Senior Project Manager R&D
We are looking for an experienced project manager to drive Profoto's next generation of flash and LED products. In this role you will drive projects from the concept and development phase at Profoto, through to industrialization and volume production in Asia. You will be a key player in our ambition to combine premium quality with speed to market.
Concept and Development in Stockholm
Concept work, core technology, and product development are owned in Sweden — this is where Profoto's products are defined and engineered. Products are then finalized and industrialized together with our manufacturing partners in Asia. This requires a project manager who understands both worlds.
You know how to maintain pace through the development phase — short EVT/DVT loops, rapid prototyping, and agile iteration — without compromising on the precision and customer value that define Profoto.
About the Role
As Senior Project Manager at Profoto, you lead complex hardware projects in flash and LED from concept and initiation through to launch. You work closely with engineering team, product management, and external partners to shape and develop the product. In the later NPI phase you also coordinate with manufacturing partners, suppliers, and external development companies to take the product into production.
You are responsible for delivering projects within agreed scope, time, cost, and product quality. You keep track of the details in the present without losing sight of the big picture — and you understand that decisions made today leave a mark far into the project.
Your Responsibilities:
Project Management & Delivery
Lead complex R&D projects from concept to launch with responsibility for scope, time, cost, and quality
Drive the new product development (NPD) process with engineering and manufacturing partners— ensuring clear responsibilities, communication structures, and escalation paths
Translate product strategy into concrete project plans, resource forecasts, and budgets
Drive teams to understand and deliver on the product's customer value and business case
Report transparently — project tracking, budget management, and risk management in Jira, Confluence, and Insight
Coordinate parallel engineering across hardware, software, and industrial design — running disciplines simultaneously rather than sequentially
Drive DFM work and BOM optimization in dialogue with manufacturing partners, external development partners, and component suppliers
Own the product qualification and sample approval process and ensure that Profoto's quality requirements are non-negotiable
Identify and escalate risks related to supply chain, quality, and certification in a timely manner
Cross-Functional Coordination & Leadership
Ensure projects are executed according to the NPD process and established governance, business reviews, and forecast activities
Drive cross-functional alignment with product management, operations, NPI project managers, and marketing
Contribute to OKR work and ensure that project objectives reflect the organization's business goals
Part of Profoto's development is carried out together with external development companies that complement our internal capabilities — this is a deliberate and growing part of how we work. You take a leading role here: coordinating and managing external resources, ensuring delivery according to plan and quality requirements, and integrating their work seamlessly into the overall project plan.
Working from the Stockholm development team and out to production and external partners, you form the hub that ensures products move seamlessly and quickly from design to production.
What We Are Looking For
Master of Science degree or equivalent in engineering — preferably electrical engineering, industrial engineering or mechanical engineering
Minimum 7 years of experience in project management within technology or product development organizations
Documented experience with hardware projects taken into volume manufacturing — you understand EMS partnerships, NPI processes, and global supplier networks in practice. Experience with Chinese suppliers and knowledge of China Speed is a strong advantage
Ability to work in a distributed development setup where concepts and core technology are developed in Sweden and finalized together with manufacturing partners
Experience coordinating and managing external development partners and consultants. A meaningful part of our development is carried out together with external partners, so this is a key complementary capability we want to strengthen in the team
Experience with cost-driven development — BOM analysis, DFM, COGS optimization
Strong understanding of R&D processes, product lifecycles, and Stage-Gate/NPD models
Proficiency with project tools
Strong communication and leadership skills — in English and in Swedish and experience of cross-cultural collaboration with manufacturing partners as a strong advantage
Ability to travel: 50-70 days/year
Want to join Profoto – The Light Shaping Company?
We kindly ask you not to include a cover letter. Instead, please focus on providing a clear CV.
Interviews are conducted on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Candidates who pass the initial screening will be invited to complete a short set of online assessments covering logical, numerical, and verbal reasoning as one part of the overall recruitment process.
- Department
- R&D
- Role
- Project Management
- Locations
- Stockholm Head Quarter
Do you love change and want to develop in your career?
Stockholm Head Quarter
What we offer
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Strong career development
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Continuous change
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Challenging fast-paced environment
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Smart & passionate colleagues
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International opportunities
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Work life balance
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Customer focused world-class company
Behind the scenes at Profoto
At Profoto we have high standards and only hire the best. We invest heavily in the development of our people to ensure we are an employer of choice for those who value professional development and continuous challenges.
About Profoto
50 years ago, our founders Conny Dufgran and Eckhard Heine resolved to make the very best flash for the very best photographers, and they succeeded. That’s a standard that we don’t only aim to maintain but to surpass.