Manager, Project Management

Project Or Program Leader

Whirlpool is currently seeking qualified candidates for our Project Leadership Office (PLO) as Project or Program Leader. The role is based at a St Joseph Tech Center in Michigan USA location.

As a PLO Project (Program) Manager, you will work with cross functional global teams and will be responsible for several aspects of multiple projects including scope, time, cost & quality management to ensure a successful project delivery. You will be working with the entire project lifecycle: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring & controlling, and closing. Main responsibilities for delivery of new product development projects & derivative models approved in the platform planning phase. This person provides recommendation for all gate approvals and delivery of project KPIs, embedment of Project Management and WPD (Whirlpool Product Development) system tools, techniques and practices in the PLO (Project Leadership Office) community and project teams.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Delivery of new product development projects approved in platform planning phase & KPIs monthly. Leads the project team in all projects phases, since Initiation, passing through Planning, Control & Monitoring, Execution and Closure.
• Work on projects using the Whirlpool Product Development (WPD) System / Methodology, for Production Development Projects (PDP).
• Recommendation for all gate approvals. Collect project requirements from all stakeholders, managing trade-offs to meet project goals. Project leader is the voice of the project, the central point of contact that conducts project meetings, integration events, status reports and gate approvals in all levels of the organization.
• Embedment Project Management and WPD (Whirlpool Product Development) system tools, techniques and practices in the PLO (Project Leadership Office) community and project teams.
• Responsible for managing the project in the perspective of all knowledge areas: Project Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, Human Resources, Communications, Risk, Procurement, Stakeholder Management.
• Manages global cross-functional teams to deliver new product development projects in regional and/or global scale, taking projects from original concept, till final implementation and project release; through weekly core team meetings, 1:1 interactions, and other forums & communications. Clear and consistent ability to motivate teams of people, cross-functionally, to collaborate on achieving platform goals.
• Manages risks, developing plans to avoid, mitigate, transfer, accept or explore them along with project team. Drive issues resolution.
• Manages changes guiding the team to request, analyze impact and probability, and make the go/no go decisions on change.
• Manage data in multiple systems to report KPIs (Key Project Indicators) monthly, provide component part tracking status, and bridge communication networks between core team members. Drive capital calendar and project expenses planning & execution, providing oversight on spending and monthly outlook status.
• Travel to key manufacturing sites (NAR), especially during project launch periods, is required for this role. Expect 3-5 days per month on average.
• Ability to capture opportunities to maximize business benefits and focuses on uncertain events in a positive manner. Able to navigate complex situations and enable the team to think systemically to identify potential solutions.
• Ability to adjust to a changing environment or situation and to adopt a flexible approach that shifts according to the situation
• Systemic vision - ability to see the high-level overview of the organization and effectively negotiate and implement decisions and/or actions that support strategy.
• Business acumen - excellent business judgment with ability to make the tough calls to ensure product leadership is delivered.
• Ability to capture opportunities to maximize business benefits and focus on uncertain events in a positive manner.
• Integration Management - Performing the activities to identify, define, combine, unify, and coordinate the various processes and project management activities within the Project Management groups.

Minimum requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Administration
• 3 - 5 years of proven program and project management experience of increasing size and scope (scope, time, cost, quality, communications, stakeholder and risk management working on global and/or domestic projects).

Preferred skills and experiences:

• Master's (Preferent)
• Multilingual welcome since position work with diff. regions besides the USA: Mexico, India, Brasil, China, Italy.
• Certifications - Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification and/or Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM) Certification - both granted by Project Management Institute (PMI).
• 1 - 5 years of experience in Consumer/Durable Goods Sector Product Development. Experience in the Home Appliance industry, and in Cooking / Dishwashing.
• Financial planning, analysis and capital investment management.