturing portfolio, including new technology and new product additions across the full range of 3D printing processes and materials Set the direction for which additive technologies, materials, and applications Protolabs invests in, balancing prototyping and low-to-mid volume production use cases Ensure the digital manufacturing offering of 3D Printing drives high conversion of customers on the Protolabs ecommerce platform Value Proposition Development Ensure product roadmaps are linked to segment-specific customer needs and willingness to pay, with quantified value propositions based on value delivered vs. competitive offerings and alternative manufacturing methods Work closely with the Pricing Director to develop pricing strategies based on value delivered relative to the customer's next best alternative, and lead change management around pricing to extract maximum value from new and existing 3D printing offerings Customer Relationship Management Communicate the value of the offering in customer-centric terms to cause customers to choose Protolabs' additive offerings based on value delivered Distill key customer value-creation elements of new offerings into functional requirements for the engineering team, including design-for-additive-manufacturing (DfAM) considerations Align cross-functional teams
This role is responsible for proactive management of Protolabs' 3D Printing offering across the full range of additive technologies and materials. The successful candidate will work closely with operations, engineering and R&D, sales, marketing and leadership to maximize the growth, development and return on investment of the organization's product portfolio today and in the future. At its core, this role owns the strategy and the business plans' implementation for all 3D Printing offerings and is jointly accountable for their profitability with the sales and operations.
The Global Product Director leads and directs the 3D Printing product team, translating deep additive manufacturing expertise and product strategy into scalable, repeatable go-to-market execution that accelerates adoption across segments and regions. This role reports into the Chief Technology and AI Officer. What you'll do: Strategy & Planning Promote and influence strategy formulation and investment decisions and develop 3D Printing product roadmaps with strong market orientation and outstanding financial outcomes Own the product planning process for the additive manufacturing portfolio, including new technology and new product additions across the full range of 3D printing processes and materials Set the direction for which additive technologies, materials, and applications Protolabs invests in, balancing prototyping and low-to-mid volume production use cases Ensure the digital manufacturing offering of 3D Printing drives high conversion of customers on the Protolabs ecommerce platform Value Proposition Development Ensure product roadmaps are linked to segment-specific customer needs and willingness to pay, with quantified value propositions based on value delivered vs. competitive offerings and alternative manufacturing methods Work closely with the Pricing Director to develop pricing strategies based on value delivered relative to the customer's next best alternative, and lead change management around pricing to extract maximum value from new and existing 3D printing offerings Customer Relationship Management Communicate the value of the offering in customer-centric terms to cause customers to choose Protolabs' additive offerings based on value delivered Distill key customer value-creation elements of new offerings into functional requirements for the engineering team, including design-for-additive-manufacturing (DfAM) considerations Align cross-functional teams
- Product Marketing, Sales, and Pricing around service-line strategy, priorities, and execution plans, ensuring sales execution stays aligned to roadmap direction and approved messaging Products and Services Management Manage product/service life cycles, profitability, demand planning and maintain competitive additive offering portfolios that deliver more value than the next best alternative Drive both offering and business-model innovation across the additive portfolio, and lead change as required Use structured processes to drive expected financial results Establish and maintain a project-management framework in line with strategic objectives, and monitor and control the delivery of programs and projects Technical & Additive Manufacturing Leadership Serve as the senior product authority on additive manufacturing, providing deep technical direction across the major 3D printing technologies — including SLS (Selective Laser Sintering), SLA (Stereolithography), FDM/FFF (Fused Deposition Modeling), MJF (Multi Jet Fusion), DMLS/SLM (Direct Metal Laser Sintering / Selective Laser Melting), PolyJet, and binder jetting Apply expert understanding of additive materials•including nylons and engineering thermoplastics (e.
- and carbon-filled grades), TPU and elastomers, photopolymer resins, and metals such as stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, Inconel, and cobalt chrome — to guide portfolio and roadmap decisions Match technologies and materials to customer applications based on mechanical properties, tolerances, surface finish, build volume, throughput, post-processing requirements, and total cost, spanning both rapid prototyping and end-use production Stay ahead of emerging additive technologies, materials, and competitive offerings, and translate that insight into differentiated roadmap and investment decisions What it takes: Bachelor's degree in technology, engineering or business.