Project Engineering Manager jobs in Cedar Rapids, IA

National Project and Engineering Manager is a crucial role in the Lesaffre and Red Star Yeast project portfolio organization.

Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Project Management – Directly manage a diverse group of 2-3 strategic and tactical projects simultaneously. Indirectly support a diverse group of tactical maintenance CAPEX projects.

For directly managed projects, develop phased project plans, including scope, goals, deliverables, timelines, budget and resource requirements. Lead project planning efforts, including discernment workshops eliciting technical requirements, defining project scope, goals, and deliverables. Call upon key stakeholders effectively and efficiently. Develop technical specifications to be used in tendering. Work with contractors to develop and maintain detailed project schedules. Monitor and track progress. Identify, report, and resolve issues expeditiously. Identify and initiate corrective actions when appropriate. Create and maintain project documentation, ensuring clarity and consistency across multiple projects. 

• Team Leadership – Always make Safety the highest priority in a very visible way. Build and lead cross-functional project teams. Lead, motivate, and manage project team members to achieve project goals and objectives. Foster and maintain a collaborative work environment. Resolve any conflicts or resource constraints to provide for a productive work environment. Conduct performance reviews and provide feedback to team members.
• Engineering Leadership – Provide technical leadership to teams. Ensure engineering designs and solutions meet Group and industry standards and best practices. Collaborate within the Group and local engineering team to address technical challenges and provide guidance. Promote the use and adoption of Group standards. Promote the continuous improvement of Group standards. Promote the continuous improvement of project management processes and engineering practices.
• Monitor Capex Portfolio – Aid in portfolio coordination by tracking project expenditures, budgets, milestones and deadlines with project managers. Compile, consolidate, and analyze capex data for portfolio performance.
• Maintain Capex Accounting Interfaces – Ensure accounting documentation is being used at the initiation and closing of projects. Consolidate and analyze capex booked and paid (to-date and forecasted) data throughout the year.  Enter project information into group reporting tool. Manage interactions with accounting and accounting management for CAPEX including monthly and annual reporting.
• Project Management Office – Continue to develop the Project Management Office tools and methodologies. Promote the standardization of documents and reporting across the portfolio. Archive documents and maintain capex knowledge base. Facilitate Front End Planning and Construction Readiness Assessments. Assist project managers develop baseline schedules. Improve project processes and workflows.
• Risk Management – Identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies. Proactively manage issues to keep projects on track. Work with Group resources to ensure best practices are being used and maintained. Make decisions that protect and promote safety.
• Steering Committee and Stakeholder Communications – Maintain regular communication with the steering committees, executive management, and key stakeholders. Ensure alignment of outcomes with executive management expectations. Maintain clear and open communication channels with contractors and internal stakeholders.
• Strategic Thinking – Develop strategies to achieve organizational goals; understand organization’s strengths and weaknesses. Adapt project implementation strategy to changing conditions utilizing an agile mindset.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Successful Engineering and Project Manager must demonstrate perseverance and organizational agility. They are skilled in project management and must be able to set priorities, manage time, and organize multiple activities at once. They should provide timely and accurate information and be able to comfortably deal with all organizational levels including senior executives.

Proven experience in project management or executing similar projects from end-to-end in a primary leadership role.

Proven experience managing project budgets and expenses for high profile projects.

Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Proven experience developing technical specifications for vendor tendering.

Proven strong understanding of project management methodologies and tools.

Ability to manage multiple project priorities simultaneously and demonstrate an ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment.

Flexibility to adapt to changing project requirements and priorities.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and 10 years of relevant work experience is required.

Proven experience in project management, preferably in process engineering.

Strong knowledge of engineering principles and practices for process and design for biological or food and beverage manufacturing.

Good knowledge of costs theory and structure.

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification with 3 or more years of experience is preferred.

Experience in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, is required.

Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and manage stakeholder expectations.

Reporting to this position are:

This position manages Project Engineers, Project Control Analyst, and Drafters. In addition, this position manages third party contractors (vendors). This position may also acquire temporary resources from within the organization, as required, for the duration of a project, after which time the resources may return to their prior reporting structure. In addition, these resources may be assigned on an ad hoc and part-time basis. In such arrangements of part-time responsibility, the position will share this resource with their original reporting manager, who will maintain primary management authority.

 Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to sit for prolonged periods of time, as well as periodically bend, stoop and stretch. Requires hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity sufficient to operate standard office equipment. Requires eyesight within range acceptable to read numbers, reports and computer terminals. Requires hearing within normal range for telephone use. Frequent mobility and/or sitting required for extended periods of time, especially when traveling. Occasionally requires extensive standing or walking, especially at company meetings and trade shows.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to normal hazards consistent with an office setting. Typical lighting and temperature variation consistent with an office setting. Working with office equipment may pose occasional shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

 Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.