Director (m/f/d) Program & Customer Project Office

Danfoss GmbH; United States; Hybrid; USD 174,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

13th salary

Annual bonus

Paid vacation

Pension plan

Personal insurance

Job summary

Danfoss Climate Solutions is seeking a Director of Program & Customer Project Office to lead a global team and drive cross-functional initiatives across HVAC, climate tech, and R&D. This role reports to the Senior VP and shapes how we work, protect our IP, and accelerate innovation.

You will manage a 15-person team of Project Managers and IP Consultants, champion agile practices, and influence stakeholders across Climate Solutions while ensuring exceptional program execution and delivery.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering, Business, PM, or related field.
• 5–10 years of experience in cross-functional project management.
• Proven leadership of global, diverse teams.
• Fluent English; willingness to travel ~20 days per year.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex, cross-functional programs and projects across global teams with clear scope and milestones.
• Provide people leadership to a globally distributed team of Project Managers and IP Consultants.
• Enable teams through prioritization, capacity planning, and clear ways of working.
• Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement in the PMO and IP functions, championing agile methods.
• Act as a strategic connector with key stakeholders to align priorities and accelerate innovation.

Skills

Fluent English

People leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Decision making

Education

Master's degree in Engineering, Business, PM, or related field

Job description

Director (m/f/d) Program & Customer Project Office

Req ID: 50058 Job Location: Hamburg, DE, Kolding (Marsvej), DK, Nordborg, DK Employment Type: Full Time Segment: Danfoss Climate Solutions Segment Job Category: Project Management Work Location Type: Hybrid Job Description

The Impact You'll Make

At Danfoss Climate Solutions, innovation doesn't happen by chance—it happens through disciplined execution, clear priorities, and teams that are empowered to deliver. As Director (m/f/d) Program & Customer Project Office, you will lead the engine behind our global R&D excellence: a team of 15 skilled Project Managers and Intellectual Property Consultants who turn ambitious strategies into real-world solutions. You will play a pivotal role in our agile transformation and business model evolution, driving cross-functional initiatives that span applications, systems, and breakthrough technologies across all our business segments.
This is more than a leadership role—it's an opportunity to shape how we work, protect what we create, and accelerate what's possible. You will be part of the Solutions & Technology organization, reporting directly to the Senior Vice President, and working alongside passionate, experienced colleagues who are redefining what climate technology can achieve. If you're energized by complexity, thrive on clarity, and believe that great execution starts with great people, this role is for you.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead complex, cross-functional programs and projects across global teams, ensuring clear scope, governance, milestones, and on-time delivery that align with strategic business goals
• Provide people leadership to a globally distributed team of Project Managers and IP Consultants, fostering engagement, clarity, performance, and continuous development
• Enable your teams through smart prioritization, capacity planning, and clear ways of working—you will set direction and remove roadblocks without needing to be a technical or legal expert
• Drive operational excellence and continuous improvement across the Project Management Office and IP function, championing agile ways of working, feedback culture, and cross-segment collaboration
• Act as a strategic connector and influencer, building strong relationships with key stakeholders across Climate Solutions to align priorities, leverage synergies, and accelerate innovation

What We're Looking For

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Business, Project Management, or a related field
• 5-10 years of experience in cross-functional project management, ideally within HVAC, climate technology, R&D, or a similarly complex technical environment
• Proven people leadership experience, including leading global, diverse teams and fostering high performance and engagement
• Strong experience working in matrix organizations along with a structured problem-solving mindset with a bias for action, creativity, and independent decision-making
• Fluent English (written and spoken); additional languages are a plus as well as willingness to travel approximately 20 days per year

What You'll Get from Us

• We promote from within and support your learning with mentoring, training, and access to global opportunities.
• You’ll have flexibility, autonomy, and support to do your best work while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Your well-being matters to us.
• We strive to create an inclusive work environment where people of all backgrounds are respected, and valued for who they are.
• You’ll receive benefits like 13th salary, annual bonus, paid vacation, pension plans, personal insurance, and more. These vary by country and contract, but they’re worth asking about—we think they’re pretty great.

Ready to Make a Difference?

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected category.

Information at a Glance

Danfoss engineers solutions that increase machine productivity, reduce emissions, lower energy consumption, and enable electrification.

Our solutions are used in areas such as refrigeration, air conditioning, heating, power conversion, motor control, industrial machinery, marine, and on- and off-highway equipment. We also provide solutions for data centers, renewable energy, energy storage, heat recovery, as well as contribute to district energy solutions for cities.

Our innovative engineering dates back to 1933. Danfoss is family-owned and employs over 39,000 people. We create long-term value for our customers in more than 100 countries with a global footprint of around 100 factories.