Program Manager

Prince Industries; Carol Stream (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with employer match

Paid time off

Holiday pay

Tuition reimbursement

Uniform rental service

Job summary

Prince Industries is seeking a Program Manager in Illinois to own customer programs from handoff through production execution, coordinating Sales, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain and Operations to keep schedules and milestones on track.

You will manage risks, ensure customer requirements are documented and followed, and escalate issues with clear recommendations. Travel to sites is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations, or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in project/program management or operations within manufacturing.
• Experience in aerospace, space, defense, or other regulated industries preferred.
• Prior experience coordinating cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Own assigned customer programs from handoff through production execution and delivery.
• Serve as primary internal point of contact for program coordination across functions.
• Maintain clear schedules, milestones, and deliverables; identify risks early.
• Ensure customer requirements, approvals, and documentation are captured and followed.
• Coordinate reviews and cross-functional meetings to support execution and issue resolution.
• Track status, actions, and risks; escalate issues with clear recommendations.
• Support customer communication with Sales for consistent messaging.
• Coordinate with outside processors and suppliers to prevent delays.
• Monitor material flow and drive timely resolutions across teams.
• Document and align changes in scope or requirements internally.
• Collaborate with Quality and Engineering on customer-driven requirements.
• Support new program launches and readiness reviews.
• Drive continuous improvement in execution and handoff processes.
• Travel to Prince facilities and customer sites as required.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional coordination

Risk management

Clear communication

ERP experience

Project tracking tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations, or related field

Tools

MS Office

ERP systems

Project tracking tools

Job description

The Program Manager is responsible for owning customer programs from handoff through execution, ensuring alignment across Sales, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations. This role drives schedule adherence, communication clarity, and issue resolution for active programs, with a strong focus on execution discipline, customer requirements, and risk management.

The Program Manager serves as the internal owner for assigned programs, ensuring that commitments made to customers are clearly understood, documented, and executed across all functions and facilities.

Must be willing to travel up to 40%
Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Own assigned customer programs from internal handoff through production execution and delivery
• Serve as the primary internal point of contact for program coordination, ensuring alignment between Sales, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations
• Maintain clear program schedules, milestones, and deliverables; proactively identify risks to cost, schedule, or quality
• Ensure customer requirements, approvals, and documentation are clearly captured, communicated, and followed
• Coordinate internal reviews and cross-functional meetings to support program execution and issue resolution
• Track program status, open actions, and risks; **escalate** issues early with clear recommendations
• Support customer communication in partnership with Sales, ensuring consistent messaging and follow‑through
• Proactively coordinate and elevate schedules with outside processors, suppliers, and material partners to prevent delays and maintain workflow continuity
• Monitor material flow, identify risks or bottlenecks, and drive timely resolutions through effective communication and collaboration across internal and external teams
• Ensure changes in scope, requirements, or priorities are documented, communicated, and aligned internally
• Partner with Quality and Engineering on customer-driven requirements, approvals, and corrective actions
• Support new program launches, including onboarding, documentation alignment, and readiness reviews
• Drive continuous improvement in program execution, communication flow, and handoff processes
• Travel to Prince facilities and customer sites as required

Required Skills and Attributes

• Strong organizational and execution skills with the ability to manage multiple active programs
• Clear, direct communicator; able to align cross-functional teams and manage expectations
• Strong attention to detail and follow-through
• Ability to identify risks early and drive resolution
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, manufacturing environment with tight customer requirements
• Strong problem-solving skills with a practical, execution-focused mindset
• Proficient in Microsoft Office; experience with ERP and project tracking tools preferred
• Ability to work effectively across multiple facilities and functional teams

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations, or a related field preferred
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in project management, program management, or operations within a manufacturing environment
• Experience supporting aerospace, space, defense, or other regulated industries strongly preferred
• Prior experience coordinating cross-functional teams required

Physical Job Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to access and navigate production facilities
• Ability to travel as required to support programs across facilities
  
• Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical insurance (PPO and HDHP with HSA) w/ Prescription Coverage
• Vision PPO Insurance
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Company Paid Life Insurance and AD & D - Including options to add on additional life insurance for yourself, spouse & children
• Critical Illness Insurance
• 401(k) Fidelity Plan with strong employer match
• Personal Retirement Advisor
• Generous PTO Policy and 9 Paid Holidays per year
• 100% Tuition Reimbursement for Job-Related Classes
• Personal Protective Equipment reimbursement (safety glasses, shoes, etc.)
• Uniform Rental Service
• Employee Events
  

Due to ITAR regulations, only U.S. persons-defined as U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders), and U.S. nationals-are eligible for this position.

*We are an Equal Employment Opportunity ("EEO") Employer. Applicants can learn more about Prince's status as an equal opportunity employer by viewing the federal "EEO is the Law" poster (https://www.eeoc.gov/employers).