Project Manager

Crystal Group; Cedar Rapids (IA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision insurance

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Wellness programs

Participation in ESOP

On-Site Gym

Job summary

Crystal Group is seeking a Project Support Manager to lead cross-functional IPTs in delivering engineering and production programs. You will oversee cost, schedule, and technical performance across the program lifecycle for US-based and international customers.

The role requires 3–5 years of PM experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to collaborate with engineering, operations, quality, and supply chain teams in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of project management experience.
• Experience leading cross-functional IPTs across engineering and operations.
• Knowledge of earned value metrics and cost/schedule control.
• Understanding of defense contracting processes and ITAR/EAR regulations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and stakeholder management.
• Willingness to travel up to 10% as required.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Crystal Group IPT including Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales and Business Development.
• Manage all product and system lifecycle activities from pursuit to transition to production.
• Identify and manage program risks, mitigations and contingencies.
• Coordinate program opportunities and harvesting plans.
• Ensure cross-functional dependencies are properly managed and integrated.
• Support customer relationships and collaborate with business development for proposals.

Skills

Project management

Earned value management

Systems engineering

Cross-functional leadership

Export control ITAR/EAR

Microsoft Project

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

PM certification (PMP)

Tools

MS Project

Scheduling software

Job description

Job Description

Job Title: Project Support Manager

Reports to: Director, Engineering

Department: Engineering

Work Model: Full-time, On-site – 10% Travel Required

Schedule: Monday – Friday 8am-5pm

Company & Benefit Information

At Crystal Group, we do hard things – designing and building rugged tech and tech solutions that provide predictable performance in the world’s most unforgiving environments. As a 100% employee-owned company, here you take extreme ownership of your role and work and invest in your own success and that of your teammates. Together we use a zero limits approach to wow our customers.

Crystal Group Offers a Comprehensive Benefits Package Including

• Medical/dental/vision insurance
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement
• Wellness programs
• Participation in our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• On-Site Gym

Job Summary

This position is accountable for a program’s cost, schedule and technical performance over the program lifecycle.

The Project Manager leads the Crystal Group Integrated Product Teams (IPT). Program IPT members can include staff from Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales, Business Development, and others. Project Managers will execute commercial and defense programs, for United States-based customers, and customers outside of the United States.

Essential Functions

• Leads the program’s IPT, including Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales, Business Development, and others.
• Leads all product and system lifecycle activities from pursuit and order capture to transition to production, leveraging program plans, integrated master schedules, cadences, and reviews to plan and manage projects.
• Manages program risks, including mitigations and contingencies.
• Manages program opportunities, including harvest plans.
• Manages dependencies across all teams, activities, and functions.
• Is a key stakeholder in customer relationships, supporting the business development lead in their role as the customer relationship owner.
• Collaborates with a wide range of entry-level to highly experienced engineers and technical personnel.
• Possess a well-honed deception detector.

Areas of focus could be in one or more of the following

Technical Project Management

• Collaborates with engineering teams to ensure technical requirements are met, inclusive of design, performance, and verification requirements.
• Programs that include “significant design and development activities”: Accountable for the pursuit phase activities, include design approach review, cost and schedule estimation, planning, and demand forecasting.
• Accountable for integration and verification activities.
• Ensures compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Manages configuration control and change-management processes.

Operations Project Management

• Collaborates with Operations leadership and teams to ensure internal Operations requirements are met, inclusive of manufacturability, testability, documentation, change management, and other dimensions.
• Accountable for planning and implementing standards and expectations for transitioning to production, including cross-functional reviews, design for manufacturability, design for testability, and other functions.

Subcontract Project Management

• With the Crystal Group contracts team, the Project Manager is accountable for managing subcontract scope during the pursuit, and design and development stages of the project lifecycle.
• Act as the primary point of contact between Crystal Group and the subcontractor.
• Ensure that the subcontractor is integrated into the Crystal Group execution plans, including the integrated master schedule (IMS), change management, quality reviews, and other activities.

Project Stakeholder Management

• Coordinate with account management, system architects, and business development teams during proposal activities.
• Lead internal business-related activities including project status and design reviews.

Quality And Compliance

• Ensure programs meet all applicable quality standards and certifications.
• Accountable for ensuring projects are compliant to the contractual requirements.
• Coordinate regulatory approvals and certifications.
• Ensure compliance to internal requirements, such as change management, design for manufacturability, serviceability, and testability.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Demonstrate experience with project management for Engineering and Operations.
• Demonstratable experience with managing project technical cost, schedule, and performance using earned value metrics.
• Strong understanding of systems engineering principles and hardware/software integration.
• Experience with the full product life cycle, from pursuit through design and development and to transition to production.
• Experience working with energy sector customers and understanding of power systems, grid technologies, or renewable energy solutions.
• Knowledge of defense contracting processes and requirements.
• Understanding of export control regulations including ITAR and EAR).
• Proficient in Microsoft Project, including scheduling, dependencies, resource and staff loading, and other project management functions.
• Excellent written and verbal communicator and presenter, and experience with collaborating and communicating with peers, leadership, customers, partners, and suppliers.
• Strong verbal and written communication abilities.
• Experience presenting to executive leadership and external customers.
• Ability to work effectively in cross-functional, matrixed organizations.

Required Qualifications

• Must be a US Person (US Citizen, person granted US Permanent Resident Card or any individual who is granted status as a "protected person").
• 3 to 5 years of project management experience.

Working Conditions

Work is primarily performed in an office environment. Occasional exposure to manufacturing floor and testing environments. May require lifting up to 25 lbs, standing for extended periods during product testing.

EEO Statement

Crystal Group, Inc, maintains a program of equal employment opportunity designed to ensure that employment and advancement opportunities are made available to all employees and applicants on the basis of individual qualifications and without regard to race, religion, color, creed, national origin, disability, age, sex, genetic information, military status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Offer Contingency

All job offers are contingent on the applicant successfully completing the background check and drug screen.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other responsibilities as necessary. Employment with Crystal Group remains at-will.

EEO IS THE LAW

EEO IS THE LAW (Spanish)

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision (Spanish)