JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Project Manager - Lifecycle
Department: Lifecycle
Location: Trooper, PA or Chaska, MN
Reports To: Director of Lifecycle Solutions
Status: Exempt
Date Issued: March 2024
SUMMARY:
The Lifecycle Project Manager is responsible for the coordination and completion of projects, connecting business strategy, design knowledge, and customer needs to develop relevant, practical, and valuable products. They oversee all aspects of project scheduling, equipment assembly, manufacturing, customer liaison, contract administration, and internal collaboration, while also analyzing customer needs, market trends, and competitor offerings to drive new product ideas aligned with internal marketing plans. The Manager sets deadlines, coordinates projects with fabricators and manufacturing, expedites vendors, and monitors/summarizes progress, ensuring on-time shipment metrics are met. They prepare reports for upper management regarding project status and forecasts. Familiar with project management and purchasing concepts, the Manager relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals, performing a variety of tasks with a wide degree of creativity and latitude. Reporting to the Director of Lifecycle Solutions, the Manager handles projects ranging from low to high complexity levels.
PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Oversee the Project Management/Product Development of significant or complex customer orders/projects for Newterra.
2. Read, understand, and manage customer specifications, contracts, and commercial terms and conditions.
3. Upon project award, collect and organize all information related to projects including proposal files, order entry information, and emails.
4. Lead and drive internal collaboration between Sales, Marketing, and Engineering to define the project/product vision, strategy, and roadmap.
5. Develop, present, and execute an annual multi-generation project plan for assigned projects/products.
6. Ensure project/product lines are meeting annual sales and inventory goals.
7. Set up logistics for pickup and shipment of major equipment/projects.
8. Provide day-to-day support to Sales, Engineering, and Operations teams, ensuring all opportunities are assessed for fit against the offering strategy.
9. Mobilize engineering and support personnel as needed.
10. Coordinate activities with sub-vendors and establish/manage budgets/cost estimates for projects/products.
11. Provide pricing guidance based on market intelligence, past projects, and known competitor information.
12. Provide technical, costing, and positioning guidance to the Sales and AE teams on projects/products as needed.
13. Use market research, input from the Sales team, Marketing, channel partners, and other resources to gather, manage, and prioritize customer requirements.
14. Compare Newterra’s product offerings to competitor offerings, assess competition in the market, and maintain Newterra’s competitive advantage.
15. Develop competitive product comparisons for training Newterra and channel partner sales teams.
16. Work closely with Sales and Marketing teams to identify target customer profiles and develop value propositions and competitive positioning statements.
17. Develop content for sales training tools and marketing collateral materials, ensuring stakeholders are prepared and capable of representing project lines/products in the market.
18. Lead project development projects, utilizing Newterra’s product development stage gate process, and collaborate with engineering to help oversee the design and testing of products.
19. Work closely with Sales and Marketing departments to manage ongoing pricing strategies that maximize Newterra’s bottom-line and performance.
20. Collaborate with Operations, Supply Chain, and Finance to optimize project/product costs, adjust inventory levels, and manage project/product schedules to maintain and ensure availability.
21. Collaborate with Marketing in promoting projects/products in target markets.
22. Provide executive leadership with analyses and reports on project/product performance and market dynamics as needed.
23. Contribute to project review and approval meetings and participate in Product Quality analysis, action plans, and reporting as needed.
24. Support industry trade shows, customer experience events, and other key divisional events, activities, and initiatives.
25. Complete other special assignments, duties, and tasks as assigned.
26. Some overnight travel may be required.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ensure product designs meet new specifications and applications.
• Assists with the construction of prototypes.
• Assists the engineering department in resolving product issues or production difficulties.
• Responsible for performing duties in a safe manner and promoting safety to others in accordance with Newterra’s safety policies and procedures. This includes reporting all safety concerns, near-misses, and incidents to their manager.
• Adhere to the company processes as detailed in Newterra’s online systems and programs and bring forward ideas for continuous improvement.
• Responsible for completing all assigned training applicable to your position in the applicable timeframe.
• Complete all responsibilities while ensuring adherence to Newterra’s Delegation of Authority.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• College graduate or equivalent experience. Engineering experience is preferred.
• Associate degree preferred.
• Minimum 5 year of experience in customer service, sales, operations, or related.
• Preferred experience in CRM and ERP or similar data management systems.
• Competent in Microsoft Office to include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to build and maintain cross functional working relationships with operations, engineering, sales marketing, and customer care.
• Self-starter with solid customer service and technical understanding
• Ability to identify and measure the performance, profitability, and actions needed to improve products and achieve organizational goals and objectives.
• Superior project management and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to maintain a keen attention to detail, multitask and work well under pressure.
• Natural tendency to be curious, positive, and creative.
• Sincere empathy for the customer and a commitment to delving deep into the challenges they present or experience.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills to communicate with team members, other departments, upper management, and consumers of the company's products.
• Competitive spirit to drive product introduction(s) into the market.
• Ability to work individually and as part of a collaborative team.
• High level of integrity and work ethic.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Regularly required to sit for prolonged periods; frequently required to stand, walk, and use business equipment daily such as a computer, copier, telephone, etc.; occasionally required to reach overhead, bend, and lift objects of up to 15 lbs. Complex communication, thinking, and analysis required.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Generally, works in an office environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. However, may be required to visit production sites and be exposed to outdoor or manufacturing elements.