Technical Program Assistant Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

At Benchmark, we are driven by our purpose: to innovate for a healthier, safer, and better-connected world to create a brighter future. When you join us, you become part of a team passionate about making a meaningful impact across various sectors, including commercial aerospace, defense, advanced computing, next-generation communications, complex industrials, medical, and semiconductor capital equipment. We prioritize career growth, fostering a culture that ensures you reach your full potential. At Benchmark, your work is purpose-driven, enabling you to create a positive impact on the world and make your career truly meaningful. You'll be part of a collaborative and inclusive team that values your ideas and contributions.
Summary:
Acts as primary customer contact for development projects with responsibility for leading the development team and development activities to meet the design requirements, program budget and customer satisfaction. May manage multiple, simultaneous programs and customers. May lead design and transition activities across multiple sites.
Responsibilities:
• Manages and leads development team activities as primary day-to-day contact for small to mid-size customers with stable and relatively simple products and challenges
• Interacts with customers at appropriate levels on matters related to schedule, quality, cost and engineering change to achieve highest levels of customer satisfaction and responsiveness to changing business conditions
• Generates proposed Statement of Work, including project schedule, deliverables, dependencies and resources, soliciting input from others as necessary
• Prepares bids or proposals; communicate them effectively to the customer with assistance as required.
• Creates market competitive, profitable proposals
• Leads internal development team to ensure customer expectations for on-time delivery, quality and cost are achieved
• Develops and ensures compliance to the project plan (schedule, resource and financial)
• Identifies and manages change in customer requirements (all scope change), design requirements and internal resources
• Effectively interacts and coordinates program deliverables with internal new products and manufacturing organizations, seeking guidance and assistance as required
• Analyzes and manages program financial performance to meet company objectives
• Updates project management tools on a weekly basis to aide in planning of company resources and to predict financial performance
• Responds to new opportunities within existing and new customers to meet objectives
• Identifies the need for quotations supporting new business opportunities and scope changes, as required
• Works to develop knowledge of the customer's product, utilization, strategies and requirements to support launch activity and business development
• Makes development resource managers aware of the project needs for technical and business resources to ensure customer needs and business unit objectives are met; Highlight areas of concern
• Works to assist other development team members, as needed, to ensure customers' needs and business unit objectives are met, bringing any issues forward for escalation as required
• Works to assist other Benchmark manufacturing support groups, as needed, to understand the requirements of the production environment
• Promotes Design for Excellence (DFX) philosophy with customers and internal customer team
• Interfaces with customer and supplier engineering groups, as required, to convey technical data and to address technical problems
• Leads or participates in continuous improvement activities with complete documentation, including a follow up review with the team in a presentation format
• Manages and leads development team activities as primary day-to-day contact for mid-size customers with relatively stable, non-complex products
• Prepares bids or proposals; Communicates them effectively to the customer
• Effectively interacts and coordinates program deliverables with internal new products and manufacturing organizations
• Prepares customer quotations supporting new business opportunities and scope changes, as required
• Develops knowledge of the customer's product, utilization, strategies and requirements to support launch activity and business development
• Identifies new opportunities within existing and new customers to meet objectives
• All employees are responsible for the Quality of their work to ensure BEI meets, or exceeds Customer Satisfaction.
• Demonstrates Technical Program Manager I skills, for mid-size customers with stable and/or relatively simple products. Monitors all phases of program from award through completion
Acts as primary customer interface
Provides input to all areas of proposals
Acts as proposal lead
Is considered a proficient risk manager
Primary focus and area of responsibility expanded to site wide
Aids in expanding the product line with existing customers
Directs the work of employees assigned to the program from technical, manufacturing and administrative areas
Other information:
• BS in Engineering or Science (EE or ME) or equivalent experience preferred
3-8 years of program management experience
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Effective interpersonal skills
• Effective multitasking skills and the ability to take on additional responsibilities as required
• Effective organization and prioritization skills
• Demonstrate high attention to detail
• Ability to work with diverse groups
• Demonstrates discretion, confidentiality, independent judgment and professionalism.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and guidance, exercising discretion and independent judgment.
• Understanding of and ability to use continuous improvement tools.
• Strong customer service and client focus
• Working knowledge of productivity tools, including Microsoft Office products and WebEx conferencing software
• Demonstrated leadership and people management skills including ability to effectively coach and mentor employees at all levels.
• Enthusiastic and motivational communicator with multi-cultural experience.
• Demonstrates skills in effective customer interaction.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact and influence individuals, internally and externally, across all levels, functions and geographies.
• Collaborate and influence cross functional peer leaders in order to obtain support for process improvements
• Solid financial understanding, risk analysis ability, relationship building and project management.
• Use of discretion with the ability to gain trust of business leaders and others to discuss and respond to sensitive and business critical issues.
• Effective negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Effective analytical, planning and organizational skills.
• Proficient in the use of Daptive, Microsoft™ Project and other project management tools
• Demonstrate good understanding of the extended project management process
• Ability to highlight issues and seek solutions to business and technical issues
• Ability to drive solutions to complex planning issues with limited supervision
• Ability to support a 24/ global business operation as required
Education:
• BS in Engineering or Science (EE or ME) or equivalent experience preferred
Geographical Location: Minnesota:Rochester
Physical Location: Rochester, MN
Shift: Shift 1
Work Schedule: M-F 0800-1700
Full Time
In our innovative environment, you'll work with cutting-edge technology, leading the way in engineering design and delivering world-class manufacturing services for products that make a real difference in the lives of others. At Benchmark, your career is more than just a job. It's an opportunity to be part of something bigger, where your work matters and helps shape a brighter future for everyone. Together, we will achieve extraordinary things.
Compensation Range: $91,755.00 to $114,633.00 USD. Many factors are considered in compensation decisions, including but not limited to skills, certifications, licensures, experience, training, incumbent data, and other business needs.
Benefits and Other Compensation: Benchmark provides a comprehensive benefits package, including a Bonus Plan, 401(k), Paid Time Off, and Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance, all based on scheduled hours. Benchmark complies with applicable state and local employee leave laws.
Application Deadline: This job posting will remain open until filled.
Additional Notices: Benchmark adheres to applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits. This includes, but is not limited to, providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, in accordance with its plans and policies. Candidates applying for remote work based in Washington state, may obtain PTO eligibility for this position by emailing careers@bench.com.
Export Control: This job position may include access to controlled information or technology covered under applicable U.S. export control laws. As such, employment for this job position may be contingent on either verification that an applicant falls under the definition of a "U.S. Person" (which includes U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents, and those granted U.S. asylum or refugee status) or on the Company timely obtaining any necessary export license required under federal laws. The Company evaluates such export license situations on a case-by-case basis and may decline to proceed with a job applicant in its sole discretion since export license applications can take many weeks to be processed.
Benchmark is an equal opportunity employer. We are bringing together a dynamic workforce with unique talents, life experiences, cultures, and perspectives to promote an innovative, collaborative, and creative place to work. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please email us at careers@bench.com.