Operations Program Manager Jobs in Hixson, TN (NOW HIRING)

Description
BUILT TO CONNECT
Astec is a global, environmentally focused infrastructure and manufacturing company of asphalt road building and aggregate processing. Our mission is to design and build the most innovative products for the industries we serve. Leveraging innovative solutions and technologies, we serve customers all over the world.
ABOUT THE POSITION
The Customer Order Program Manager will serve as the enterprise lead and architect of the customer order lifecycle across all Infrastructure Solution (IS) manufacturing sites. This role is the designated owner of the IS Portfolio, responsible for the functional leadership, professional development, and performance of all Customer Order PMs as the PMO scales. You will act as the primary 'gatekeeper' of portfolio integrity, ensuring that data-driven insights empower the SLT to make strategic decisions.
The incumbent will translate complex operational data into actionable insights for the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), driving project management maturity across our manufacturing enterprise. As the primary "gatekeeper" of portfolio integrity, the successful candidate ensures that all project data-specifically budgets, ROI, and baseline schedules-is strictly controlled by the PMO to maintain a single version of truth. A critical priority for this role is establishing a culture of frequent, proactive customer communication, ensuring that messaging is consistent, timely, and data-driven throughout the lifecycle of every order.
Key Deliverables
• Develop and implement a robust framework and decision-making structure to manage customer orders from contract award through close-out.
• Create and maintain a comprehensive suite of templates (SOWs, RAID logs, Project Templates) to ensure consistent execution across IS manufacturing sites.
• Establish and monitor automated dashboards to track portfolio health, margin performance, and delivery trends at the enterprise level.
• Act as the primary owner of the IS Portfolio by managing the delta between planned baselines and actual performance to protect ROI and schedule accountability.
• Design and mandate a standardized customer communication strategy that prioritizes high-frequency updates and transparent stakeholder engagement.
Key Activities & Responsibilities
• Directly lead and manage the team of Customer Order Project Managers as the PMO expands its scope to support all customer orders.
• Define the "Astec Standard" for order management and mentor project leads on the adoption of these governance processes.
• Execute a frequent messaging cadence to ensure customers receive clear, specific, and timely updates regarding order status and milestones.
• Prepare and present high-impact, data-driven reports for the VP of Operations and the SLT.
• Conduct regular governance reviews to identify systemic risks and resource bottlenecks across multiple projects simultaneously.
• Monitor productivity and performance to drive continuous improvement in manufacturing lead times.
• Respond quickly to customer needs and foster collaborative environments with engineering, sales, and manufacturing teams.
• Establish and maintain relationships with internal business partners to refine the order-to-delivery lifecycle.
• Foster collaborative environments with engineering, sales, and manufacturing teams to refine the end-to-end order-to-cash lifecycle.
To be successful in this role, your experience and competencies are:
• Bachelor's degree or higher or equivalent combination of education and experience, and training
• 10+ years of end-to-end project and program management experience, specifically within industrial or manufacturing environments.
• 2+ years of leadership.
• Proven track record in establishing governance frameworks and managing complex portfolios.
• Strong background in change management and building inclusive, high-performing teams within a fast-paced culture.
• Expert proficiency in Project Insight, Asana, or Microsoft Project.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) required; Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP) preferred.
• Exceptional ability to translate technical data into high-quality, actionable messaging for both customers and executive leadership.
• Ability to confidently facilitate large-scale project planning workshops.
Our Culture and Values
Employees that become part of Astec embody the values below throughout their work.
• Continuous devotion to meeting the needs of our customers
• Honesty and integrity in all aspects of business
• Respect for all individuals
• Preserving entrepreneurial spirit and innovation
• Safety, quality and productivity as means to ensure success
Travel Requirements: 10-20% of domestic travel
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Office
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to risk of injury in an office environment and occasionally a manufacturing shop plant environment. Duties include a typical office setting including extensive computer work, sitting or standing. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Astec does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, gender (sex), sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, citizenship status, a person's veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law or executive order.