Senior Project Manager

NextPlay Jobs; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Short-term disability

Long-term disability

Life insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation

Job summary

NextPlay Jobs in Grand Rapids, MI is seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead automation and custom machinery projects from order to delivery. You will coordinate engineering, controls, electrical, and manufacturing teams while maintaining schedules and budgets, reporting to the Director of Program Management.

This hands-on role emphasizes customer relationship management, ECO handling, and design reviews at key milestones.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of project management experience within automation, custom machinery, machine building, or industrial manufacturing.
• Experience managing complex engineering or capital equipment projects.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing, engineering, and automation processes.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Strong customer-facing communication and relationship management skills.
• Knowledge of project scheduling, budgeting, cost tracking, and profitability.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office and Microsoft Project.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Full-time, Monday-Friday.
• On-site position in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.
• Some overtime and occasional after-hours availability may be required.
• Approximately 0-25% customer travel.
• Competitive compensation based on experience.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Short- and long-term disability.
• Company-provided life insurance.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Paid vacation and holidays.
• Flexible spending account.

Responsibilities

• Manage automation and custom machinery projects from initial order through engineering, manufacturing, testing, and final delivery.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for customers throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate engineering, controls, electrical, mechanical design, and machine-building teams.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, budgets, milestones, and deliverables.
• Monitor project costs, profitability, and overall financial performance.
• Coordinate design reviews and obtain customer approvals at key project milestones, including 50% and 100% design reviews.
• Identify project risks, resolve scheduling conflicts, and communicate potential delays.
• Manage engineering change orders (ECOs), scope changes, and associated customer quotes.
• Coordinate customer meetings, project updates, and internal status reviews.
• Support invoicing, collections, and overall customer satisfaction.
• Ensure projects meet quality standards and customer specifications.

Skills

Project management

Automation

Cross-functional coordination

Customer-facing communication

Scheduling

Budgeting

Microsoft Project

MS Office

Tools

Microsoft Project

Microsoft Office

Job description

A growing custom automation and machine-building company is looking for a Senior Project Manager to join its Program Management team. This organization specializes in designing and building custom automated equipment, robotic systems, assembly lines, and specialty machinery for major manufacturing customers.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of complex, customer-facing automation projects while working alongside experienced engineering, controls, and manufacturing professionals.

The Senior Project Manager will report directly to the Director of Program Management and manage approximately 3-4 active projects at a time.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage automation and custom machinery projects from initial order through engineering, manufacturing, testing, and final delivery.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for customers throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate engineering, controls, electrical, mechanical design, and machine-building teams.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, budgets, milestones, and deliverables.
• Monitor project costs, profitability, and overall financial performance.
• Coordinate design reviews and obtain customer approvals at key project milestones, including 50% and 100% design reviews.
• Identify project risks, resolve scheduling conflicts, and communicate potential delays.
• Manage engineering change orders (ECOs), scope changes, and associated customer quotes.
• Coordinate customer meetings, project updates, and internal status reviews.
• Support invoicing, collections, and overall customer satisfaction.
• Ensure projects meet quality standards and customer specifications.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of project management experience within automation, custom machinery, machine building, or industrial manufacturing.
• Experience managing complex engineering or capital equipment projects.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing, engineering, and automation processes.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Strong customer-facing communication and relationship management skills.
• Knowledge of project scheduling, budgeting, cost tracking, and profitability.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office and Microsoft Project.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Full-time, Monday-Friday.
• On-site position in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.
• Some overtime and occasional after-hours availability may be required.
• Approximately 0-25% customer travel.
• Competitive compensation based on experience.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Short- and long-term disability.
• Company-provided life insurance.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Paid vacation and holidays.
• Flexible spending account.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Join an established custom automation organization where you can take ownership of technically challenging projects, work directly with customers, and collaborate with experienced engineering and manufacturing teams. This is a hands-on project leadership position with visibility across the entire project lifecycle.