Program Manager, Engineering

Engineering Program Manager

The Engineering Program Manager is responsible for leading the safe, compliant, and cost-effective optimization of manufacturing facilities across multiple sites and workstreams. This role directs cross-functional teams to execute all aspects of facility optimization, including vendor procurement, asset recovery, environmental compliance, IT system, and legal and real estate coordination. The ideal candidate excels at managing complex, time-sensitive programs with significant financial, environmental, and operational implications, driving governance, risk mitigation, documentation control, and audit-ready execution.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead end-to-end optimization programs across one or more facilities, overseeing all phases from initial planning through project closure.
• Develop and issue comprehensive Request for Quote (RFQ) packages for optimization services; evaluate bids, select vendors, negotiate commercial terms, and manage contractor performance to ensure adherence to scope, budget, schedule, and compliance requirements.
• Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, IT, Real Estate and legal teams to coordinate and track completion of optimization-related tasks.
• Ensure full Environmental, Health & Safety (EH&S) compliance, by partnering with EH&S to identify, handle, transport, and dispose of all hazardous materials, waste streams, and regulated equipment in accordance with all applicable regulations.
• Manage asset acquisition, disposition and value-recovery initiatives, including financial documentation.
• Develop and maintain program-level plans, budgets, forecasts, risk registers, and executive-ready status reporting across all workstreams.
• Identify, escalate, and mitigate program risks related to safety, compliance, environmental exposure, contractual obligations, schedule, and cost.
• Ensure all optimization activities meet regulatory, corporate, and contractual requirements, supported by audit-ready documentation and controlled change management.

Required Skills & Competencies:

• Strong background in manufacturing engineering with hands-on experience in production facilities, including deep knowledge of manufacturing processes, production equipment and plant operations.
• Proven experience leading complex, multi-site optimization programs within industrial or manufacturing environments.
• Strong knowledge of procurement and commercial processes, including RFQ development, vendor selection, contract negotiation, and performance management.
• Solid understanding of EH&S regulations, hazardous materials handling and waste stream management, environmental compliance requirements, and safe optimization practices.
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management skills across Operations, EH&S, IT, Real Estate, Finance, Legal, Engineering, and external vendors.
• Strong program management skills with the ability to lead multiple concurrent workstreams, manage dependencies, and drive governance and decision making.
• Experience with asset acquisition, disposition and value-recovery initiatives, including financial documentation.
• Outstanding organizational, communication, negotiation, and issue-escalation abilities, with a demonstrated ability to influence cross functional teams and external partners.
• Proficiency with program and project management tools (MS Project, Smartsheet, etc.), documentation systems, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to interpret leases, contracts, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong risk management capabilities, including identification, mitigation, and escalation of safety, environmental, contractual, and financial risks.
• Experience developing audit-ready documentation and maintaining compliance with corporate, environmental, and regulatory standards.
• Ability to manage change control processes across multiple workstreams.
• 50% Travel Required

A reasonable estimate of the current range is $145,000-$155,000 + bonus + benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. At Novolex, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

The benefits for this role include 401(k) plan with company match, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, flexible spending and health savings accounts, paid vacation, and sick days, paid parental leave, paid holidays and wellness program.