Program Management Lead, Rack PDU

Vertiv Corporation; Lincoln (NE); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Vertiv Corporation is seeking a Program Management Lead to run the PMO and oversee the global rPDU project portfolio. You will coordinate with Product Line, GPDO, and Operations to drive new product development, engineering changes, and new platforms from concept to launch.

The role requires managing cross-functional teams, aligning programs with strategic objectives, and driving processes and governance across the organization. Travel up to 20% may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field; Master's degree is an asset.
• Minimum 5 years as Program Manager in a structured organization.
• Minimum 2 years leading Program Management teams.
• Comprehensive understanding of the product development lifecycle, from concept ideation to commercialization.
• PMP certification strongly preferred.
• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities with stakeholder engagement.
• Willingness to travel up to 20%.
• Experience in the Data Center Infrastructure sector preferred.
• Familiarity with Waterfall and Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban).

Responsibilities

• Ensure projects follow the Corporate NPDI process.
• Manage the rPDU project portfolio with alignment to roadmaps and resource availability.
• Staff projects by coordinating across functions and prioritization.
• Develop and mentor Project Managers on plans, timelines, and risks.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration and meet aggressive deadlines.
• Facilitate communication between stakeholders including engineering, operations, and leadership.
• Track and report on KPIs, budgets, and project performance.
• Mitigate risks and issues affecting timelines, scope, or quality.
• Collaborate with Product Management and Engineering to define requirements and ensure cost targets.
• Initiate post-launch analysis and feedback for future iterations.

Skills

PMP certification

Leadership

Communication

Influencing stakeholders

Problem solving

Travel up to 20%

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Business

Master's degree (asset)

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Rack Power Distribution Unit (rPDU) Product Line VP, the Program Management Lead will have dual responsibility of managing the PMO team and at the same time manage the portfolio of projects related to the rPDU Product Line globally, working closely with Product Line, Global Process Governance, and Operations leaders. The Program Management Lead: Is responsible and accountable for the management of projects aimed at new product development. These can range from new technology development (Advance Technology), customization of existing products to specific client requests (Engineered to Order), products transferred from region to region (Design Transfer), or from inception to product launch into a new market (New Platform). The projects require coordinating the efforts of all involved departments (engineering, product management, manufacturing engineering, operations, procurement, quality, order fulfillment, logistics, service, marketing, sales and other cross-functional groups) to the successful completion of the project. Needs to manage projects or initiatives to which they are directly assigned, cooperate with Product Line peers to assign project managers to projects, and oversee the execution of projects assigned to their team, all while contributing to the career progression and knowledge gain in the project management discipline of their team. Is responsible for overseeing the rPDU portfolio, reporting its overall status to the Product Line Leader, and hosting regular status reviews. Moreover, the function is responsible for providing approval recommendations during gate review meetings. Must maintain continuous alignment of program scope with Company strategic business and other organizational objectives, make recommendations to modify the program to enhance effectiveness, highlight any possible situation hindering achievement of program results and elaborate a recovery plan. Champions the adoption and sustained use of processes, tools, and governance frameworks developed by the Global Product Development Office (GPDO), including the NPDI Global SOP, gate review templates, and associated policies. Lead the deployment of new or updated GPDO processes into the rPDU Product Line through training, communication, and change management. Serve as the primary liaison between the GPDO and the rPDU team, providing feedback on process effectiveness and ensuring compliance with global standards across all project execution activities.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure the projects/programs are managed in accordance with the Corporate NPDI (New Product Development and Introduction) Process
• Manage the rPDU project portfolio, ensuring alignment with business roadmaps and availability of resources.
• Work with management of different operating functions to identify and obtain required resources to adequately staff projects, providing necessary information for prioritization where required.
• Develop and mentor Project Managers in the team, so they can develop and execute project/program plans, including timelines, milestones, and resource allocation, while effectively managing risks and dependencies.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration and foster a culture of teamwork to achieve project deliverables and meet aggressive deadlines.
• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration between various stakeholders, including engineering teams, operations, product offering and executive leadership.
• Track and report on project, program and portfolio performances, measuring progress, budget utilization, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to stakeholders and senior management.
• Identify and proactively mitigate risks and issues that may impact project timelines, scope, or quality.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, driving innovation and efficiency in the product development process.
• Collaborate closely with the Product Management team to define product requirements, specifications, and ensure alignment with customer needs, and with the Engineering team to develop and validate solutions which are compliant with the requirements set, at a competitive product cost.
• Initiate and complete post-launch product analysis and feedback collection to inform future iterations and enhancements.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field, with the ability to learn the basics of product development. A Master's degree is an asset.
• A minimum of 5 years' experience as a Program Manager, leading programs within a structured organization
• A minimum of 2 years of experience leading Program Management teams
• Comprehensive understanding of the product development lifecycle, from concept ideation to commercialization.
• Exceptional project management skills; PMP certification is strongly preferred.
• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities, with proficiency in engaging and influencing stakeholders at all organizational levels.
• Excellent leadership and influencing capabilities, including the ability to motivate and direct cross-functional teams toward common objectives.
• Robust problem-solving and decision-making skills, characterized by a proactive and solution-oriented approach.
• Willingness to travel up to 20% of the time.
• Preferred: Experience in the Data Center Infrastructure sector.
• Advantageous: Familiarity with Waterfall and Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban)

PHYSICAL & ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS

No specific demands

TIME TRAVEL REQUIRED

Up to 20%

About Us

The successful candidate will embrace Vertiv's Core Principles & Behaviors to help execute our Strategic Priorities.

OUR CORE PRINCIPLES: Safety. Integrity. Respect. Teamwork. Inclusion.

OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES High-Performance Culture Customer Focus Operational Excellence Innovation Financial Strength

VERTIV BEHAVIORS Own it Act with urgency Foster a customer-first mindset Think big and execute Lead by example Drive continuous improvement Learn and seek out development Promote transparent & open communication

About Vertiv Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to enable its customers' vital applications to run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs. Vertiv solves the most important challenges facing today's data centers, communication networks, and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extend from the cloud to the edge of the network. Headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, USA, Vertiv employs around 34,000 people and does business in more than 130 countries. Visit Vertiv.com to learn more.

Work Authorization

Vertiv will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1, H-1, H-2, L, B, J, or TN or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Vertiv is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We promote equal opportunities for all with respect to hiring, terms of employment, mobility, training, compensation, and occupational health, without discrimination as to age, race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity / expression (including transgender status or sexual stereotypes), genetic information, citizenship status, national origin, protected veteran status, political affiliation, or disability. If you have a disability and are having difficulty accessing or using this website to apply for a position, you can request help by sending an email to [e-mail]