Project Manager - Sourcing

Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company in St. Louis, MO, is seeking a proactive Project Manager, Sourcing, to lead supplier transition projects for North America sites.

Reporting to Global Supply Chain Manager, you will manage sourcing initiatives with suppliers, project teams, and cross-functional partners to ensure components are released to production on schedule. You bring structured project management discipline, strategic sourcing, and supplier quality expertise.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering as specified.
• 5+ years in supply chain, supplier development, or project management in manufacturing.
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems.
• Strong business judgment, integrity and financial acumen.
• Well organized with detail-oriented mindset; able to lead through influence.
• Willingness to travel 20-30% to suppliers and Watlow sites.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end sourcing project management for supplier transition initiatives worldwide (buy-vs-buy, make-vs-buy), using structured methodologies such as Stage-Gate and APQP to ensure alignment with cost, quality, and delivery targets.
• Develop and execute detailed project plans, including scope definition, timelines, resource allocation, and stakeholder alignment across Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain, to approve supplier components across categories such as machining, stamping, plastic injection, and PCBA.
• Drive supplier qualification, industrialization, and development activities across categories like machined parts, ensuring successful completion of FAI/PPAP, capability improvements, and on-time release to production.
• Lead cost reduction initiatives and supplier development requirements across assigned sourcing categories.
• Use project management tools to track and report project performance against defined KPIs (cost savings, on-time delivery, PPAP approval, launch readiness), communicating progress to leadership and stakeholders.
• Partner closely with project teams and functions across leadership, operations, engineering, supply chain, product/account management, and quality to ensure components are released to production on schedule.

Skills

Project management

Sourcing

Supplier development

Cross-functional collaboration

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechatronics, Mechanical, Electronics, Industrial, or related field)

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Power BI

Microsoft Excel

Job description

At Watlow's Global Headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, we combine a rich legacy with forward-thinking innovation. Founded in 1922 in the heart of St. Louis, Watlow has grown from a small heating element manufacturer into a global leader in thermal systems. Our headquarters is more than just an office, it's a hub for collaboration, advanced engineering, and customer focused solutions.

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We are hiring a: Project Manager, Sourcing

St. Louis, MO (Onsite)

Watlow is seeking a proactive, detail-oriented Project Manager to lead supplier transition projects for our North America sites. Reporting to the Global Supply Chain Manager, you will manage and track sourcing initiatives worldwide, working closely with suppliers, project teams, and cross-functional partners across leadership, operations, engineering, supply chain, product/account management, and quality. You'll bring structured project management discipline together with strategic sourcing and supplier quality expertise to ensure components are released to production on schedule.

What you'll do:

• Sourcing project leadership: Lead end-to-end sourcing project management for supplier transition initiatives worldwide (buy-vs-buy, make-vs-buy), using structured methodologies such as Stage-Gate and APQP to ensure alignment with cost, quality, and delivery targets.
• Project planning & execution: Develop and execute detailed project plans, including scope definition, timelines, resource allocation, and stakeholder alignment across Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain, to approve supplier components across categories such as machining, stamping, plastic injection, and PCBA.
• Supplier qualification & development: Drive supplier qualification, industrialization, and development activities across categories like machined parts, ensuring successful completion of FAI/PPAP, capability improvements, and on-time release to production.
• Cost reduction leadership: Lead cost reduction initiatives and supplier development requirements across assigned sourcing categories.
• Performance tracking & reporting: Use project management tools to track and report project performance against defined KPIs (cost savings, on-time delivery, PPAP approval, launch readiness), communicating progress to leadership and stakeholders.
• Cross-functional partnership: Partner closely with project teams and functions across leadership, operations, engineering, supply chain, product/account management, and quality to ensure components are released to production on schedule.

What you'll need to succeed?

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechatronics, Mechanical, Electronics, Industrial, or a related field)
• 5+ years of experience in supply chain functions such as supplier development, supplier quality, sourcing, procurement, or project management within a manufacturing environment
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems
• Strong business judgment, integrity, and financial acumen
• Well organized with a detail-oriented mindset; able to lead through influence and coach cross-functional teams toward shared goals
• Ability to travel 20-30% to suppliers and Watlow sites

Preferred qualifications:

• Intermediate-advanced proficiency in project management software, Microsoft Excel, and Power BI
• Familiarity with Stage-Gate or APQP methodologies
• Experience qualifying suppliers across machining, stamping, plastic injection, or PCBA categories