Operations Project Leader

Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401k

Onsite cafeteria

Fitness facility

Job summary

Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation seeks an Operations Project Leader to support hand tools and manufacturing initiatives. This role requires leading complex projects, managing resources, and ensuring timely delivery while collaborating across teams.

Candidates should have a relevant degree, extensive engineering experience, and strong project management skills. The position offers a comprehensive benefits package and opportunities for professional growth within a dynamic company culture.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years engineering experience in a related field.
• Experience managing moderate complexity projects.
• Proficient understanding of cost drivers in manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Lead operations projects for NPD and process improvement.
• Create and manage project schedules and resource plans.
• Identify and mitigate project risks.

Skills

Project management

Problem-solving

Manufacturing/industrial engineering aptitude

Cost analysis

Microsoft Office

Education

Relevant degree in industrial engineering or related field

Graduate studies in business areas

Tools

Microsoft Project

CAD software

ERP systems (Oracle Cloud, High Jump)

Job description

At Milwaukee Tool (Milwaukee), we strive for operational excellence to deliver best‑in‑class products that exceed the needs of our end users. We achieve this by cultivating a culture to hire, reward, mentor and grow "Exceptional People."

As an Operations Project Leader within the Strategic Operations team, your primary focus is to support Milwaukee's Hand Tools Storage, PPE, Core and Layout products. You will utilize your technical skills and project management ability to support new product development (NPD) launches, manufacturing support initiatives, risk mitigation efforts and strategic transfer execution. Project types include execution of operations milestones, in‑house product releases, capacity and process improvement projects. You will also work directly with manufacturing cells to improve processes and reduce costs through machine improvements, capacity projects, and design changes.

Milwaukee Electric Tool offers benefits on your first day of work (health, dental, vision, life insurance, 401k) and an excellent working environment that includes an onsite cafeteria as well as a state‑of‑the‑art fitness facility.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead multiple moderate to highly complex operations projects for NPD, process improvement & manufacturing support with minimal direction. Provide project management and technical problem‑solving support on high complexity projects, as needed.
• Create project schedules, resource plans (RASICs), and facilitate and document project meetings.
• Track project schedule to ensure adherence to timelines; keep team and management informed of project issues.
• Identify and mitigate project risks and implement risk reduction plans. Escalate as appropriate.
• Work cross‑functionally and globally with Quality & Reliability, Engineering, Sourcing, Finance, Supply and Demand, Marketing and other departments.
• Communicate technical details, ideas, and concepts to engineers and non‑engineers in multiple locations both verbally and written. Lead formal project technical reviews and participate in management reviews for assigned projects. Regularly make presentations of project status.
• Evaluate product design relative to material selection, cost, reliability and manufacturability and offer improvement ideas. Make component, material or process recommendations.
• Lead manufacturing process related feasibility studies. Analyze, evaluate and select from manufacturing alternatives to best meet objectives for capital, cost, capacity and timing.
• Lead operational readiness & implementation. Accountable for technical elements of project execution including integration of equipment, tooling, capability reviews, manufacturing process and safety, regulatory and standards compliance.
• Interact with operations, quality and suppliers to develop processes capable of meeting part/product specifications that meet performance requirements.
• Serve as a technical resource to troubleshoot problems with manufacturing teams and suppliers.
• Creates manufacturing cost models for new projects to analyze the best approach for operations business planning.
• Interpret data and make corresponding recommendations including but not limited to: impact to financials (GM and EBIT, total CapEx), intermediate supply chain design analysis, end‑to‑end logistics modeling, risk trade‑off for short and long‑term strategy, line layout considerations for NPD if in‑house.
• Does not have formal supervisory responsibilities; will provide input for performance appraisals for cross‑functional project team members and oversee day‑to‑day activities of project team members.
• Regularly visit production sites and suppliers to maintain open lines of communication and provide opportunity/troubleshooting analysis as required. Sites include downtown Milwaukee, West Bend WI, Mukwonago WI, Cookeville TN, Vietnam, China. Primary location will be West Bend WI; travel across WI sites weekly, domestic sites monthly, and international sites 1‑2 times per year.

Education and Experience

• Relevant degree in industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, supply chain or operations. Graduate studies preferred in business areas such as Project Management, Finance, Marketing, or Organizational studies. Formal project management training preferred.
• Minimum 7 years engineering experience in a related field.
• Experience successfully managing moderate complexity projects and/or subsystems of larger projects.
• Must possess a high level of manufacturing/industrial engineering aptitude including broad knowledge of manufacturing processes and experience implementing equipment.
• Proficient understanding of various cost drivers associated with materials, labor & overhead is required.
• Must have a working design knowledge of a wide variety of technologies associated with Milwaukee products.
• Must be able to personally conduct detailed analyses or recognize the need to seek the appropriate expertise to achieve the desired results.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office software including Microsoft Project.
• Ability to travel to China & domestically several times a year is required (15% travel).

Additional Skills

• Computer‑aided design skills are a significant advantage but not required; including Unigraphics (NX8.5) or similar 3D CAD package. Experience with Teamcenter a plus.
• Experience with ERP systems and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) desired – Oracle Cloud and High Jump a plus.

Milwaukee Tool is an equal opportunity employer.