Program Manager

BHP, Inc dba Global Power Components; United States; On-site; USD 95,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Global Power Components in Milwaukee, WI seeks an experienced Program Manager to oversee large customer programs within our engineer-to-order manufacturing environment. You will act as senior contact for complex projects, guiding PMs and managing customer relationships from quotation through delivery.

The role bridges Sales, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Project Management to ensure objectives and milestones stay aligned, with focus on power systems and custom equipment projects.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in project/program management or related technical environments.
• Experience managing large customer accounts and complex projects.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing operations and ETO project execution.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and align priorities.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, presentation, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong financial, scheduling, and analytical capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Program & Account Management: be the primary relationship manager for strategic customers and multi-project accounts; lead regular meetings and reviews.
• Project Management Leadership: provide guidance to PMs; ensure projects are properly planned and executed; address escalations.
• Commercial & Financial Oversight: support sales/estimating; review pricing, scope changes, and profitability; assist strategic decisions.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: align Sales, Engineering, Purchasing, Production, Quality, Logistics, and PM teams; drive issue resolution.
• Schedule & Execution Management: monitor schedules, identify risks, implement recovery plans, manage long-lead items.
• Metrics & Continuous Improvement: track on-time delivery, customer satisfaction, profitability; drive process improvements.

Skills

7+ years of experience

relationship management

cross-functional leadership

communication skills

negotiation

problem solving

analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Smartsheet

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Outlook

ERP Systems

CRM Platforms

Job description

Title: Program Manager Company: Global Power Components – www.globalpowercomponents.com Location: Milwaukee, WI (onsite 5-days/week) Hire Type: Direct Hire

Position Summary: Global Power Components is seeking an experienced Program Manager to oversee large customer programs and strategic accounts within our engineer-to-order (ETO) manufacturing business. This role serves as the senior point of contact for complex projects and key customers while providing leadership and guidance to Project Managers responsible for daily project execution. The Program Manager is responsible for managing customer relationships, overseeing multiple related projects, supporting commercial and operational decision-making, and ensuring successful execution of large-scale manufacturing programs from quotation through final delivery. This position bridges Sales, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Project Management to ensure customer objectives, project milestones, and business goals remain aligned. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in manufacturing, engineering, industrial construction, power systems, fabrication, or custom equipment projects and be comfortable managing executive-level customer relationships while driving internal accountability and performance.

Core Responsibilities

• Program & Account Management Serve as the primary relationship manager for strategic customers and large multi-project accounts. Oversee multiple active projects within assigned customer programs. Develop and maintain long-term customer relationships while serving as the primary escalation point. Lead regular customer meetings, project reviews, business updates, and schedule discussions. Manage customer expectations regarding schedules, scope changes, manufacturing constraints, and delivery commitments. Identify opportunities for additional business, repeat orders, and program growth.
• Project Management Leadership Provide guidance, support, and oversight to Project Managers assigned to customer programs. Ensure projects are properly planned, executed, and communicated throughout the organization. Assist Project Managers with schedule conflicts, change orders, customer escalations, and production challenges. Review project status reports, milestones, risks, and recovery plans. Promote standardization and best practices across project management activities.
• Commercial & Financial Oversight Support Sales and Estimating teams during project handoff and contract review processes. Review pricing assumptions, scope changes, and customer change orders throughout project lifecycles. Monitor program profitability, budget performance, and project financial metrics. Evaluate business risks and assist leadership with strategic decision-making. Participate in forecasting, backlog reviews, and customer demand planning activities.
• Cross-Functional Coordination Coordinate activities between Sales, Engineering, Purchasing, Production, Quality, Logistics, and Project Management teams. Drive resolution of issues impacting project schedules, customer commitments, or operational performance. Lead internal program reviews and ensure alignment between departments. Facilitate communication regarding production priorities, resource planning, and customer expectations.
• Schedule & Execution Management Monitor schedules across multiple projects and customer programs. Identify risks to project timelines and proactively implement recovery plans. Review long-lead materials, critical path items, and production constraints. Ensure customer commitments are aligned with manufacturing capacity and business objectives. Maintain visibility into project milestones and program-level deliverables.
• Metrics & Continuous Improvement Develop and track key program-level metrics including: On-time delivery, Customer satisfaction, Program profitability, Project cycle times, Backlog performance, Change order activity, Forecast accuracy, Resource utilization Analyze performance trends and implement corrective actions when necessary. Drive process improvements that improve scalability, customer service, and operational efficiency.

Required

• 7+ years of experience in project management, program management, engineering, manufacturing, industrial construction, fabrication, or related technical environments.
• Experience managing large customer accounts and highly complex projects.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, engineer-to-order project execution, and customer relationship management.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence organizational priorities.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, presentation, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong financial, scheduling, and analytical capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred

• Experience managing strategic accounts in power systems, industrial equipment, fabrication, construction, or manufacturing industries.
• PMP certification or advanced project/program management training.
• Experience with contract management, commercial negotiations, and customer escalations.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business, Manufacturing, or a related field.
• Experience with ERP systems, Smartsheet, and project management software.

Tools & Systems

• Smartsheet
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Outlook
• ERP Systems
• CRM Platforms
• Project Tracking & Reporting Tools

At Global Power Components

At Global Power Components, our mission is simple: Inov8OrDie Driven by this mindset, GPC has grown from 200 to more than 2,000 employees in just five years, expanding from one manufacturing facility to four locations across the Milwaukee area, including our new 500,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in West Milwaukee. We design and manufacture the critical infrastructure that surrounds and supports power generation. But what sets GPC apart isn't just what we build — it's how we work. We move fast. We make decisions. We solve problems. We challenge ourselves to continuously improve, raise the bar and deliver quality work on time. We look for ways to remove unnecessary complexity and make work easier for our customers, our partners and each other. And through it all, we protect our people, our workplaces and the reputation we've built. GPC isn't a traditional corporate environment — and we don't want to be. We expect people to take ownership, speak up, make decisions and get things done. As GPC continues to grow, our people have opportunities to take on significant responsibility, solve bigger problems and make a visible impact on the business. If you're energized by growth, comfortable with change, willing to roll up your sleeves and want to help build what's next in power generation, GPC is a place where you can make an impact.