Senior Program Manager

Axios Professional Recruitment is partnered with a growing West Michigan manufacturer seeking a Senior Program Manager to join their team.

The Senior Program Manager will lead cross-functional teams through the successful development and launch of new products, ensuring programs are delivered on time, within budget, and to customer expectations. This highly visible leadership role is responsible for managing project scope, mitigating risks, coordinating internal and customer communication, and driving accountability throughout the product development lifecycle. The ideal candidate is a collaborative leader who thrives in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and enjoys bringing innovative ideas from concept to production.

Responsibilities:

• Lead cross-functional program teams from concept through production launch.
• Serve as the primary owner of program execution, customer deliverables, and overall project success.
• Manage project scope, timelines, budgets, risks, and resource allocation.
• Coordinate launch team meetings and maintain project documentation, action items, and issue tracking.
• Lead the Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) process and ensure all project milestones are achieved.
• Develop business cases and recommendations to support quality, efficiency, and long-term program success.
• Monitor project costs and ensure all customer chargeable expenses are accurately tracked.
• Provide regular updates to leadership and stakeholders regarding program status, financial performance, timelines, and risks.
• Develop and implement corrective action plans when projects deviate from budget or schedule.
• Coordinate gate reviews and ensure organizational readiness for successful product launches.
• Partner closely with customers, account management, engineering, manufacturing, and operations throughout the product lifecycle.
• Ensure project closeout activities are completed and documentation is finalized.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Manufacturing, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5 years of program management or product development experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Proven ability to successfully manage multiple complex programs simultaneously.
• Strong leadership, decision-making, and organizational skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive accountability.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.
• Experience with Agile project management methodologies.
• MBA or Master's degree in Engineering or a related field.
• 10 years of product development or program management experience.
• Experience working directly with customers in a manufacturing environment.

Axios Professional Recruitment—an entirely employee-owned company—is the largest independent employer in West Michigan. Our mission is to match people with meaningful, long-lasting, and enjoyable careers, not just a job. Since 1988, we've helped match over 300,000 people just like you with top employers across West Michigan.