Project Manager – Distributor Business

• Location 3001 ORCHARD VISTA DR SE,STE 300,Grand Rapids, MI, ,United States
• Employee Type FT Exempt
• Travel 30%

The Project Manager (Distributor Business) is responsible for planning and overseeing multiple, concurrent automation projects to ensure they are completed on time, within budget and according to the agreed upon customer requirements. This role develops and manages project plans, designates project resources and prepares budgets, and monitors project status. It is also the responsibility of the Project Manager to maximize the profit made on orders through effective, professional, and economical implementation of the customer’s requirements and the contractual specifications established in Sales with respect to performance, schedule and costs.

The Project Manager is the main point of contact between the project team and the customer, assuming responsibility for the overall project and eliminating roadblocks, while keeping stakeholders informed through the implementation of the project.

• Oversees all aspects of the project life cycle: planning, scope definition, execution, and delivery. Organizes and oversees the staffing of the project.
• Assumes responsibility for performance, schedule, technology, safety, and costs of all projects assigned, starting with sales handover and until the end of the warranty period.
• Ensures the engineering integrity of systems such that the contractual specifications are met with respect to system functionality, productivity, reliability, quality and safety.
• Maintains and regularly updates project schedule, open items list, and risk register.
• Manages project budget and cost forecast. Proactively identifies potential over-runs and develops mitigation plans to minimize negative impact to the project.
• Schedules order planning (materials, services, resources), site planning (preassembly schedule, installation, commissioning), and monitors progress, intervening where necessary.
• With the support of the project team (mechanical, controls, software), ensures accuracy of and optimizes material flow and layout, and establishes technical clarity (load types, scope of services, functional specifications, third-party components, performance, etc.).
• Leads the project core team, acting as the main point of contact internally and externally, and manages problem resolution and escalation.
• With the support of Purchasing, coordinates suppliers and third-party vendors to ensure quality of delivery and achieve optimal cost-benefit ratio.
• With the support of the Site Supervisor, organizes all site activities (work and travel requirements, vendor management, internal resource management, etc.) and site safety (site evaluation and risk analysis).
• Oversees all project close-out activities such as testing, acceptance and training, and ensures successful completion of final acceptance, transfer of risk and start of warranty with the customer.
• Ensures completion of all relevant project documentation (installation documents, operating manuals, declaration of incorporation, etc.) and facilitates successful handover to Lifetime Services (LTS).
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent technical systems experience.

Experience: Minimum of three (3) years of technical systems experience, preferably in the material handling industry.

Travel: Up to 30% of domestic and international travel as required.

• System-level working knowledge of industry products from a mechanical, controls and software perspective, with specific emphasis on mechanical technical know-how.
• Excellent communication skills, with ability to communicate effectively across a variety of audiences.
• Results-driven, customer-oriented, cost-conscious and self-motivated.
• Ability to work independently without supervision, while knowing when escalation is needed.
• Effective organizational skills and ability to lead others laterally/indirectly.
• Understanding of workflows within the project realization process.
• Experience with project management software (Microsoft Project, SAP, JIRA, etc.).
• Robust knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.).
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred.

• Ability to remain stationary at a desk for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to go to site frequently and move safely around industrial and/or warehouse environment.
• Ability to lift and carry supplies up to 25 pounds at a time.
• Ability to operate computers, tablets, phones, and other electronic devices.
• Ability to communicate with others verbally and in writing, on a frequent basis.
• Ability to tolerate exposure to job site temperature fluctuations due to seasonal weather in geographic region.

The physical demands described above are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable…