Project Manager (m/f/d) ROVEMA North America

About ROVEMA North AmericaROVEMA North America, headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, is the wholly-owned North American subsidiary of ROVEMA GmbH a global leader in packaging machinery engineering founded in 1957. We design, sell, and support industry-leading vertical form/fill/seal (VFFS) baggers, cartoning systems, and end-of-line packaging solutions for consumer packaged goods producers across food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and industrial markets. With over 2,000 machines installed across North America and a reputation built on German-engineered precision, ROVEMA is a trusted partner to many of the world's top CPG brands. We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to join our North American team, responsible for the successful execution of customer projects and ensuring effective coordination across all stakeholders from order to completion. Key ResponsibilitiesThe Project Manager is the operational owner of every order from contract award through successful Site Acceptance Test (SAT) sign-off at the customer's facility. Acting as the central point of coordination between the customer, ROVEMA's engineering and manufacturing teams in Fernwald, Germany, and the North American service and installation teams, this role ensures that packaging systems are engineered, built, tested, and commissioned on time, on budget, and to the customer's specification. The Project Manager picks up each project directly at order handoff from Sales and carries full responsibility for it until the SAT protocol is signed and the project is transitioned to Service. Project Ownership & Customer CoordinationTake ownership of assigned projects immediately upon contract award and lead them through to final customer acceptance.Serve as the primary point of contact for the customer throughout the project lifecycle, managing expectations, schedules, and technical clarifications.Lead project kickoff meetings to align scope, timeline, and responsibilities among the customer, ROVEMA engineering, and internal stakeholders.Coordinate closely with Regional Sales Managers and Technical Sales Engineers to ensure a seamless handoff from quotation to project execution. Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) ManagementPlan and prepare Factory Acceptance Tests at the manufacturing facility in Fernwald, Germany, in coordination with German engineering and production teams.Define FAT protocols and test criteria together with the customer, and confirm equipment readiness ahead of scheduled test dates.Coordinate customer travel, on-site logistics, and documentation for FAT participation. Site Acceptance Test (SAT) ManagementPrepare, schedule, and lead Site Acceptance Tests at customer facilities across North America.Coordinate installation, commissioning, and start-up activities together with the customer, third-party integrators, and ROVEMA's field service team.Drive resolution of punch-list items and technical issues arising during commissioning.Secure the signed SAT protocol as formal confirmation of project completion. Project Planning & ExecutionDevelop and maintain detailed project schedules covering the full timeline from order to SAT sign-off.Specify and document all milestones, deliverables, and responsibilities occurring between order entry and commissioning.Manage project scope, identify and mitigate risks, and escalate issues appropriately.Track project budgets and flag deviations from planned cost and timeline.Ensure that all functions work from a single source of truth regarding project scope, milestones, responsibilities, and timelines (Montageplan).Coordinate procurement activities for traded goods and third-party equipment in close collaboration with headquarters, ensuring technical compatibility, supplier alignment, cost transparency, and on-time project delivery. Cross-Functional & Global CoordinationDemonstrated ability to work effectively across different cultures, time zones, and organizational structures.Act as the primary operational interface between regional operations and global headquarters, ensuring alignment on project priorities, schedules, technical requirements, and customer expectations.Close collaboration and transparent communication across international teams to support efficient decision-making and successful project execution.Build strong working relationships with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Service, and Sales teams to proactively resolve issues.Ensure all project activities are aligned with global standards, processes, and strategic objectives.Promote a "One Team" mindset by creating alignment across regions, functions, and cultures throughout the entire project lifecycle. Documentation & ReportingMaintain complete and accurate project documentation, including specifications, meeting minutes, test protocols, and change orders.Provide regular status reports to management and customers.Document lessons learned and best practices to drive continuous improvement across future projects.Establish and maintain project dashboards to provide stakeholders with real-time visibility (e.g. PM Teams Cockpit) Key RequirementsEducation & ExperienceBachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Packaging Engineering, or a related technical field; PMP certification a plus.3-7+ years of experience in project management within capital equipment, packaging machinery, or industrial automation.Experience managing projects involving FAT/SAT processes, equipment commissioning, or customer acceptance testing strongly preferred.Experience coordinating with international engineering and manufacturing teams is highly desirable. Skills & CompetenciesStrong project management skills, including scheduling, risk management, and cross-functional coordination.Excellent communication skills with both technical and executive audiences, internal and external.Ability to read and interpret technical specifications, equipment layouts, and engineering documentation.Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple concurrent projects.Comfortable operating in a global organization with international teams and time zones.Proficiency with Microsoft Office; experience with ERP, CRM, and project management software is beneficial. Work EnvironmentBased on-site in Norcross, Georgia.Approximately 20-30% travel for SATs and customer commissioning across North America, plus periodic trips to Fernwald, Germany for FATs.Regular collaboration with engineering, manufacturing, and project teams in Germany.