State Program Manager Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION / PURPOSE:

The Enterprise Program Manager leads complex, ambiguous, and cross-functional initiatives across the enterprise where objectives may be clear, but the solution path, scope, and execution approach are not fully defined. This role is accountable for shaping unclear problems into actionable strategies, developing solution options, and enabling effective leadership decisions, in addition to managing execution once direction is established.

This position has initiatives from early discovery and problem definition through execution and closure, ensuring outcomes align with enterprise strategy, business objectives, and stakeholder expectations.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Functional and Technical Skills

• Partner with executive sponsors and senior stakeholders to translate loosely defined challenges into clear problem statements, objectives, constraints, and success criteria.
• Responsible for all aspects of the entire project life cycle (initiate, plan, execute, control, close) for multiple complex projects
• Develop and evaluate multiple solution paths or scenarios, outlining tradeoffs, risks, cost implications, and organizational impacts.
• Surface assumptions, dependencies, and decision points to drive clarity and alignment early in the initiative lifecycle.
• Maintain and manage project action logs. Work with cross-functional project teams to identify risks upfront and develop plans to reduce or eliminate their impact.
• Create executive-level presentations, briefing materials, and narratives that translate complex analysis into decision-ready content.
• Frame options, recommendations, and implications to enable effective leadership decisions.
• Facilitate executive and senior leadership meetings, workshops, and governance forums to drive alignment and resolution
• Lead discovery activities including stakeholder interviews, current-state assessments, data synthesis, and root-cause analysis.
• Participate in the development of project schedules and lead the team to deliver projects on time.

Operational Excellence

• Confer with project staff to outline work plans and to assign duties, responsibilities, the scope of authority, and execution. Take ownership of project performance.
• Review status reports prepared by project personnel and modify schedule or plan as required. Prepare project reports for management, client, or others.
• Accept special assignments as needed

Leadership and Talent Development

• Ensure that all team members understand all aspects of the project requirements and how their role fits into the successful execution of the project. Challenge the team to meet stretch targets and mentor,
• Participate in the continuous improvement of the Enterprise Project Management team
• Direct and coordinate activities of project personnel to ensure projects progress on schedule and following our process and policies.
• Effectively lead cross-functional teams and coordination of team activities, ensuring appropriate and timely issue escalation and member accountability

RREQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Engineering or Business.

Experience: 7+ years of strategic project management experience. Significant experience leading numerous large-scale projects, from inception to completion,. Or combination of 5+ years’ of experience in Loram, working with numerous large-scale and cross-functional projects.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Advanced Degree

Licenses/Certifications: Project Management Certification. 

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS:  

This position requires successful completion of the following:  

• Social Security Verification: The individual’s name must correspond to their Social Security number and date of birth.  

• Drug and Alcohol Testing: All applicants must successfully pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol test. Employees in safety-sensitive positions are subject to random, reasonable suspicion, and post-incident drug and/or alcohol testing in compliance with federal regulations and company policy.  

• A nationwide, federal, and state criminal background check will be conducted. Up to a seven-year history will be considered, including incarceration or court supervision. Findings will be reviewed relative to the position requirements. 

• Employment Verification: Current and prior relevant employment experience will be verified to confirm the candidate meets the minimum required years of experience for the position.  

• Education Verification: Post-secondary education at the associate degree level or higher will be verified, including degree(s) earned and dates of completion.  

WORKING CONDITIONS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the role.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Office deskwork, requiring sitting, walking, using phone & computer
• May lift to 30 lbs. occasionally.
• 10% or more travel including international
• Can tolerate variable and sometimes challenging conditions during visits or inspections of company equipment in a railroad environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Loram is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and respectful workplace. We make all employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business need, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws in the countries where we operate, including the Equality Act 2010 in the UK, relevant U.S. federal, state, and local laws, Brazil’s anti-discrimination provisions under the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT) and Federal Constitution, India’s Equal Remuneration Act and Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, Australia’s Fair Work Act 2009 and applicable state and territory legislation, and Canada’s human rights protections under the Canadian Human Rights Act and applicable provincial or territorial laws.

Benefits:

Benefits for this role include a comprehensive package with company-sponsored medical, dental, and vision insurance; Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options; wellness programs; basic life and AD&D insurance; voluntary life insurance; company paid short-term and long-term disability coverage; 401(k) retirement plan including an employer match of 150% up to the first 6% you contribute to the Plan; Employee Assistance Program (EAP); behavioral health support; and leaves of absence. Additional benefits include tuition reimbursement, payroll charity contributions, adoption assistance and optional plans such as legal, critical illness, and hospitalization.

Compensation:

Loram determines compensation based on factors such as skills, competencies, education, and/or experience. Certain positions may be eligible for an annual bonus and paid time off in addition to base compensation.