Project Manager

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead, coordinate, and execute complex engineering and manufacturing projects from kickoff through completion. In this role, you manage project schedules, budgets, resources, and customer communication while driving cross-functional collaboration to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and according to scope. You operate in a fast-paced industrial environment, balancing multiple priorities and serving as the primary liaison between customers and internal teams.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for customers throughout the entire project lifecycle, ensuring clear and consistent communication.
• Lead project kickoff meetings, planning reviews, and ongoing project status meetings to align stakeholders on scope, schedule, and expectations.
• Develop, maintain, and update detailed project schedules in collaboration with engineering, operations, manufacturing, and other stakeholders.
• Translate project plans into measurable milestones and deliverables, and track progress against these commitments.
• Monitor project schedules, budgets, and resource allocation to ensure alignment with project goals and contractual requirements.
• Facilitate mechanical and electrical design reviews with internal teams to confirm feasibility, quality, and compliance with customer requirements.
• Communicate project updates, risks, issues, and critical information to customers, leadership, and project stakeholders in a timely and professional manner.
• Identify project risks and their potential impact on schedule, budget, and quality, and develop mitigation strategies.
• Develop and implement recovery plans when projects fall behind schedule or exceed budget expectations, driving corrective actions to get projects back on track.
• Coordinate internal and customer acceptance testing, ensuring that test plans, execution, and documentation meet project and customer standards.
• Manage project buy-offs, including final approvals, documentation, and sign-offs from internal teams and customers.
• Work closely with shipping, manufacturing, engineering, and accounting teams to support seamless project execution from design through delivery.
• Manage and coordinate field installation activities when required, including scheduling, logistics, and on-site support.
• Lead post-project reviews to document lessons learned, evaluate final project performance, and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by assisting in the development and refinement of project management processes and procedures.
• Effectively manage multiple projects simultaneously, balancing scope, budget, timeline, and customer expectations across a portfolio of work.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field OR at least 10 years of experience in an engineering, manufacturing, or industrial environment.
• Minimum of 4 years of project management experience leading engineering, manufacturing, automation, or custom equipment projects.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Project, including the ability to develop and maintain project schedules, identify critical paths, manage milestones, and communicate timelines to stakeholders.
• Strong financial and business acumen, with experience developing project financial plans, forecasting costs, monitoring margins, tracking performance, and evaluating project risks.
• Demonstrated understanding of how schedule, risk, and financial performance impact overall project success and decision-making.
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining control over scope, budget, timeline, and customer expectations.
• Strong customer-facing communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with demanding customers and navigate challenging project situations professionally.
• Comfort working in fast-paced manufacturing environments, including automotive and other deadline-driven industries.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify issues quickly and drive practical solutions.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage competing deadlines.
• Effective leadership skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate with engineering, operations, manufacturing, accounting, and executive leadership teams.
• Ability to explain project schedules, critical paths, risks, and financial impacts clearly to senior stakeholders.
• Comfort with mechanical and machine-building environments and related project requirements.

Skills

• Experience managing projects for automotive customers, including original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1 suppliers.
• Experience in custom machinery, automation systems, capital equipment, or industrial manufacturing projects.
• Familiarity with engineering design reviews, manufacturing processes, and equipment installation projects.
• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification is a plus.
• CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) certification is a plus.
• Ability to work with demanding customers in automotive and other high-pressure industries while maintaining a professional and solutions-oriented approach.

Work Environment

This role is primarily onsite, with standard working hours from approximately 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and a typical workload of 40–45 hours per week. There is limited flexibility to work from home when needed, but the position is predominantly office-based to facilitate collaboration with engineering, manufacturing, operations, and accounting teams. You will spend approximately 5–10% of your time in the field visiting customer sites, mostly within the United States, to support project reviews, installation activities, and acceptance testing. The environment is fast-paced and manufacturing-focused, with exposure to automotive and other deadline-driven industries, requiring comfort with industrial settings and machine-building operations.

Schedule

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Grand Rapids, MI.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $90,000.00 - $115,000.00 per year.

Benefits

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)