Head of Automation Project Management

Job Title: Senior Project Manager - Robotics and Automation Systems

This role leads large, complex automation and robotics projects valued at approximately $50M across industries such as pharmaceutical, food and beverage, regulatory, life sciences, and non-automotive electronics. The Senior Project Manager oversees the full project lifecycle from order booking through design, build, and onsite installation, ensuring projects meet defined specifications, schedules, and financial targets. The position requires a hands-on leader who can drive execution, manage high volumes of data, and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality automation solutions.

Own full project accountability for delivering robotics and automation system solutions that meet defined scope, specifications, schedule, and budget.

• Ensure targeted project margin and positive cash flow by closely managing project financials, including costs, expenses, invoicing status, and cash-flow performance.
• Determine the most effective execution strategy for each order in alignment with operations strategy and customer requirements.
• Collaborate with production, purchasing, planning, and other internal functions to meet customer requirements on project scope and delivery dates.
• Respond to sales and customer inquiries regarding order and project status within 24 hours, providing clear and timely updates.
• Lead and facilitate regular project and P&L reviews to track progress against financial and operational targets.
• Provide strong project leadership by defining guidelines for the project team, allocating tasks, and motivating and monitoring internal and external resources to achieve all milestones.
• Give performance feedback on allocated project resources to operations leadership to support continuous improvement and effective staffing.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans, including scope definition, financial plans, schedules, and risk management plans in collaboration with the project team.
• Ensure projects follow established execution best practices and internal policies throughout the entire lifecycle.
• Monitor and control project progress, proactively addressing issues to ensure efficient resource utilization and on-time delivery.
• Identify, qualify, quantify, and manage project risks while actively pursuing opportunities to improve project outcomes.
• Capture, analyze, and share lessons learned from each project to improve future project execution and organizational knowledge.
• Drive formal project close-out, including obtaining preliminary and final acceptance certificates (PAC/FAC) and ensuring all purchase orders and contracts are closed.
• Lead the formal acceptance process with customers and ensure contract close-out is completed and acknowledged.
• Apply consistent contract and claims management practices in accordance with internal policies and contractual agreements.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain Management to procure services, materials, and equipment from internal and external suppliers to support project execution.
• Support supplier negotiations, manage claims, and handle project changes in collaboration with Supply Chain Management.
• Ensure all project activities comply with company health, safety, and environmental (HSE) policies and standards.
• Travel to client sites (approximately 25%-50% as needed during installation and commissioning phases) to oversee onsite work, resolve issues, and ensure successful project completion.
• Manage multiple projects (typically 3-6 at a time) within the non-automotive industries portfolio, balancing priorities and resources effectively.
• Act as a hands-on project manager who drives tasks to completion, actively solves problems, and ensures work is executed rather than only coordinated.

At least 10 years of project management experience, including direct responsibility for managing programs of approximately $50M in value.

• 7+ years of project management experience in complex, technical environments.
• 5+ years of experience managing automation system projects, ideally with robotic automation systems.
• Proven experience delivering automation and robotics projects from purchase order through installation and final acceptance.
• Expert-level Microsoft Excel skills, including advanced formulas and the ability to create dashboards for tracking project performance and financials.
• Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience working with Microsoft Excel in a professional setting.
• Minimum 5 years of experience working with SAP, including using SAP for project, financial, or materials management.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to handle complex technical and project challenges independently.
• Ability to work autonomously and take full ownership of project outcomes with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated experience in project leadership, including leading cross-functional teams and managing internal and external resources.
• Strong background in automation systems, robotics automation, or related industrial automation technologies.
• Experience working with IT infrastructure or technology-driven project environments.
• High level of comfort working with large volumes of data and data-intensive project documentation.
• Ability to travel approximately 25%-50% to client sites during critical phases of installation and commissioning.
• High School Diploma.

Previous experience managing automation or robotics projects for data centers, AI-focused companies, or other advanced technology environments.

• Prior hands-on robotic automation background, including familiarity with robotic integration and commissioning.
• Experience working in industries such as pharmaceutical, food and beverage, regulatory, life sciences, or non-automotive electronics.
• Experience coordinating design, build, and installation phases over multi-month project timelines (typically 6-8 months from purchase order to install).
• Strong communication skills with the ability to provide clear, timely updates to customers, sales teams, and internal stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects (typically 3-6) while maintaining quality and meeting deadlines.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced environment with a backlog of work and evolving customer requirements.
• Ability to contribute to a collaborative project management team structure that includes Senior and junior project managers.
• Interest in working within a growing non-automotive segment of an established industrial and technology-focused organization.
• Availability and interest in a temp-to-perm opportunity with potential for long-term employment based on performance.

The role is based primarily in a project-focused industrial environment within a non-automotive industries group that delivers robotics and automation solutions. For approximately the first 4-8 months of a project, the Senior Project Manager works mainly onsite at a facility in Auburn Hills, where design and build activities take place. During this phase, travel is minimal. As projects transition to installation and commissioning, the role requires travel to client sites, typically in locations such as Ohio, West Michigan, and Texas, with travel ranging from short one-day trips to multi-day stays as needed to ensure successful installation and project completion. Overall travel during active installation phases can be approximately 25%-50%. Core working hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. with some flexibility to accommodate project needs and coordination with customer schedules. The work environment is highly collaborative, with multiple project managers and junior project managers supporting several projects simultaneously. The culture emphasizes hands-on project ownership, strong data-driven decision-making, and close collaboration with production, purchasing, planning, and supply chain functions. The position involves frequent use of technologies such as Microsoft Excel (including advanced formulas and dashboards) and SAP for project tracking, financial management, and materials coordination. The setting combines office-based work for planning, analysis, and communication with periodic time spent in industrial and client site environments during build, installation, and commissioning activities.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Auburn Hills, MI.

If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• 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)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Application Deadline

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The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

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