Customer Project Manager - US

Customer Project Manager

The Customer Project Manager leads cross-functional project teams to deliver advanced technical solutions on schedule and within budget. This role bridges the gap between engineering, operations, business needs, and client expectations, overseeing all phases of the project lifecycleinitiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure. This role is expected to build strong relationships across functions and with customers, managing expectations and communicating clearly and professionally, even when sharing difficult updates.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain project plans, schedules, resource requirements, and budgets that align with customer and business objectives.
• Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams (engineering, IT, product, QA, manufacturing) to deliver project objectives in a matrixed environment.
• Identify, track, and resolve issues and risks, including mitigation planning and escalation as needed.
• Serve as the primary communication channel between technical teams, business stakeholders, and customers; set and manage expectations proactively, including communicating difficult news when required.
• Provide regular status reporting on milestones, risks, issues, and budget variances to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure project documentation (requirements, designs, schedules, test plans, notes) is accurate, complete, and up to date.
• Manage changes to project scope, schedule, and resources using structured change-management processes.
• Facilitate technical discussions and decisions, supporting teams with troubleshooting and problem-solving across the project lifecycle.
• Ensure deliverables meet quality standards and applicable regulatory or customer requirements.
• Advocate for and coordinate resource needs (people, budget, tools) across supporting functions to keep projects on track.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical field.
• 3+ years of experience managing technical or engineering-driven projects, preferably in manufacturing or industrial environments.
• Able to read and interpret customer specifications.
• Strong project management fundamentals: Scope, schedule, and budget management. Risk and issue identification, mitigation, and tracking.
• Familiarity with project management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, MS Project, Jira or similar).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and high attention to detail.

Additional Success Factors

• Experience working in a matrix organization and with distributed/remote teams across multiple time zones; willingness to flex work hours to support global collaboration.
• Familiarity with design and manufacturing of industrial heater and control-panel systems, including: Working with industrial electric heaters and their role in thermal systems. Reading and interpreting electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and panel layouts for heater and control-panel assemblies. Understanding common panel components (breakers, fuses, contactors, relays, terminal blocks, PLCs, HMIs) and how they are applied in heater systems. Basic knowledge of temperature sensing and control hardware (thermocouples, RTDs, temperature controllers, power controllers). Understanding manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate, guide, and inspire cross-functional teams without direct authority; strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Comfortable taking a proactive approach to risk mitigation and issue resolution, anticipating problems before they impact scope, schedule, or budget.
• Skilled in negotiation and conflict resolution, including securing resources and resolving cross-functional misalignment.
• Highly organized, with a strong focus on documentation, note-keeping, and traceability across the project lifecycle.
• Ability to quickly learn new technical domains and understand system-level interactions between heaters, panels, controls, and manufacturing processes.
• PMP or similar project management certification.

Benefits: The Watlow Total Compensation Plan

The health, well-being and financial stability of you and your family is a high priority to us. The Watlow Total Rewards Plan includes competitive compensation and a full range of life and career enhancing benefits:

• Annual Incentive Program
• 401(k) plan that includes a company match on your contribution and an annual company contribution that is tied to company performance
• Wellness incentives
• Employee Personal Assistance Program
• Dental, medical, vision and short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Paid holidays, personal time, and vacation
• Parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement

Diversity & Inclusion

We proactively embrace diversity in all its dimensions across our company and cultivate a culture of inclusion and forward thinking that respects and reflects each team member's individual strengths, views, and experiences. Watlow takes pride in being an inclusive equal opportunity employer and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Please let us know confidentially if you need or require any special accommodations to participate in our recruiting process by emailing us at accommodations@Watlow.com.