Job Summary:

Plan and manage a large multi-functional product development project and/or several small multifunctional product development projects simultaneously.  The position requires strong, enthusiastic leadership skills in a highly technical medical instrument product development environment.  The position requires regular interaction with all functions and levels of the organization from R&D scientists and engineers, marketing/sales, quality/regulatory, and operations, through executive management.  Directs the program team and project team(s) in a manner to achieve the business results expected. Seeks guidance on unusual and complex problems whose solution exceeds the approved project or program boundaries.  Authority of position is that required to carry out assigned duties, except where expressly reserved by the senior management personnel or Werfen Corporate/Division Policy.

Key Accountabilities

Essential Functions:

• Program Leadership: 
  • Provide technical and team leadership to one or more medium project team(s) or a program team, including planning, scheduling, and technical leadership within the program area.  Drive the successful attainment of program/project goals.
• Project Planning and Scheduling: 
  • Responsible for project or program planning and scheduling, clarifying and defining scope of work, utilizing deliverable milestone methods and critical path scheduling, conducting resource planning and allocation, and developing task and project estimates.  Generates an integrated project plans that meet business objectives and are in compliance with the design control process, while maximizing resource efficiency.
• Project Execution and Control:
  •   Responsible for conducting regular project or program team status meetings and reviews.  Ensures deliverables are completed and documented. Identifies the need for and implements changes to the program and project plans that are within approved program and project boundaries.  Plan and conduct major program and supporting project and milestone reviews.
• Agile Project Management:
  • Assume the role of Product Owner for Agile teams that are within the program. Define story requirements and approve deliverables at the Sprint demo.
• Problem Solving Leadership:
  •   Responsible for coordination of project resources to identify the root cause(s) of program and project issues, and develop and manage a plan to fix, test, and implement an appropriate solution through completion.
• Risk Management Leadership: 
  • Responsible for ensuring program and project risks, both technical risks and management risks, are identified and appropriate risk mitigation plans are included within the program and project plan.  Regularly assess and report the status of overall program risk remaining on a program.
• Design Control:
  • Creates and maintains file to current phase ensuring accuracy.
• Communication: 
  • Responsible for program communication for both within the project team(s) and between the team(s) and executive management.
• Vendor Management:
  • Responsible for ensuring adequate oversight and control of vendors providing development, test or technical services that support the project.  
• Cross Department Collaboration:
  • Responsible to establish communication channels with commercial functions, support team and infrastructure to ensure successful on market change(s) and/or new product introduction.
• Conflict Resolution:
  • Able to resolve program and project team conflict through the application of good listening skills and negotiating skills.  Able to remove oneself from the problem.  Fosters a creative, professional climate that will maximize the contributions of the technical staff.
• Resource Allocation:
  • Ensures that adequate equipment and material resources are available to advance the project(s) and achieve goals and objectives.  Works with other program and project managers to make the best use for the business of shared resources.
• Supervision and Employee Performance:
  • Demonstrated functional management expertise and skills in developing, mentoring and coaching others.  Provides direct supervision to Program Managers and Project Managers assigned to the program.

Secondary Functions:

• Project/Program Initiatives: 
  • Participates in activities focused on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the product development processes and procedures.

Budget Managed:

• Prepares and maintains budgets for the portfolio of programs and projects. 
• Annual budget between $3 million and $8 million

Networking/Key Relationships:

Works with functional management to conduct performance appraisals and coaching for project core team members.  Provide regular supervision for assigned Project Manager(s).

To be determined based on department and project needs, to include interactions such as:

• Coordination of review of documentation with Quality and Regulatory disciplines
• Communication of product changes with Manufacturing / Operations disciplines
• Communication of plans and status of projects with Marketing discipline
• Communication of plans and status with other programs and projects within R&D

Minimum Knowledge & Experience Required for the Position:

• BS in STEM field (engineering, chemistry, physics, etc.)
• At least 8 years of experience, preferably in product development with at least 3 years of successful technical leadership, project coordination, or project management are required.
• Experience in the development and release of at least one successful product launch of a medical instrumentation product is desirable.
• Certification in project management or program management is preferred.
• Full and comprehensive knowledge of the complete product lifecycle, including all aspects of product development from conception to manufacturing introduction.

Skills & Capabilities:

• Leadership Skills
• Analytical Skills
• Problem-solving, conflict management, listening, managing and measuring work
• Strong project management skill set and familiarity with project management tools and techniques
• Team player, self-motivated, perseverance
• Strong oral and written skills
• Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Design Control

Travel Requirements:

• Less than 10% of the time.