Location: US- Remote
Reports To: VP of Design Engineering
Position Summary:The
Head of Program Management (PMO) will lead and build a high-performing team of Program Managers responsible for driving the successful execution of strategic initiatives and customer programs across the organization. This role is critical to a switchgear/switchboard manufacturer with e-house and skid-mounted solutions, requiring deep partnership with R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Safety, and Supply Chain to deliver complex, multi-disciplinary programs on time, on budget, and to specification.
This leader will be accountable for the end-to-end success of strategic programs - from customer requirements and design through manufacturing, quality release, and delivery - while also serving as a confident, credible face of the organization in front of customers. The ideal candidate combines deep technical and manufacturing knowledge of switchgear/switchboard products with proven program leadership and executive-level communication skills.
Key Responsibilities:Team Leadership
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Program Managers, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Define team structure, roles, and career development paths as the PMO scales to support growing program complexity and volume.
- Establish and standardize program management methodologies, tools, and governance across the organization.
Program & Portfolio Execution
- Own the successful execution of strategic initiatives and customer programs, ensuring alignment with scope, schedule, cost, and quality commitments.
- Establish and maintain a portfolio-level view of all active strategic programs, proactively identifying risks, resource constraints, and interdependencies.
- Drive program governance including stage-gate reviews, milestone tracking, risk management, and executive reporting.
- Ensure robust change management processes are in place for scope, schedule, and cost deviations.
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Serve as the primary integration point between R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Safety, and Supply Chain to ensure programs move seamlessly from design through production and delivery.
- Partner with Engineering/R&D on new product introduction (NPI) and custom engineered-to-order programs for switchgear, switchboards, e-houses, and skidded packages.
- Work with Manufacturing and Supply Chain to align program timelines with production capacity, material lead times, and logistics constraints.
- Partner with Quality and Safety to ensure programs meet all regulatory, code, and customer specification requirements throughout execution.
Customer Engagement
- Act as a senior, customer-facing representative of the program management function, building trust and confidence with key accounts.
- Lead or support customer program reviews, kickoff meetings, and escalation discussions, translating technical and operational detail into clear commercial communication.
- Partner with Sales and Business Development to support proposal efforts, program scoping, and contract execution for strategic accounts.
Strategic Initiatives
- Stand up new customer programs and strategic initiatives from the ground up, including defining program structure, success metrics, and governance cadence.
- Identify and lead process improvement initiatives to increase program predictability, delivery performance, and customer satisfaction.
- Provide regular reporting to executive leadership on program health, risks, and strategic outcomes.
Competencies: - Strategic thinking with strong operational execution
- Executive-level communication and stakeholder management
- Risk management and proactive problem-solving
- Cross-functional influence without direct authority
- Customer relationship management
- Team building and talent development
Qualifications:- 15+ years of experience in the manufacturing of switchgear, switchboards, or related electrical power distribution equipment.
- Proven experience leading and building high-impact teams that have stood up and executed strategic, high-visibility customer programs.
- Demonstrated success managing complex, cross-functional programs involving R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Safety, and Supply Chain.
- Strong track record of customer-facing engagement, including presenting to and negotiating with external stakeholders at various levels.
- Deep understanding of manufacturing processes, engineered-to-order product development, and production scheduling in an industrial equipment environment.
- Excellent leadership, coaching, and people-management skills, with experience developing program management talent.
- Strong executive presence with the ability to communicate clearly and confidently with senior leadership, customers, and cross-functional teams.
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or related field (or equivalent professional experience).
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with e-house, skid-mounted equipment, or modular power packages in addition to traditional switchgear/switchboards.
- PMP, PgMP, or equivalent program/project management certification.
- Experience implementing or scaling a formal PMO function within a manufacturing organization.
- Familiarity with relevant industry standards and codes (e.g., UL, IEEE, NEMA, NEC) applicable to switchgear and switchboard manufacturing.
- Experience with ERP/PLM systems and program management software (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, or similar).
Work Environment: - This is a remote position with regular virtual collaboration across R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Safety, and Supply Chain teams.
- Travel required (estimate: 25%) for customer visits, site meetings, and cross-site program reviews.
