Program Manager

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Looking for an opportunity to join a rapidly growing manufacturing company for customized solutions technology? READ ON!!!! The Program Manager will be the central point of contact, orchestrating communication and collaboration across internal teams and with our customers. You will be responsible for defining and tracking project milestones, proactively identifying and resolving issues, and ensuring all projects stay on schedule and within scope. This is a hands-on position requiring a strategic thinker with a keen eye for detail and a proven ability to drive results. Our client offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance, paid holidays, paid vacation, sick leave, and a 401(k) plan!

Immediate opening for a Program Manager near Rochester, MN. who possesses:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Management, or a related field (MBA or MSE preferred).
• Experience: 5+ years of experience in program or senior project management, specifically within a manufacturing or technical product environment.
• Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with ERP systems (Epicor preferred), 3D design workflows (Creo), and Lean Manufacturing principles.
• Strategic Thinking: Proven ability to manage complex, overlapping projects and translate high-level goals into actionable manufacturing plans.
• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Certification: PMP or PgMP certification is a significant plus.

Responsibilities Include:

• Serve as the primary internal and external liaison for large, critical programs, from the initial pre-order, RFQ phase through completion and delivery.
• Establish a clear communication plan with inside sales and the customer for each critical program, defining milestones and reporting frequency.
• With input from engineering, production, and sales, develop comprehensive program plans, including detailed Gantt charts, to define milestones, dependencies, and timelines.
• Proactively identify potential project risks and bottlenecks, developing and implementing mitigation strategies to keep programs on track.
• Responsible for organizing and hosting both internal and external project kickoff, regular cadence meetings, PDR, CDR, and any other necessary reviews
• Collaborate with the estimating team, engineering, and Director of Sales to support the sales funnel and prioritize quotes and projects in the queue.
• Actively monitor factory production schedule and engineering to track project progress against established schedules and lead internal reviews to ensure all milestones and due dates are met.
• Lead regular internal status meetings to review program progress and address any challenges.
• Serve as the key liaison to the customer for all critical programs, coordinating with inside sales and the regional sales manager to provide timely and transparent updates.
• Generate and distribute weekly and monthly reports on the status of key programs, including both won projects and those in the quoting queue, for the sales and leadership teams.
• Collaborate with the regional managers to understand scale of potential opportunities and capture data within our CRM, helping to prioritize our must-win programs

KEY BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• 401k
• Paid vacation + sick time + paid holidays
• Friendly, employee-centric company culture
• Amazing health benefits (medical, dental, vision, etc)
• Client is offering a base of $110-130k DOE