Program Manager Jobs in Lawrence, KS (NOW HIRING)

Overview
Do you want to join a team that's changing the world? Do you have a strong background as a Program Manager? Then we're looking for you! Check out the job description and apply now! Put your skills to meaningful use, gain unique experience, and work with world-class team members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who share the same vision. Join the PECNA team today!
Responsibilities
Program Manager
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Meet the Recruiter: Eric Laffey
Summary:
Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we're building the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you'll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation.
Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.
Job Summary:
The Program Manager leads a portfolio of related projects that drive strategic initiatives, operational efficiency, and capital expansion within a high-volume lithium-ion battery manufacturing environment. In addition to overseeing program-level execution, this role includes direct people management responsibilities for Project Managers and PMO Analysts. The Program Manager ensures alignment across functions, manages interdependencies, and provides strategic and tactical direction to both project teams and senior stakeholders. This position is ideal for a hands-on leader who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and brings a strong combination of technical fluency, communication ability, and leadership experience.
Essential Duties:
Functional Leadership & Operations:

• Define and manage program scope, success criteria, deliverables, budgets, and resource plans across a portfolio of interrelated projects
• Create, maintain, and govern integrated master schedules to ensure alignment across engineering, operations, procurement, and construction activities
• Track and report program-level KPIs, ensuring timely milestone delivery, issue resolution, and performance transparency
• Optimize resource allocation and sequencing to balance capacity, cost, and schedule constraints while maximizing program outcomes

Strategic Alignment & Continuous Improvement:

• Identify and manage program interdependencies, prioritizing initiatives to align with strategic objectives and operational timelines
• Apply program-level insights, metrics, and lessons learned to continuously refine project delivery approaches and PMO best practices
• Identify opportunities to improve program governance, reporting cadence, and workflow standardization across the portfolio
• Support long-term planning by aligning program execution with evolving business needs and capital strategy

Team Development & Knowledge Sharing:

• Lead, coach, and develop Project Managers and PMO Analysts through performance management, goal setting, and career development planning
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement across program and project teams
• Ensure consistent application of PMO standards, tools, templates, and methodologies across all managed projects
• Promote knowledge sharing and capability building within the PMO to strengthen program delivery maturity

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams across engineering, operations, procurement, construction, and external partners
• Serve as the primary liaison between program teams and senior leadership, providing clear, data-driven program status and performance updates
• Facilitate steering committee meetings, stakeholder reviews, and executive briefings
• Translate complex technical and operational information into clear, actionable communications for diverse audiences

Quality, Safety, Compliance, & Risk Management:

• Identify and manage program-wide risks and issues, developing mitigation plans and escalating appropriately to leadership
• Ensure program execution complies with company policies, regulatory requirements, and EHS standards
• Maintain program documentation, governance artifacts, and audit readiness to support internal and external reviews
• Reinforce a strong safety, quality, and compliance mindset across all program activities

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Provides direct supervision to Project Managers and PMO Analysts, including work assignment, performance oversight, training, and adherence to safety and operational standards

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:

• To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees, wearing PPE is a possibility and may include equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.
Qualifications
Requirements - Required and/or Preferred
Education, Certifications, and Licenses:
Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Computer Science, or related technical/operations field. Relevant work experience may be substituted for required education

Preferred:

• Master's degree (e.g., MBA, MS in Engineering Management, Project Management) or equivalent
• Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP) certification, or equivalent
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt

Essential Qualifications:

• 5+ years of progressive project or program management leadership experience
• Demonstrated success leading complex, multi-project programs in technical, construction, or manufacturing settings
• Strong understanding of program governance, budgeting, and risk management across interdependent projects
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and conflict-resolution skills
• Proficiency in project/program management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, MS Project, Power BI, JIRA)
• Ability to influence across functional boundaries and operate effectively in matrixed environments
• Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English
• Alignment to Panasonic's seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)

Preferred Qualifications:

• 10+ years of progressive program management leadership experience
• Experience in capital-intensive or high-volume manufacturing environments such as batteries, energy storage, automotive, or electronics
• Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, or hybrid project management methodologies
• Experience working with enterprise platforms such as SAP, Oracle, or MES/ERP systems
• Proven track record of leading teams through transformation, scaling, or process improvement

Physical Demands:
Physical Activities: Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to:

• Sit: 40%
• Walk: 40%
• Stand: 20%

Required Lifting and Carrying: Rare (<1%), Occasional (1-33%), Frequent (34-66%), Continuous (67-100%)
For this position, the required frequency is:

• Up to 10 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 20 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 35 lbs.: Occasional
• Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.): Rare

Benefits & Perks - What's In It For You:
Panasonic Energy prioritizes total well-being and offers comprehensive benefits options to support physical, emotional, financial, social, and environmental health:

• Health Benefits - Offering medical, dental, vision, prescription plans, plus Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options.
• Voluntary Benefits - Life, accident, critical illness, disability, legal, identity theft, and pet insurance.
• Panasonic Retirement Savings & Investment Plan (PRSIP) - 401(k) plan with company matching contributions and immediate vesting.
• Paid Time-Off Benefits - Vacation, holidays, personal days, sick leave, volunteer, and parental & caregiver leave.
• Educational Assistance - Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses after six months of service.
• Health Management and Wellbeing Programs -Lifestyle Spending Account, EAP, virtual health management, chronic condition, neurodiversity, tobacco cessation, substance abuse support, and life stage and fertility resources. Available to eligible employees starting the first day of the month following your start date. Eligibility for each benefit may vary based on employment status, location, and length of service.
• Employee Recognition Program - High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition
• Annual Bonus Program - Opportunity for an annual performance-based bonus.
• On-site Food Options: Several on-site cafes, plentiful snack and beverage kitchens, revolving on-site vendor visits and employee events.

Where You'll Be:
For our onsite roles, Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering an ideal working environment that goes beyond the conventional. We understand the significance of moments that matter in your onsite experience, and we prioritize creating a workspace that not only promotes productivity but also ensures a fulfilling and positive work atmosphere. Join us at Panasonic Energy, where your onsite presence is valued, and we strive to make each moment count in your professional journey.
Who We Are:
Meet Panasonic Energy! At Panasonic Energy, you'll do work that matters as we are dedicated to transforming the world through the acceleration of sustainable energy. By producing safe, high-quality lithium-ion batteries, you become part of a team that plays a crucial role in creating technologies that move us.
Our journey began in 2017, and now, as the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory, we are expanding operations to De Soto, Kansas, providing you with the opportunity to experience career growth in more ways than one.
As an innovative thinker, you'll thrive here, as we continually push the boundaries of lithium-ion battery technology and production capabilities to enhance efficiency and performance in EVs.
Being part of Panasonic Energy means positively contributing to society, aligning with our commitment to building a better world through sustainable energy solutions.
We care about what you care about, fostering an environment where your contributions make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation. Join us and be part of a team that values your work, encourages innovation, and actively contributes to a positive societal impact.
In addition to an environment that is as innovative as our products, we offer competitive salaries and benefits.
We Take Opportunity Seriously:
At Panasonic Energy, we are committed to a workplace that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. Fairness and Honesty have been part of our core values for more than 100 years and we are proud of our diverse culture as an equal opportunity employer.
We understand that your career search may look different than others and embrace the professional, personal, educational, and volunteer opportunities through which people gain experience. If you are actively looking or starting to explore new opportunities, submit your application!
Supplemental Information:
Pre-employment drug testing is required.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. All qualified individuals are required to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.
Due to the high volume of responses, we will only be able to respond to candidates of interest. All candidates must have valid authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction.
Thank you for your interest in Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America.
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