Customer Order Program Manager

About the role

Astec is a global, environmentally focused infrastructure and manufacturing company of asphalt road building and aggregate processing. Our mission is to design and build the most innovative products for the industries we serve, leveraging innovative solutions and technologies to serve customers worldwide.

The Customer Order Program Manager serves as the enterprise lead and architect of the customer order lifecycle across all Infrastructure Solution (IS) manufacturing sites. This role is the designated owner of the IS Portfolio, responsible for the functional leadership, professional development, and performance of all Customer Order PMs as the PMO scales. The incumbent acts as the primary "gatekeeper" of portfolio integrity, ensuring data-driven insights empower the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to make strategic decisions, translating complex operational data into actionable insights, and driving project management maturity across the manufacturing enterprise. A critical priority is establishing a culture of frequent, proactive customer communication that is consistent, timely, and data-driven throughout every order lifecycle.

Key Deliverables

• Develop and implement a robust framework and decision-making structure to manage customer orders from contract award through close-out.
• Create and maintain a comprehensive suite of templates (SOWs, RAID logs, Project Templates) to ensure consistent execution across IS manufacturing sites.
• Establish and monitor automated dashboards to track portfolio health, margin performance, and delivery trends at the enterprise level.
• Act as the primary owner of the IS Portfolio by managing the delta between planned baselines and actual performance to protect ROI and schedule accountability.
• Design and mandate a standardized customer communication strategy that prioritizes high-frequency updates and transparent stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Directly lead and manage the team of Customer Order Project Managers as the PMO expands its scope to support all customer orders.
• Define the "Astec Standard" for order management and mentor project leads on the adoption of these governance processes.
• Execute a frequent messaging cadence to ensure customers receive clear, specific, and timely updates regarding order status and milestones.
• Prepare and present high-impact, data-driven reports for the VP of Operations and the SLT.
• Conduct regular governance reviews to identify systemic risks and resource bottlenecks across multiple projects simultaneously.
• Monitor productivity and performance to drive continuous improvement in manufacturing lead times.
• Respond quickly to customer needs and foster collaborative environments with engineering, sales, and manufacturing teams.
• Establish and maintain relationships with internal business partners to refine the order-to-delivery lifecycle.
• Foster collaborative environments with engineering, sales, and manufacturing teams to refine the end-to-end order-to-cash lifecycle.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or higher, or equivalent combination of education, experience, and training.
• 10+ years of end-to-end project and program management experience, specifically within industrial or manufacturing environments.
• 2+ years of leadership experience.
• Proven track record in establishing governance frameworks and managing complex portfolios.
• Strong background in change management and building inclusive, high-performing teams within a fast-paced culture.
• Expert proficiency in Project Insight, Asana, or Microsoft Project.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) required; Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP) preferred.
• Exceptional ability to translate technical data into high-quality, actionable messaging for both customers and executive leadership.
• Ability to confidently facilitate large-scale project planning workshops.

Culture and Values

• Continuous devotion to meeting the needs of our customers
• Honesty and integrity in all aspects of business
• Respect for all individuals
• Preserving entrepreneurial spirit and innovation
• Safety, quality and productivity as means to ensure success

Travel

10–20% domestic travel required.

Work Environment

Office setting with regular exposure to an office environment and occasional exposure to a manufacturing shop plant environment. Duties include extensive computer work, sitting or standing. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.