Project Manager – Industrial Manufacturing

Skyline Search Partners

Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory (MN)

On-site

USD 110,000 - 165,000

Full time

2 hours ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan with company 3.

Paid time off (PTO) 120 hours

Life insurance

Long-term disability

Minnesota Paid Family and MedicalLeave

Job summary

Skyline Search Partners is seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead large, complex customer and new product development projects from kickoff through delivery and closeout. You will coordinate engineering, procurement, manufacturing, quality, and commercial stakeholders to ensure on-time, on-budget results against customer requirements.

The ideal candidate combines strong project management fundamentals with manufacturing knowledge, financial discipline, and the ability to drive

Qualifications

5+ years of project management experience in industrial manufacturing.
Experience personally managing customer projects valued at $5 million or more.
Strong planning, scheduling, budgeting, and financial management capabilities.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and Bills of Materials.
Willingness to work onsite in Lakeville, Minnesota, with occasional travel.

Responsibilities

Lead large industrial manufacturing projects from kickoff through final delivery and closeout.
Develop integrated project plans covering engineering, procurement, manufacturing, inspections, testing, and shipment.
Coordinate priorities and responsibilities across internal departments.
Track progress, identify potential delays, and drive corrective actions.
Communicate project financial performance and forecasts to leadership.

Skills

Project management

Budgeting

Scheduling

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder communication

Risk management

Onsite coordination

Financial management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Construction/Business/Operations Management

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification

Tools

MS Project

Smartsheet

ERP systems

Excel

Job description

We're partnering with a rapidly growing industrial equipment manufacturer in the southern Twin Cities to hire an experienced Project Manager to lead large, complex customer projects from kickoff through delivery.

The company designs and manufactures engineered equipment used in power generation and other demanding industrial applications. With significant growth driven by the expanding data center and power infrastructure markets, the organization is investing in its people, manufacturing capabilities, and project execution processes.

This is a unique opportunity to become the company's first dedicated Project Manager, taking ownership of substantial customer projects while helping establish the systems, accountability, and best practices needed to support continued growth.

We're looking for someone who combines strong project management fundamentals with practical manufacturing knowledge, financial discipline, and the ability to drive results across engineering, purchasing, production, and quality teams.

The Opportunity

As Project Manager, you'll take ownership of large customer and new product development projects from initial kickoff through manufacturing, delivery, and closeout.

You'll coordinate engineering, procurement, manufacturing, quality, and commercial stakeholders to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and according to customer requirements.

These aren't small, transactional projects. You'll be responsible for complex, high-value programs involving engineered products, fabrication, production scheduling, inspections, and coordinated deliveries.

The ideal candidate is comfortable managing individual projects valued at $5 million or more, including projects with extended production timelines and multiple technical and operational dependencies.

You'll work closely with senior leadership and have the opportunity to help build a more structured, scalable project management function as the business expands.

What You'll Be Doing

Project Planning & Execution

Lead large industrial manufacturing projects from kickoff through final delivery and closeout
Establish project scope, budgets, schedules, milestones, and deliverables
Develop integrated project plans covering engineering, procurement, manufacturing, inspections, testing, and shipment
Coordinate priorities and responsibilities across internal departments
Track progress, identify potential delays, and drive corrective actions
Ensure projects meet customer requirements, commercial commitments, and internal performance expectations
Manage project budgets, costs, margins, and financial performance
Develop and maintain accurate project forecasts, including Estimate at Completion (EAC)
Monitor actual costs against budgets and identify financial risks
Track billing milestones and coordinate invoicing requirements
Evaluate the financial impact of scope changes, delays, and project issues
Communicate project financial performance and forecasts to leadership

Customer Communication & Coordination

Serve as a primary point of contact for assigned customer projects
Lead project kickoff meetings, status reviews, and customer communications
Coordinate engineering approvals, technical documentation, and project deliverables
Organize customer inspections, factory acceptance testing, and project reviews
Communicate schedules, milestones, risks, and required decisions
Build strong working relationships with customers and internal stakeholders

Manufacturing & Cross-Functional Leadership

Coordinate engineering, purchasing, manufacturing, quality, and logistics activities
Align production schedules with material availability, engineering releases, and customer commitments
Work closely with manufacturing teams to identify and resolve execution challenges
Support projects involving custom fabrication, sheet metal manufacturing, welding, and engineered equipment
Coordinate inspection requirements, quality milestones, and delivery logistics
Drive accountability across teams without relying on direct supervisory authority

Risk Management & Continuous Improvement

Identify technical, financial, supply chain, and schedule-related project risks
Manage scope changes, change orders, and customer approvals
Develop recovery plans when projects encounter delays or cost overruns
Maintain clear project documentation and communication
Lead project closeout activities and capture lessons learned
Help develop project management processes, reporting tools, and best practices as the organization grows

Why Consider This Opportunity?

Build the Project Management Function: Become the organization's first dedicated Project Manager and help establish processes that will support future growth.
High-Value Projects: Take ownership of substantial, technically complex manufacturing programs with meaningful business impact.
Rapidly Growing Industry: Support industrial equipment demand driven by power generation and expanding data center infrastructure.
Direct Leadership Exposure: Work closely with senior executives and key decision-makers.
Real Ownership: Lead projects from initial planning through engineering, manufacturing, customer delivery, and closeout.
Cross-Functional Impact: Collaborate directly with Engineering, Operations, Purchasing, Manufacturing, Quality, and commercial teams.
Career Growth: Join an organization investing in manufacturing capacity, operational capabilities, and long-term growth.
Visible Results: See the impact of your work through successful project execution, improved customer satisfaction, and stronger operational performance.
The role involves daily collaboration with engineering, manufacturing, and operational teams, along with occasional travel for customer meetings, project reviews, inspections, or other business needs.
If you're an experienced manufacturing Project Manager who enjoys taking ownership of complex projects and wants to help build a growing organization's project management capabilities, we'd welcome the opportunity to connect.

Qualifications

Required

5+ years of project management experience in industrial manufacturing
Demonstrated experience personally managing individual customer projects valued at $5 million or more
Strong project planning, scheduling, budgeting, and financial management capabilities
Experience tracking project costs, margins, forecasts, and change orders
Ability to coordinate engineering, procurement, manufacturing, quality, and delivery activities
Understanding of industrial manufacturing processes, including sheet metal fabrication and welding
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and Bills of Materials
Strong customer communication and project presentation skills
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive accountability without direct supervisory authority
Ability to manage multiple complex projects in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
Willingness to work onsite in Lakeville, Minnesota, with occasional project-related travel

Preferred

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business, Operations Management, or a related discipline
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
Experience with engineered-to-order or custom-manufactured industrial equipment
Background in power generation, generator equipment, industrial enclosures, or related technologies
Experience supporting data center infrastructure or heavy industrial projects
Familiarity with metal fabrication, welding, and complex manufacturing processes
Experience with MS Project, Smartsheet, or comparable project scheduling tools
ERP system experience
Strong Microsoft Excel and project reporting capabilities
Experience working with equipment OEMs, EPC contractors, or other industrial customers

The organization offers a competitive benefits package, including: