Operational Program Manager Jobs in Wilmington, NC

The Program Manager will lead large, complex engineering initiatives that are critical to business execution and long-term growth. This role will initially primarily support major Capacity Expansion programs, but may also provide leadership across other strategic initiatives, including Automation, New Product Introduction, and Cost Reduction efforts. These responsibilities may evolve based on business priority changes.

This is a global role with responsibility for coordinating programs across key regions and sites, including the United States, Mexico, China, and Poland. The Program Manager will drive alignment across cross-functional and cross-regional teams, translate strategic priorities into executable plans, and lead disciplined execution across technical, operational, and capital-related workstreams.

This role also plays a critical part in program governance at the divisional level. The Program Manager must be able to communicate high-level program strategies, risks, tradeoffs, and recommendations to the Division Executive Leadership Team and lead effective decision-making at the steering team level. Success in this role requires the ability to frame complex issues clearly, present strategic options, and help leaders make strong, timely decisions that keep programs aligned with business priorities

   Manage programs with global scope, coordinating teams, stakeholders, and execution activities across the United States, Mexico, China, and Poland; provide program leadership across a broad portfolio of strategic initiatives, including Automation, New Product Introduction, and Cost Reduction projects.
   Translate business and engineering opportunities and initiatives into clear program strategies, objectives, deliverables, milestones, and execution plans to drive alignment across engineering, manufacturing, operations, supply chain, and other cross-functional teams
   Lead efforts to secure necessary capital funds to execute large scale programs through effective use of Corning capital management tools, methods, and processes

   Prepare executive-level communications on program strategies, risks, tradeoffs, and key decision needs to the Division Executive Leadership Team, including recommendations that clearly outline options, business impacts, execution risks, and proposed paths forward for critical decisions
   Establish strong program governance - including milestone reviews, decision forums, risk management, action tracking, scope change management, program performance metrics, and stakeholder communication to promote standard program management best practices and methods, and drives continuous improvement across the portfolio
   Lead large, high-impact engineering programs and teams (10 members or more) with primary initial focus on Capacity Expansion initiatives

Travel requirements:
   Up to 20-25% travel in the US, China, Mexico or Poland depending on the program requirements and timing

   Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field
   10+ years) in program management, project management, engineering, manufacturing, or technical operations.  Includes supervisory or managerial experience demonstrating success leading large, cross-functional or cross-regional programs and teams with multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and significant business impact
   Experience leading programs involving capital projects above $10M, manufacturing operations, technical implementation, or operational improvement; which demonstrates ability to adapt across multiple project types based on business priorities, and drive alignment and execution in a matrixed organization
   6+ years of experience with Automation, New Product Introduction, and/or Cost Reduction initiatives involving experience leading or supporting Capacity Expansion programs in an engineering or manufacturing environment

   Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with demonstrated ability to engage technical teams, site leadership, and senior leadership to communicate strategic program direction, tradeoffs, and recommendations to senior leadership to support executive and steering team decision-making through clear analysis, structured communication, and sound judgment, and demonstrating ability to influence without direct authority

   Completion of formal project management training with further preference for Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
   Six Sigma Black Belt and/or Lean training, experience or certification
   Early stage innovation training (LFM) for new product introductions (NPI)