Strategic Operations Project Manager

Job Summary

The Strategic Operations Project Manager is responsible for managing end-to-end delivery of global manufacturing footprint and capacity expansion initiatives — including new factory builds from scope definition phase through operational launch. The Strategic Operations Project Manager will coordinate across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and regional teams to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and meet all operational readiness requirements.

The position requires deep expertise in manufacturing operations, capital project execution, line balancing, and advanced manufacturing process design, with the ability to manage multiple complex work streams simultaneously across global regions.

This is an onsite position. We prefer a candidate to work in St. Louis, MO. We are open to considering candidates in Westerville, OH.

Responsibilities

Project Leadership and Execution:

• Lead end-to-end project management of manufacturing capacity expansion and new factory initiatives from scope definition, through design, construction, equipment installation, and operational launch.
• Develop and manage integrated project plans including scope, schedule, budget, resource allocation, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Drive project governance including stage-gate reviews, executive status reporting, and stakeholder communication across all organizational levels.

Manufacturing Footprint and Capacity Expansion:

• Manage greenfield and brownfield manufacturing facility projects, ensuring alignment with global footprint strategy and long-term business growth objectives.
• Coordinate facility layout planning, manufacturing line design, equipment procurement, and installation activities for new and expanded sites.
• Ensure new facilities achieve target capacity, quality standards, and operational key performance indicators within defined timelines and budget.

Capital Expenditure and Budget Management:

• Develop and manage capital expenditure budgets for manufacturing expansion projects, ensuring financial discipline and return on investment targets are met.
• Prepare business cases, capital appropriation requests, and financial justifications for investment decisions presented to senior leadership.
• Track project expenditures against approved budgets and report variances with corrective action plans.

Manufacturing Process and Optimization:

• Apply knowledge of manufacturing processes, line balancing, and production optimization to ensure efficient manufacturing system design in new and expanded facilities.
• Coordinate advanced manufacturing technology integration, including automation and digital factory solutions, into new and expanded facilities.
• Ensure design for manufacturability principles are incorporated during facility and line design phases to support quality and throughput targets.

Cross-Functional and Global Coordination:

• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and regional leadership to align project delivery with business objectives and capacity strategy.
• Coordinate vendor selection, equipment qualification, and technology transfer activities across regions, ensuring consistency and operational readiness.
• Manage cross-regional dependencies and ensure seamless handoffs from project delivery to plant operations teams upon facility launch.

Data-Driven Decision Making:

• Leverage manufacturing and business intelligence data, including Manufacturing Execution Systems, Enterprise Resource Planning systems, and capacity planning tools, to drive strategic decisions.
• Develop and maintain models for manufacturing cost, utilization, and capacity scenario analysis to support footprint planning.

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor's degree required:
  Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or related technical field.
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt) ideal but not required.

Requirements

• 5 or more years of professional experience in a manufacturing context
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale manufacturing facility projects including greenfield and brownfield builds from scope through operational handover.
• Strong…