Lead, Project Engineer

Job Title:  Lead, Project Engineer

Job Code:  40024

Job Location:  Ft Wayne, IN

Job Description: 

The Operations Program Manager (OPM) will represent Operations as the primary responsible individual for achievement of cost and schedule commitments to the Program Office and external customer. The OPM will be the primary interface from Operations to the Program Management Office (PMO) and other functions (Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance), coordinating the action plans and needs of production operations. The OPM will work with other OPMs to resolve priority conflicts on the shop floor in support of all program objectives.  The OPM will serve as the Earned Value Management Control Account Manager (CAM) responsible for establishing and maintaining labor baselines and assessing Risks & Opportunities. The OPM will develop and execute manufacturing program plans and schedules to ensure successful production. The OPM will lead the manufacturing support team through problem resolution efforts by understanding program goals, tradeoffs and schedules. The OPM will also support proposal preparation and Make/Buy analysis for both new business and changes in scope to existing programs. The OPM will also participate in Capacity Planning for the site by providing details on future forecasted work to the Plant’s Master Scheduling Team and by collaborating with Master Scheduling to maintain manufacturing & test schedules for active projects. The OPM will be a primary contributor to the development of process improvements aimed at improving cost and schedule performance by leading and engaging cross functional teams to identify and capitalize on areas of opportunity.

Essential Functions:

• Serve as member of the program leadership team along with program management and the chief engineer.  Primary conduit between program office and the Operations organization for development, production and/or spares/repairs activity on assigned programs, driving overall program plan and day to day results.


• Has the authority and accountability for the technical, cost, risk/opportunity, and schedule performance of all Operations scope on the assigned program.


• Demonstrated understanding and practice of Earned Value Management, serving as the Control Account Manager (CAM) responsible for managing and reporting on cost and schedule of Operations scope on assigned programs.


• Frequent collaboration with multiple functions (e.g., Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Contracts, Manufacturing, etc.) and the program office to promote successful action planning and execution.


• Support overall Program by contributing schedule inputs and changes into the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), maintaining timely and effective change management processes and procedures.


• Monitor RAIL (Rolling Action Item List) performance and ensure that issues are addressed immediately and corrective actions and recovery plans are implemented expeditiously.


• Plan and coordinate activities to support verification and validation of new processes and product improvements.


• Coordinate with Supply Chain team in development of overall supply chain strategy, risk identification and mitigation, supplier selection, Make/Buy analysis, and issue resolution.


• Support multidisciplinary program reviews and presentations throughout the different phases of development, certification, and production readiness with internal and external stakeholders.


• Project Management.


• Ensure all Manufacturing and Production Readiness Reviews are performed on assigned programs as applicable.


• Facilitate Operations, Supply Chain, Manufacturing and Quality participation in design development to identify and address manufacturability, testability and inspectability issues.


• Support the organization in the development and implementation of operating philosophies and business strategies.


• Develop, implement and sustain success metrics, incorporating best practices, and effectively communicating improvements and promoting Lean initiatives that drive cost savings.


• Effectively manage performance and key deliverables across a matrix organization.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree and minimum 9 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate Degree and a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience.


• Working experience with execution of earned value management (EVM); Experience in creating and managing budgets for both operational and capital expenses


• Prior experience working within the operations environment, preferably for spaceflight hardware supporting in the manufacturing or test engineering role


• Prior experience in using computer-based project management tools associated with resource planning, scheduling and cost monitoring is desirable.


• Prior experience in identifying process constraints, developing improvement plans, and process to improve.


• Prior experience in leading root cause corrective action (RCCA) process


• Experience in use of MS Office products, including Project, Excel, Word and PowerPoint


• Prior experience in the deployment and use of Lean and 6 Sigma manufacturing tools/methods.


• Current Secret Clearance Required to Start.

Preferred Additional Skills:

• Manufacturing Processes, Flow, Shop Orders, Bill Of Material, Routers, Drawing, Etc.


• Operations Leadership Experience.


• Program Budget & Department Budget Management Experience.


• Project and/or Program Management Experience.


• Continuous Process Improvement / Lean Six Sigma Experience.


• Key Performance Indicator (KPIs) Management.


• ERP/MRP Experience (Supply & Demand).


• Ability to multi-task and prioritize assignments.


• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.


• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.


• Excellent interpersonal and coaching skills for collaborating with all levels of the organization.