Fractional NPI Director
1. Overview
The Fractional NPI Director service provides engineering teams with access to a senior New Product Introduction (NPI) director on an hourly, as-required basis, without the overhead or commitment of a permanent hire. The director works directly with the client's engineering team, taking responsibility for the manufacturing-facing elements of a project that would otherwise require dedicated in-house resource.
The service is typically engaged by teams that have the technical capability to design a product but lack a senior resource with direct experience of taking a product through NPI and into production. Because the engagement is billed hourly, the level of involvement can be increased around key milestones, such as a production release or a board presentation, and reduced during quieter periods of a project.
The service is provided with no minimum term, and the level of engagement is agreed at the outset and reviewed as the project progresses. Access is direct to the engineer carrying out the work; there is no account management layer between the client and the person doing the work.
2. What Is Included
- Manufacturing plans for investors and the board. A manufacturing plan prepared for board or investor purposes, written by an engineer with direct experience of the process it describes, rather than derived from a generic template.
- NPI process guidance and oversight. Oversight of the New Product Introduction process from initial planning through to first article sign-off, including guidance to the client's own engineering team where required.
- Liaison with the contract manufacturer. The director is copied on correspondence with the CEM and responds directly on the client's behalf, rather than routing every query back to the client for a response.
- Availability during production. Engineering queries raised during an active production run are addressed on the same working day wherever possible.
- PCB vendor selection and panelisation. Selection of an appropriate PCB vendor and design of panelisation appropriate to the build volume and board complexity, together with resolution of any related engineering queries.
- Production risk assessment. Identification of the risks most likely to result in a line stop, rework, or delay, in advance of production.
3. Who This Service Is For
- Teams that need senior NPI oversight for a specific project but do not have sufficient ongoing requirement to justify a full-time hire.
- Teams preparing a manufacturing plan for presentation to investors or a board, where the plan needs to withstand detailed scrutiny.
- Teams already in production who require a director to manage day-to-day correspondence with a contract manufacturer.
4. How the Engagement Works
- Scoping. The client and Veritex agree the scope of the engagement and an approximate level of monthly involvement.
- Integration. The director is added to relevant correspondence with the contract manufacturer and to the client's internal project channels, as required by the scope agreed.
- Ongoing delivery. Work is billed hourly and the level of involvement is adjusted as the project moves through its various stages.
5. Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a minimum number of hours required?
No. The engagement is scoped to the requirements of the individual project and can be increased or reduced as those requirements change.
Will the director communicate directly with our contract manufacturer?
Yes. Where agreed as part of the scope, the director is copied on CEM correspondence and responds directly, reducing the number of queries that need to be relayed back to the client.
Can this service be combined with a design review or prototype management?
Yes. Many clients engage a Design Review ahead of production and Turnkey Prototype Management once a build begins, alongside ongoing Fractional NPI Director support.
How is the service billed?
The service is billed hourly, with time recorded against the project and made available to the client through the portal.
6. Getting Started
To discuss a Fractional NPI Director engagement, submit an enquiry outlining the project and the level of support required. Further detail on how engagements typically progress is available on the How It Works page.