Assistant Project Manager

Focus; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Focus, an Illinois-based manufacturing firm, is seeking a detail-oriented Project Coordinator to support custom manufacturing projects from planning through delivery. The role features a ~9-month development pathway to advance to a full Project Manager position, offering hands-on exposure on the shop floor and cross-functional collaboration.

You will track orders, manage materials with Epicor, drive schedules, and ensure quality and cost controls while maintaining safety on the factory floor.

Qualifications

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or equivalent practical shop-floor experience.
• 1–3 years of experience in project coordination, inventory control, or production support in custom manufacturing.
• Proficiency with ERP systems (Epicor preferred), MS Office, and blueprint reading.

Responsibilities

• Plan and schedule projects using WBS, track orders, verify scopes and timelines, attend daily stand-up meetings.
• Manage shop floor and inventory with Epicor ERP, coordinate material flow, and expedite bottlenecks.
• Communicate customer specs, handle RMAs/reworks, track unquoted ops to protect margins.
• Serve as client/supplier contact and record ECNs and lessons learned.

Skills

ERP systems (Epicor)

MS Office

Blueprint reading

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or equivalent practical shop-floor experience

Job description

Supports custom manufacturing projects across the entire lifecycle. There is a ~9-month development pathway to advance to full Project Manager position.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Planning & Scheduling: Track orders, verify scopes and timelines against quotes, apply Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), and join daily stand-up meetings.
• Shop Floor & Inventory Control: Use Epicor ERP to manage orders/WIP, coordinate material flow, expedite bottlenecks, and assist with cycle counts.
• Quality & Cost Control: Communicate customer specs (PPAPs, tolerances), manage RMAs/reworks, and track unquoted operations to protect profit margins.
• Stakeholder Communication: Serve as client/supplier contact, manage Engineering Change Notifications (ECNs), and record project lessons learned.

Qualifications

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or equivalent practical shop-floor experience.
• 1–3 years of experience in project coordination, inventory control, or production support in custom manufacturing.
• Proficiency with ERP systems (Epicor preferred), MS Office, and blueprint reading.

Work Environment

• Active manufacturing plant floor requiring standard PPE and safety compliance.
• Standard shift: 8:00 AM–4:30 PM or 8:30 AM–5:00 PM.