Director of Program Development

 Who is Fikst?

Re:Build Fikst, LLC (Fikst), a Re:Build Manufacturing, LLC (Re:Build) company is a growing product design and engineering consulting firm located in Wilmington, MA. We work with pioneering clients to develop their technology, design their products, and bring those products to production. Fikst's areas of expertise include biomedical instruments and consumables, microfluidics, specialty plastic design, optics, industrial automation, and design for manufacturing. We have extensive in-house laboratory and rapid prototyping capability including CNCs, 3D printers and laser cutters, all of which helps facilitate our ability to prototype and innovate fast.

Who is Re:Build Manufacturing?

Re:Build Manufacturing is a growing family of industrial and engineering businesses combining enabling technologies, operational superiority, and strategic M&A to build America’s next generation industrial company. At Re:Build we deploy deep expertise in engineering, operations management, and technology to supercharge the performance of our member companies. We leverage deep professional expertise and a candid, principled operating culture to drive differentiated outcomes. Ours is a fast-paced environment where individuals can stretch and be challenged to pursue their fullest potential.

Re:Build was founded to pioneer a profitable model for the revitalization of US manufacturing. We’ve assembled a powerful set of complimentary capabilities and lines of business that enable us to pursue a wide range of end markets. Our acquired businesses are grounded in build-to-print and by-the-hour engineering and design services, and we’re leveraging their combined expertise to migrate to increasingly sophisticated program development and production, as well as the generation of our own products. Our unique set of capabilities lend themselves to highly complex systems and products, and we offer customers a range of services including product and systems design, automation, fabrication, assembly, and large volume contract manufacturing. Our customers span a wide array of industries including aerospace, defense, mobility, healthcare, pharma, biotech, clean tech, chemicals, energy, lifestyle, food production, and industrial equipment.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking a highly motivated, results-oriented program development and client engagement professional. WARNING: This is not a typical “biz dev” position. Everything we do is custom. We work on emerging technologies across life sciences, fluidic systems, greentech, and industrial products and collaborate very closely with our clients to commercialize those technologies.  We are looking for someone who has had experience as a practicing engineer developing technology-centric hardware products with a passion for connecting with clients, building relationships, and securing programs that our technical team is excited to work on.  

What you'll get to do

• Manage opportunities: Initiate and drive communications with prospective clients, manage overall interactions and information flow in the early stages of the client engagement, leverage our CRM system for contact management, tasks, and deal tracking, and work closely with senior leadership to prioritize opportunities.
• Communicate capabilities and understand client needs: Meet with prospective clients, present our overall capabilities, identify the key areas of opportunity, and assess how we can best support the client team.
• Build client relationships: Develop relationships with key decision-makers and collaborators at client organizations considering both the short term opportunities and the longer term relationship.
• Develop and present proposals: In collaboration with the technical project team, prepare and present proposals, statements of work, and presentations to prospective clients, highlighting our value proposition, technical capabilities, and competitive advantages.
• Initiate and manage legal document execution: Collaborate with the legal team and Fikst leadership to ensure timely execution of NDAs, MSAs, and finalized contracts.
• Negotiate and close program opportunities: Work with the technical project teams and senior leadership to negotiate and close program opportunities.
• Stay connected to project work and advocate for client relationship building: Be engaged and aware of the execution of the various projects. Be an advocate for the mutual success of the engagement throughout the life of the project and for the establishment of a long term client relationship.
• Make connections with potential, new clients - Through participation in industry events, contacts at local organizations, online platforms, and the leveraging of your personal network, expand the awareness of Fikst and our capabilities and identify opportunities for potential engagement with new clients.

What you bring to the Team

• Experience: 8+ years in a product development environment. Consulting and/or business development experience is a plus.
• Education: BS degree in engineering or technical field, or equivalent.
• Technical Knowledge: First-hand understanding of early-stage technology development and product commercialization, life sciences experience is a plus.
• Passion for business: A true passion to land programs that the technical team is excited to work on and that add value to the Fikst business.
• Industry Network and Knowledge: Knowledge of relevant industries and a network of contacts.
• Communication/People Skills: Versatile and professional communication skills - verbal and written - with the ability to articulate sophisticated technical content in a clear and concise manner.
• Team Orientation: An intrinsic desire to work and execute as a team which includes jumping in to support and advise others when needed.

What your “best day” may look like

THE CONTEXT: A new, potential client was referred to us four weeks ago. You met them virtually to assess if there was good alignment between their needs and our capabilities. A lot has happened since then to advance this opportunity. You successfully set up a mutual non-disclosure agreement and facilitated a client visit to the Fikst facility. You also involved several subject matter experts in the conversations, gathered crucial input from the Fikst technical team, and drafted a comprehensive statement of work. Following collaborative discussions with both the client and the Fikst team about the approach and budget, we're now anticipating their final decision on moving forward.

THE BEST DAY: The client calls and approves the first phase of the project. When you share the news, the team is thrilled about the project, its challenges, and the client. They demonstrate their appreciation through their enthusiasm for the work and their commitment to delivering excellent results. Even though you won't be a significant technical contributor, you've landed a project that serves the client well, energizes the team, and continues to expand the awareness of our company and capabilities. Nice job!

The BIG payoff

We are a company that is going to make a difference in the industries and the communities in which we choose to operate.

Every employee of Re:Build will share ownership in the company and share in the financial rewards of the success we achieve together, at all company levels!

We want to work with people that reflect the communities in which we operate

Re:Build Manufacturing is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, cultural background, organizational level, work styles, tenure and life experiences. Or for any other reason.

Re:Build is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at accommodations.ta@ReBuildmanufacturing.com or you may call us at 617.909.6275.