NPI Project Manager

About us

VDL Industries Gainesville LLC is company number 99 in the VDL Groep and the first manufacturing facility in the U.S. Operations are from a state-of-the-art, 150,000-square-foot facility located in Flowery Branch, Georgia. The VDL Industries facility consists of the following work centers: laser cutting, metal forming, welding (MIG/TIG), electronic assembly/general assembly, sawing, drilling, shipping, storage opportunities, and Quality Control. VDL Industries utilizes a dedicated area for stainless steel welding and assembly operations.

Summary/Objective:

As NPI Project Manager you are responsible for highly innovative complex challenging projects in a high-end precision environment (Semi-con, Solar, Medical, Analytical). You have a responsibility, from customer request to development to implementation of volume production in the factory and delivery at customer site. The technologies are complex and the products are first of a kind. VDL is a contract manufacturer and VDL works on customers order only. They must be a hands-on contributor with the ability to deliver business results in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. Collaboration with Customers, Contractors, VDL Management, Sales, Purchasing, Planning, Production Staff, and Quality Assurance will be essential to ensure timely and successful project implementation.

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Project Management, or closely related field or equivalent work experience.
• Combined 7+ years' experience in manufacturing.
• Project management experience and skills in high level project, preferably certified (PMP, PRINCE2).
• Six Sigma green belt or better is a plus.
• Experience in high tech industry (e.g. semiconductor equipment) is a plus.

Essential Job Duties/ Knowledge:

You manage projects with a multidisciplinary team of highly skilled, mainly technical experts. That’s why we expect you to have a solid technical background, with experience in product development projects, as well as professional project management skills.

• Manage Project Team to translate customer requirements and information into deliverables.
• Cooperate and understand customer needs and organize proper resource to build up the project scope.
• Managing stakeholders: external customers and suppliers as well as internal stakeholders at various managerial levels and functional domain.
• Align with customers / frequent report outs.
• Ensure resource availability and allocation.
• Develop a detailed project plan to track progress.
• Manage the changes in project scope, schedule and costs.
• Measure project performance using appropriate systems, tools and techniques, and review/ report/ escalate to management or project steering as needed.
• Perform risk management to minimize project risks.
• Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to coordinate team of professionals from multiple departments for the complete lifecycle of the project.
• Ability to learn and teach. High level of attention to detail. Opportunity to train at VDL ETG, our first class high tech contract manufacturer in the Netherlands. https://www.vdletg.com/en/het-bedrijf/locations/vdl-etg-eindhoven
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and organization skills. Must be able to work and communicate effectively across all levels and functions of the organization and with the customer.

Quality:

• Perform risk analysis and manage risk throughout the project.
• Knowledge of DFMA (Design for manufacturing and Assembly). Confidence to push back design issues identified by the Project Team to the customer.
• Knowledge of Copy Exact. Ensure project adherence to CE requirements with zero violations.
• Knowledge and ability to assist with and coordinate DFMEA, APQP, and other project analysis processes.

Logistics:

• Focus on timely delivery/time to market. (Your product might impact end customers like Intel)
• Manage affects of customer Move Rate on the project deliverables.
• Lead regular project meetings and manage project tollgates. Coordinate project team to ensure timely resolution to action items.

Technology:

• Affinity with Manufacturing Technology (machining, sheet metal, assembly, testing & qualification) has our strong preference.
• Proficient with Windows operating systems and Microsoft Office programs.
• PowerPoint/ Presentation skills a must.
• The ability to challenge the internal organization on technology improvements, increasing efficiency equipment, quality improvement and (structural) cost price reduction. You are an innovative thinker.
• Ability to read design prints, understanding of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing, and familiarization of inspection equipment and gages.

Cost:

• Work with engineering and sales early in the project to estimate project costs.
• Lead resource planning to forecast resource requirements to meet the scope of the project.
• Create and manage project budget, including direct, indirect, fixed and variable costs.
• Track project cost and report inefficiencies, help develop countermeasures.

Travel:

Must be able to travel; up to 25% both domestically and internationally.

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance