Project Manager

POSITION SUMMARY

The Project Manager is responsible for the successful execution of customer projects from order acceptance through final delivery, with primary responsibility for engineered-to-order (ETO), configured-to-order, and other custom customer orders. Projects typically involve pumps, engineered pumping solutions, and related equipment that are designed, configured, manufactured, tested, and documented to meet customer-specific technical, commercial, quality, and delivery requirements. These orders may include unique engineering requirements, customer specifications, documentation and testing requirements, third-party or subcontracted components, and changes in scope during execution.

The Project Manager serves as the primary cross-functional leader for these orders, coordinating Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Applications Engineering, Sales, and other functions to ensure customer commitments are met. The role owns the overall project plan and drives execution against schedule, cost, technical requirements, contractual obligations, and customer expectations from order handoff through shipment and project closeout.

This position requires a strong project leader and change agent with a proven track record in high-mix, low-volume manufacturing and engineered-to-order (ETO) environments, capable of creating accountability across functions, proactively managing project risk, resolving execution issues, and driving process improvement and standard adherence throughout the full lifecycle of an order.

KEY SUCCESS DELIVERABLES

1. Deliver customer projects on time, within budget, and to specification, while identifying lessons learned and opportunities for continuous improvement.
2. Build and lead effective cross-functional project teams with clear accountability for project deliverables.
3. Manage complex ETO and custom customer orders from order acceptance through engineering, procurement, manufacturing, testing, documentation, shipment, and closeout.
4. Proactively identify and manage project risks related to schedule, cost, technical requirements, supply chain, quality, and customer scope.
5. Document project results, monitor performance metrics, and drive improvement in on-time delivery and overall project execution.
6. Establish clear and proactive communication with customers and internal teams. Document project issues, customer negotiations, clarifications, and changes in scope.
7. Establish and drive operational excellence standards around contract review, order entry, requests for quote, order status, product information, change management, and special customer requirements.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Lead cross-functional teams from project scoping and order handoff through delivery and closeout of all project objectives.
• Establish an effective meeting and operating cadence to create team alignment, accountability, and ownership.
• Coordinate activities across Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Applications Engineering, Sales, and other functions required to execute customer orders.
• Provide guidance to Applications Engineers for proposal development, order handoff, and SOP compliance.
• Drive timely resolution of technical, commercial, operational, and supply-chain issues that could affect customer commitments.

PLANNING

• Facilitate development of functional area plans and create integrated project plans and schedules covering engineering, procurement, manufacturing, testing, documentation, and delivery.
• Translate customer and contractual requirements into clear project milestones, deliverables, responsibilities, and timing.
• Work with functional leadership to ensure adequate resources are assigned to project teams to meet all project deliverables.
• Identify long-lead materials, critical engineering activities, customer approvals, testing requirements, and other potential constraints early in the project lifecycle.

PROJECT MONITORING & EXECUTION

• Manage project schedules using critical path methodologies.
• Lead risk assessment of schedule, financial, technical, quality, and contractual requirements; create risk mitigation and contingency plans.
• Track project progress against key milestones and publish metrics and status reports as required.
• Build cross-functional engagement with the CIRCOR Project Management System.
• Identify deviations from project scope, schedule, cost, or customer requirements and drive timely corrective action.
• Manage customer-driven engineering and specification changes throughout project execution.
• Negotiate changes to project scope of work with the customer and key subcontractors; ensure changes are incorporated into the project schedule and that incremental costs are identified and recovered.
• Support effective project closeout, including resolution of outstanding customer requirements, documentation, lessons learned, and financial performance.

COMMUNICATION

• Serve as a key point of coordination for customer communication during project execution.
• Provide timely and transparent communication of project status, risks, decisions, and required actions to all stakeholders.
• Conduct milestone reviews and executive status meetings as required.
• Effectively communicate tradeoffs and required decisions when customer changes, technical issues, or operational constraints affect cost or delivery.

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS

SKILLS

• Effective planning, communication, and presentation skills.
• Strong project leadership skills with the ability to drive results through cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Ability to forge strong relationships with customers and internal business partners.
• Excellent conflict management and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to navigate ambiguous situations and create clarity, alignment, and accountability.
• A responsive, customer-focused mindset driven to meet both external and internal customer needs.
• An action-oriented approach to managing responsibilities that results in meeting challenging, time-bound objectives.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to understand the cost and schedule implications of customer requirements and scope changes.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• BS degree in Business, Engineering, or related field.
• Proven track record managing engineered-to-order, custom, or complex customer projects, preferably in a high-mix, low-volume industrial manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience managing projects ranging from $500K to $5.0M in size.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience managing projects and leading cross-functional teams.
• Experience coordinating engineering, procurement, manufacturing, quality, testing, and customer requirements through the lifecycle of an order.
• Management of global projects desired.
• PMP certification is a plus.
• Knowledge of oil & gas and power generation markets is a plus.
• Strong skills in Microsoft Project.
• Knowledge of ERP systems (SAP, IFS, JD Edwards, Oracle).

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Excellent communication and presentation skills for all levels of the organization.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret technical specifications, contractual requirements, and legal documents.

MATHEMATICAL & FINANCIAL SKILLS

• Understands budgeting, costing, and financial concepts and can manage project performance against financial objectives.
• Ability to understand the financial impact of scope changes, schedule delays, engineering changes, and other project execution issues.
• Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret technical instructions presented in mathematical, written, or diagram form and deal with multiple abstract and concrete variables.

CIRCOR is an EEO Employer of Females / Minorities / Veterans / Individuals with Disabilities.