Project Manager

International Paper Company; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 89,000 - 119,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Life Insurance

401(k) plan

Tuition reimbursement

Student loan repayment

Paid time off

Job summary

International Paper is seeking a Project Management Team Lead in Charlotte to oversee a fast-moving project management team. You will drive priorities, coach staff, and ensure projects progress from RFQ to shipment while maintaining customer commitments.

The role requires 8+ years’ related experience, deep knowledge of corrugated/printing processes, and strong skills in Excel and SAP. It offers a salaried, full-time pathway with comprehensive benefits and career growth.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in customer service, B2B inside sales, order management, purchasing, or manufacturing planning.
• Associate’s or BA/BS preferred, commensurate work experience in related roles.
• Strong corrugated and printing industry knowledge and processes understanding.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, accurate with data, and capable of multi-tasking.
• Proficient in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and SAP at a usable level.

Responsibilities

• Lead the daily work of the project management team, setting priorities and balancing workloads to meet customer commitments.
• Coach, train, and develop project managers and coordinators with regular feedback and reviews.
• Oversee project execution from RFQ through production, fulfillment, shipment and reconciliation.
• Serve as primary escalation point for the team; engage cross-functional partners to remove barriers.
• Partner with customers and sales to clarify scope, schedules, and service expectations.
• Lead pre-production meetings to ensure specifications and artwork are approved before release.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Team leadership

Communication

Excel

SAP

Data analysis

Education

Associate’s or BA/BS preferred

Tools

Macola/HRMS

SAP

Access databases

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Position Title

JOB DESCRIPTION

Project Management Team Lead

Pay Rate

$89,000 - $118,600

Multiple factors, including Individual experience, skills and abilities will determine where an employee is ultimately placed in the pay range.

Category/Shift

Salaried Full-Time

Physical Location:

Charlotte Retail
3700 Display Drive
Charlotte, NC28273

The Job You Will Perform

• Lead the daily work of the project management team, setting priorities, assigning projects, and balancing workloads to meet customer requirements and business commitments.
• Coach, train, and develop project managers and coordinators through regular feedback, project reviews, and knowledge sharing. Reinforce clear expectations and address performance concerns with management.
• Oversee project execution from request for quotation through production, fulfillment, shipment, and account reconciliation. Ensure project owners, milestones, requirements, and next steps are clearly defined and tracked.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for the team, resolving project issues and customer concerns promptly. Engage sales, design, operations, logistics, finance, and management as needed to remove barriers and protect customer commitments.
• Partner with customers and the commercial sales team to clarify project scope, retailer requirements, schedules, and service expectations. Support new business opportunities with practical execution plans and timely, accurate information.
• Lead or oversee pre-production meetings and ensure specifications, artwork approvals, materials, inbound product receipts, inventory plans, and shipping requirements are complete before work is released.
• Review project schedules and team capacity with manufacturing and fulfillment partners. Identify risks early, coordinate recovery plans, and communicate changes and their impact to the appropriate stakeholders.
• Oversee cost gathering, quotations, and pricing recommendations using approved tools and guidelines. Review projects for margin improvement, material savings, sourcing alternatives, and inventory reduction opportunities.
• Establish consistent project management practices, documentation, and reporting. Monitor on-time execution, quotation turnaround, accuracy, and issue resolution; use results to improve team performance and customer service.
• Coordinate first article inspections and press checks, as needed, to verify that displays and printed materials meet approved specifications and quality requirements.
• The person selected for this position will retain their current work responsibilities while assuming the additional duties of leading the project management team.

The Qualifications, Skills And Knowledge You Will Bring

• Customer/retailer requirements are typically complex in nature and often have multi-faceted aspects, including high dollar inventories and multiple SKUs that flow through our facility or through outsourced pack-out suppliers
• The life cycle of a particular project from RFQ to execution may be lengthy (in excess of 6 months) so the opportunity to learn and execute project management processes may also be lengthy
• Fast-paced, constantly changing culture that requires a high level of internal collaboration, frequent interaction, and effective communication with sales, project management, manufacturing, contract packaging, logistics, and finance
• The Lead Project Manager position has direct interaction with customers and a high level of interaction with internal & external vendors, suppliers, and contractors.
• The successful candidate must be comfortable working independently on a day-to-day basis but equally adept at working closely with and providing direction to internal stakeholders to execute projects
• Leverage knowledge and experience to train and develop direct reports
• Must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and imminently accurate with data. Ability to multi-task and effectively use priority management skills is critical
• Must be able to operate within defined systems (Macola/HRMS, SAP, Access databases, customer’s systems)
• Eight plus years’ work experience in customer service, business-to-business inside sales, order management, purchasing, or manufacturing planning
• Associate’s or BA/BS preferred, commensurate work experience in customer service, inside sales, project management, or other management roles
• Strong corrugated and printing industry knowledge; well-developed understanding of equipment capabilities and how orders can most effectively flow through the facility. Broad knowledge of company procedures, products, and services
• This position requires a high level of organizational and communication skills, including exemplary interpersonal savvy, negotiation, innovation, and command skills
• Must demonstrate the ability to effectively delegate and lead others
• Accuracy, thoroughness, attention to detail, timeliness/responsive, reliability, patience, listening skills, and creative problem solving are crucial
• Must possess a disposition that thrives on a deep understanding of details and ensures execution
• Must demonstrate a proven track record of accurate data entry; well-developed skills in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and SAP a plus; uses industry- and customer-specific computer systems

About Us

The Benefits You Will Enjoy:

International Paper offers a benefits package that includes health, welfare and retirement plans including Medical, Dental, Life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Short-term and Long-term Disability, 401(k), Company-funded retirement contributions, Paid Time Off, Education & Development (including Tuition Reimbursement), Student Loan Repayment Assistance, and Voluntary Benefits including insurance for home, auto, vision and pets

The Career You Will Build

Leadership training, promotional opportunities

The Impact You Will Make

We continue to build a better future for people, the planet, and our company! IP has been a good steward of sustainable practices across communities around the world for more than 125 years. Join our team and you’ll see why our team members say they’re Proud to be IP.

The Culture You Will Experience

International Paper promotes employee well-being by providing safe, caring and inclusive workplaces. We have team members all around the world with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. These are our strengths. We are committed to creating a culture where all individuals are respected, valued, engaged and have an opportunity to do their best work every day. We invite you to bring your uniqueness, creativity, talents, experiences, and safety mindset to be a part of our increasingly inclusive and diverse culture.

The Company You Will Join

International Paper (NYSE: IP; LSE: IPC) creates sustainable packaging solutions that enable our customers, teammates and shareowners to thrive in an ever-changing world. We are a leader in corrugated packaging, partnering with customers across industries to protect what matters most, strengthen supply chains and create lasting value. Learn more at internationalpaper.com.

International Paper is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. International Paper complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [e-mail] or [phone].