Project Manager

Senior Project Manager

The KDC/ONE team is made up of the best in the business. Our diverse and evolving workforce thrives in our environment of constant teamwork and collaboration. Join us today!

*NOTE: We are not engaging external recruiting partners for this role at this time. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

About KDC/One

KDC/One is a global leader in innovative, end-to-end contract manufacturing for beauty, personal care, and household products. Our expertise spans advanced formulation, cutting-edge R&D, and world-class manufacturing capabilities. We proudly partner with many of the world's most recognized brands, helping them bring breakthrough products to market with superior quality, speed, and creativity. At KDC/One, we are committed to excellence, innovation, and delivering exceptional value to our clients.

Summary: The Senior Project Manager is responsible for the coordination and organization of resources, equipment, meetings and information to ensure that all new product launches are successful (e.g. within time and budget). Will assist Regional Director, PMO, with onboarding and training new project managers

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordinates all briefs and forecasts for new projects; manage components, bulks and raw materials needed to complete pilots and trials (e.g. identification, delivery, approval to pull from stock, component requests, adjustment out of inventory) and ensures all key stakeholders have needed items to meet project milestones and deadlines.
• Updates and maintains the project tracking tools in Smartsheet to maintain an accurate level of information on all site-related projects (e.g. customer service, production, compounding, engineering, research and development/innovation); creates project timeline with Critical Path callouts to share with team and customer. Tracks the project "innovation to production" with final hand off at the end of First Production.
• Prepares, submits and ensures the on-time completion of RFP and line trial quotes and tooling authorization forms; gathers quotes for change parts from engineering and maintains tracker for finance purposes.
• Coordinates line times/dates for trial with scheduling and the customer operations team to ensure line trials can be completed with minimal disruption to production; communicates with key stakeholders on upcoming line trial to provide visibility on upcoming projects impacting production.
• Prepares line trial packets including all documentation needed to support the line trial (e.g. customer line trial form, internal line trial form, DTO).
• Ensures all line trial documentation is completed by internal team; gathers information from engineering and quality and aligns on critical messaging to customers.
• Sends finished good samples to customers after trial is completed as outlined in line trial form requirements.
• Leads Project update meetings for the site, providing accurate updates and necessary site information to the customer; communicates clearly any critical decisions or dates and drives for alignment to keep projects moving forward and follows up appropriately on any outstanding issues.
• Drives project "on time" delivery by communicating and following up with all stakeholders on outstanding information or deliverables to assure customers' needs are met.
• Completes briefs and forecasts, line trial quotes, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Work Instructions (WIs), and other paperwork according to established company policy.
• Maintains confidentiality of customer product information, budgetary information and other sensitive and confidential information.
• Exhibits regular and predictable attendance and works outside of the normal schedule as needed due to workplace demands (e.g. supporting off-shifts). Performs other related duties as required.
• Assists Regional Director, PM with onboarding and training of new project managers.
• Provides guidance to the site PM team, in the absence of Regional Director, PMO, on project tracking process or handling a complex customer matter.
• Makes recommendations on new customer assignments at site
• Handle larger and more complex customer accounts.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business management, operations management or related field is strongly preferred; in lieu of a degree, equivalent work experience is required.
• Minimum of 5+ years of training/experience in project management.
• Experience in training junior team members a plus
• Experience with planning and requirement phases from a Project Management perspective (e.g. developing project plans, refining scope, driving and leading team in all above areas,)

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of: Microsoft Office Suite: FDA Good Manufacturing Practices and OSHA Safety Requirements; Microsoft Project, or other Project Planning tool.
• Skill in: solving problems; prioritizing work to ensure deadlines are met; negotiating effectively with others.
• Ability to: manage multiple and competing priorities; resolve difficult situations with no clear direction; adapt to change; develop and maintain good working relationships; develop and maintain processes and workflows; be detail-oriented; communicate effectively both verbally and in writing to a diverse group of individuals; present information to large and small groups; be organized and work quickly and efficiently with short deadlines; multi-task; read, comprehend and follow written and verbal instructions, including SOPs; work independently and as part of a team; operate a computer; wear required PPE as needed when walking through the facility; appropriately identify and communicate critical information; build relationships with customer counterparts; respond effectively and timely to customer inquiries and concerns.
• Other functions, skills and abilities may apply.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands:

• Must be able to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds manually.
• A climate-controlled office environment; the noise level is usually moderately quiet, however the employee must be able to spend extended periods of time on the production floor where the noise level is usually moderately loud.
• Must be able to sit for long periods of time in front of a computer, stand for long periods of time on the production floor, walk, use hands to handle and feel, reach with hands or arms, stoop, crouch, talk, hear, push and pull
• Exposure to frequent movement of motorized equipment throughout the facility, including electric pallet jacks, forklifts, etc.