Strategic Initiatives Leader

KION Group; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 122,000 - 179,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development

Competitive compensation and benefits

Pay transparency

Global opportunities

Job summary

KION Group seeks a Strategic Initiatives Project Manager to lead enterprise and business-unit programs from concept through execution, partnering with executive leadership to define objectives and roadmaps. You will translate strategic goals into actionable plans with milestones, budgets, and governance across functions.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in project or program management, strong PM skills, and certifications (PMP, PgMP, Agile, Lean, or Six Sigma).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, information technology, operations management, or related field.
• 5+ years of project, program, or strategic initiative management experience, or consulting.
• Demonstrated success leading complex cross-functional projects and business transformation initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of project management methodologies, tools, and governance practices.
• Experience managing executive stakeholders and influencing decision-making.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• PMP, PgMP, Agile, Scrum, Lean, or Six Sigma certification.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Program Leadership: lead enterprise and business-unit initiatives from concept through execution and value realization with executive alignment.
• Project & Portfolio Management: maintain integrated plans, budgets, risks, and resource forecasts.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: coordinate activities across Operations, Engineering, Product, Sales, Marketing, Finance, IT, and Customer Support.
• Change Management & Transformation: support organizational change initiatives and develop stakeholder communications.
• Financial & Business Case Management: build business cases, ROI analyses, and monitor budgets.
• Executive Communications & Reporting: provide updates to senior leadership, develop dashboards and reports.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Project

Power BI

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Dematic has an immediate need for a Strategic Initiatives Project Manager supporting the Spare Parts & Repairs business unit. This role is part of the North America Lifecycle Solutions and Services team (commonly referred to as Aftermarket) that works to support our existing customer sites with services, parts, repairs and upgrades to help improve their safety, lower their costs, optimize output and be more efficient through all phases of the system’s lifecycle. The Strategic Initiatives Leader is responsible for leading and accomplishing high-impact, cross-functional strategic programs that drive business transformation, operational excellence, growth, and organizational priorities. This role partners closely with executive leadership, business collaborators, product teams, engineering, operations, finance, and commercial organizations to define strategy, develop implementation plans, manage risks, and ensure successful delivery of strategic initiatives. A successful applicant combines strong project management expertise, business insight, collaboration skills, and the ability to drive alignment and progress across sophisticated organizations. This role will report directly to the Sr. Director – Parts & Repairs Business; the ideal candidate is someone with Project Management experience who is looking to step into a leadership position within the next 18 to 24 months.

What We Offer

Career Development Competitive Compensation and Benefits Pay Transparency Global Opportunities

Dematic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

What You Will Do in This Role

• Strategic Program Leadership Lead enterprise and business-unit strategic initiatives from concept through execution and value realization. Partner with executive leadership to define program objectives, success criteria, business outcomes, and implementation roadmaps. Translate strategic goals into actionable project plans, milestones, resource requirements, and measurable deliverables. Ensure alignment between strategic initiatives and organizational priorities.
• Project & Portfolio Management Develop and maintain integrated project plans, schedules, budgets, dependencies, and resource forecasts. Monitor program performance, identify risks and issues, and implement mitigation plans to ensure successful delivery. Track project progress against scope, cost, quality, and timeline commitments. Establish governance frameworks and facilitate decision-making processes across stakeholders.
• Cross-Functional Leadership Coordinate activities across multiple business functions, including Operations, Engineering, Product Management, Sales, Marketing, Finance, IT, and Customer Support. Facilitate alignment among diverse stakeholders with competing priorities. Lead recurring program reviews, steering committee meetings, and executive status updates. Drive accountability and action-item closure across project teams.
• Change Management & Business Transformation Support organizational change initiatives associated with strategic programs. Develop communication plans to ensure stakeholder alignment and adoption. Identify process improvement opportunities and implement best practices that improve organizational effectiveness. Champion a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Financial & Business Case Management Develop business cases, cost-benefit analyses, ROI assessments, and funding recommendations for strategic investments. Monitor budgets and expenditures to ensure initiatives remain within approved financial parameters. Track benefits realization and report outcomes against approved business objectives. Support annual planning and strategic investment prioritization exercises.
• Executive Communications & Reporting Provide concise and actionable updates to senior leadership regarding program status, risks, decisions, dependencies, and business impacts. Develop executive-level presentations, reports, dashboards, and performance metrics. Escalate critical issues and recommend corrective actions when required. Support governance reviews and strategic planning discussions.

What We Are Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in business, Engineering, Information Technology, Operations Management, or related field.
• 5+ years of project, program, or strategic initiative management experience, or consulting.
• Demonstrated success leading complex cross-functional projects and business transformation initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of project management methodologies, tools, and governance practices.
• Experience managing executive stakeholders and influencing decision-making.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• PMP, PgMP, Agile, Scrum, Lean, or Six Sigma certification.
• Experience in Material Handling Industry preferred Experience supporting digital transformation, product modernization, operational excellence, or enterprise software initiatives.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Project, Power BI, Excel, PowerPoint, and collaboration platforms.

The base pay range for this role is estimated to be $122,250 - $179.300 at the time of posting. Final compensation will be determined by various factors such as work location, education, experience, knowledge, and skills.

KION brands keep the world moving – globally, regionally, and locally. KION is the Supply Chain Solutions Company. With over 42,000 employees in more than 100 countries, we enable smart, sustainable, and reliable supply chains worldwide - wherever goods are stored, moved, or delivered. KION offers its customers the full spectrum of solutions to make their supply chains future-ready. Our international brands, Linde Material Handling, STILL, and Baoli and our regional brands, Fenwick and OM, stand for outstanding technological innovation, intelligent automation and service excellence in forklift trucks and warehouse equipment. Dematic complements this expertise with state-of-the-art automation technology and AI-supported software solutions that optimize intralogistics across warehousing, production, and distribution. Whether locally or globally – we offer exciting career opportunities in an innovative environment shaped by our core values: Integrity, Collaboration, Courage, and Excellence. Together, we create the magic of supply chain solutions. Join our team – Push it forward.