Global Program Manager

IPG Photonics

Marlborough (MA)

On-site

USD 130,000 - 165,000

Full time

4 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Dependent Care FSA

Paid vacation time accrued based on  -

Life Insurance

Disability insurance

401(k) plan with Company matching

Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Adoption Assistance

Pet Insurance

Bright Horizons Backup Care

Bright Horizons College Coach

Job summary

IPG Photonics, headquartered in Marlborough, MA, seeks a Program Manager to steer global enterprise programs within Global Operations. You will own end-to-end roadmaps, coordinate cross-functional teams across manufacturing, IT, supply chain, and HR, and drive standardized planning and reporting for executive priorities.

You'll translate strategy into structured workstreams, manage risks and dependencies, and champion lean improvements to deliver measurable results with clear ownership across

Qualifications

10+ years in operations, manufacturing, or industrial program leadership.
Proven mastery of program governance, planning, risk and dependency management, and executive reporting.
Operations depth in a complex engineered-product environment.
Hands-on application of Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent methodologies.
Proven ability to lead organizational change and drive adoption across functions and levels.
Executive presence: concise communicator with ability to influence executives.

Responsibilities

Own the global enterprise program roadmap end to end, including scope, milestones, dependencies, and outcomes.
Establish and run a clear operating cadence with steering reviews and status reporting.
Maintain a single source of truth for program status, risks, decisions, and actions.
Translate strategic intent into structured workstreams with named owners and deliverables.
Act as the central PMO interface across functional owners and resources.
Lead cross-functional teams to deliver process and capability improvements across manufacturing and operations.
Drive standardization of planning/execution and apply lean principles to reduce waste.
Coordinate major operational initiatives with rigorous planning and readiness management.
Support site transitions, system implementations, and capacity changes with sequencing and governance.
Define metrics and reporting to manage performance and surface issues early.
Partner with sourcing and operations leaders on cost optimization and business cases.
Provide program management support for external manufacturing initiatives and cross-functional governance.

Skills

Program management

Operations depth

Lean Six Sigma

Change management

Executive presence

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, business, or a related field

Job description

IPG Photonics is revolutionizing the laser industry as the pioneering developer and leading producer of fiber lasers and amplifiers. Headquartered in Marlborough, MA, IPG has over 4,800 employees in more than 30 locations around the world. We aspire to work together with our employees and customers to apply light in ways that improve life.

Our mission is to develop innovative laser solutions to make the world a better place. To accomplish this mission, we are committed to attracting and retaining the best talent and an engaged and thriving workforce that drives a sustainable future for our company and society.

About the Role

IPG Photonics is advancing a portfolio of global enterprise programs to strengthen execution, standardize how critical initiatives are run, and deliver measurable, sustainable improvement across Global Operations.

The Program Manager, Global Enterprise Programs serves as the central PMO and execution-coordination lead for these enterprise priorities. Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Global Operations and engaging directly with leaders across operations, engineering, supply chain, strategic sourcing, IT, finance, and HR, this leader provides the governance, cadence, transparency, and cross-functional alignment required to turn executive priorities into coordinated action and visible results. This is a hands‑on leadership role with clear ownership boundaries.

Responsibilities

Own the global enterprise program roadmap end to end, including scope, milestones, dependencies, and outcomes, and keep it aligned to the priorities set by the executive leadership team.
Establish and run a clear operating cadence (steering reviews, working sessions, and status reporting) that creates rhythm, transparency, and momentum across the program.
Maintain a single, trusted source of truth for program status, risks, decisions, and actions, and ensure it is current and credible at all times.
Translate strategic intent into structured workstreams with named owners, defined deliverables, and realistic timelines.
Act as the central PMO interface across functional owners, ensuring progress, risks, dependencies, decisions, and resource needs are visible and actively managed.
Lead cross-functional teams to deliver process, system, and capability improvements across manufacturing and the broader operations organization.
Drive standardization of how work is planned, executed, and measured, applying lean and continuous‑improvement principles to eliminate waste and variability.
Support major operational initiatives (e.g., site transitions, system implementations, and capacity changes) with rigorous planning, sequencing, and readiness management.
Coordinate manufacturing footprint optimization initiatives across sites and functions, supporting local leaders with governance, milestone tracking, dependency management, and escalation discipline.
Support the identification, evaluation, and approval of new value‑creation opportunities, including savings pipeline development, business‑case support, and integration of approved initiatives into the global enterprise program portfolio.
Define the metrics that matter, build the reporting that makes them visible, and use them to manage performance and surface issues early.
Partner with Strategic Sourcing and operational leaders to support make‑or‑buy analyses, supplier consolidation initiatives, cost‑optimization opportunities, and related business cases.
Provide program management support for sourcing‑led external manufacturing initiatives, including onboarding, industrialization readiness, production transfer planning, and cross‑functional governance.
Coordinate across internal manufacturing sites, external manufacturing partners, sourcing, engineering, quality, finance, and operations leadership to ensure transfer plans, risks, and decisions are actively managed.
Partner with the CHRO and people leaders to plan and execute the organizational change required for global enterprise programs to stick, including communication, stakeholder engagement, training, and reinforcement.
Build buy‑in at every level, from the executive team to frontline teams, and convert skeptics into participants.
Anticipate the human side of change and design for adoption, not just implementation.
Serve as the connective tissue across operations, engineering, supply chain, IT, finance, and HR, ensuring alignment and fast resolution of cross‑functional issues.
Proactively identify, quantify, and mitigate risks; escalate the right issues to the right level at the right time, with options and a recommendation.
Coordinate internal teams and any external partners or contractors deployed to the program, ensuring accountability, quality, value, and alignment with the appropriate functional owners.

Qualifications

Experience: 10+ years in operations, manufacturing, or industrial program leadership, including direct ownership of complex, cross‑functional global enterprise programs or improvement initiatives.
Program management: Demonstrated mastery of program/project management discipline, including governance, planning, risk and dependency management, and executive reporting, with a track record of delivering on commitments.
Operations depth: Strong working knowledge of manufacturing and operations in a complex, engineered‑product environment, with credibility on the production floor.
Continuous improvement: Hands‑on application of Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent operational excellence methodologies.
Change leadership: Proven ability to lead organizational change and drive adoption across functions and levels.
Executive presence: Confident, concise communicator able to engage and influence executive leadership while remaining grounded in operational detail.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, business, or a related field.

Preferred Skills

PMP certification and/or formal change‑management certification.
Experience in photonics, lasers, electronics, optics, or precision/advanced manufacturing.
Experience leading ERP implementations, site transfers, or multi‑site operational integration.
Master’s degree or MBA.

Wage Information

MA: $130K-$165K

Pay Range

The pay range on this posting applies to the role in the primary location specified. If the candidate would ultimately work outside of the primary location posted, the applicable range could differ. Actual starting pay is determined by a number of factors including relevant skills, qualifications, and experience.

Other Compensation