Project Management, Manager (People Leader)
Summary
Leads a team of project managers overseeing complex switchgear manufacturing projects, ensuring on-time delivery, quality, and compliance with electrical standards while mentoring staff.
Job Summary:
The Project Management Manager is a working manager who leads and manages their project management team while continuing to personally manage a portfolio of electrical distribution equipment projects. This role carries full management responsibility for the team and is accountable for the team’s overall delivery, capacity, and adherence to standards. In parallel, the Project Management Manager owns the lifecycle of assigned high-value projects from initiation through closure, coordinating cross-functional teams (Engineering, Production, Procurement, Sales) and ensuring adherence to specifications, budget, and schedule. The ideal candidate pairs strong leadership with deep, hands-on project management expertise in a technical manufacturing environment.
Key Responsibilities:
Team Management & Leadership:
- Lead and manage their project management team, providing direction, coaching, and development.
- Set clear goals and expectations, and provide ongoing feedback and support to the team.
- Assign incoming projects to Project Managers based on complexity, capacity, skill set, and customer relationship, and balance workload across the team.
- Build and sustain a collaborative, accountable team culture aligned with company values and quality expectations.
- Partner with the Director of PMO on staffing, resourcing, and capacity planning.
Project Portfolio Management (Working Manager):
- Personally manage the lifecycle of a portfolio of high-value electrical distribution equipment projects from initiation through closure.
- Develop and maintain milestones, objectives, detailed timelines, resource allocation, and budget forecasts for assigned projects.
- Manage the change control process, documenting and approving changes to scope, schedule, or budget.
- Serve as a senior point of contact for key customers on assigned projects and escalations.
Process, Standards & Continuous Improvement:
- Own and continuously improve the team’s project management processes, standard work, tools, and templates.
- Drive adoption of standardized practices and ensure consistency in how projects are planned, tracked, reported, and closed across the team.
- Ensure all manufactured products and associated documentation meet quality and regulatory standards.
Communication & Stakeholder Management:
- Facilitate clear, effective communication across Engineering, Production, Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, and Sales.
- Report team and portfolio status, key milestones, risks, and escalations to the Director of PMO.
Risk Management & Safety:
- Proactively identify, analyze, and mitigate project and team risks to prevent schedule delays or budget overruns.
- Must comply with the company’s safety policies.
Qualifications:
- Minimum of 8 years of project management experience in a technical manufacturing environment, preferably within the electrical distribution equipment, power distribution, or electrical construction industry, including at least 2 years in a leadership, supervisory, or management capacity.
- Demonstrated experience managing, supervising, or leading project managers or a project team.
- Working familiarity with electrical power distribution equipment rated 480V and above (e.g., switchgear, switchboards, breakers, protective relays, transformers).
- Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, engineering drawings, and customer specifications.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Engineering (Electrical or Mechanical), Technical Management, or a related field (preferred but not required for the right candidate).
- PMP or equivalent certification (e.g., CAPM, PRINCE2) is highly desirable.
Core Competencies:
- Proven people leadership — managing, coaching, and developing a project team.
- Ability to balance direct project delivery with team management as a hands-on working manager.
- Recognized expertise in project management methodology, tools, and standard work within a manufacturing environment.
- Exceptional attention to detail, particularly in reviewing technical specifications, bills of material (BOMs), and tracking complex production milestones.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing principles, supply chain, logistics, and quality control procedures (e.g., ISO standards).
- Proficiency in project management software (e.g., ERP / MRP systems).
- Excellent written and verbal communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
