Industrial Manufacturing Program Manager

About The Role

We are seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead and drive success across the entire customer engagement lifecycle — from requirements definition to final product acceptance. This role is pivotal in supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) and production programs, with success measured by business metrics and customer satisfaction.

You’ll manage multiple complex programs and be a key liaison with both customers and internal leadership teams. Your ability to influence cross-functional teams and ensure alignment with project goals will be critical.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the principal point of contact with customers, building trusted relationships and ensuring ongoing satisfaction and growth.
• Lead all aspects of the program lifecycle, including requirements gathering, proposals, contract negotiation, development planning, testing, and acceptance.
• Provide consistent, data-driven updates to customers and internal stakeholders on program status, risks, and performance against KPIs.
• Oversee Project Engineering teams, ensuring timely and thorough project planning and milestone reporting.
• Manage change requests, project history documentation, and customer expectations throughout the engagement.
• Coordinate closely with other PMs, engineers, and senior leaders to resolve resource or scheduling conflicts.
• Contribute to customer proposals and own final deliverables as part of the proposal generation team.
• Maintain accurate program data in the CRM system and lead phase closeout reviews for continuous improvement.
  
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related field.
• 5 years of product development experience, with a proven track record of managing complex projects from concept to commercialization.
• 8 years of direct program or project management experience.
• Exceptional skills in cross-functional leadership, negotiation, and conflict resolution.
• Strong experience with MS Office, Microsoft Project, ERP systems (preferably Epicor E9), and PDM tools (e.g., SolidWorks EPDM).
• PMP certification is a plus, but not required.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with comfort engaging both internal and external senior stakeholders.
  
  
  

Working Environment

• Primarily office-based, with occasional travel required.
• May occasionally need to perform duties outside the standard office setting.
  
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Regular interaction with people and technology, both seated and standing.
• Must be able to communicate effectively via phone and in person.
  
  
  

Note: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of all personnel so classified.

Columbia Tech is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Columbia Tech does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.