The purpose of Program Management is to ensure new products are delivered at the right time, the right place, and the right cost.  Program management works directly with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Manufacturing, and Marketing.

The program manager knows the details of a new product program and the big picture of its timing and cost relative to other programs.  Program managers know intimately the interdependency between the projects is a team player.  The program manager regularly communicates the status, plans, and risks in a program, especially those risks many weeks or even months in the future.  The program manager describes what is being done to resolve risks and the consequences if the risks are not resolved. 

The program manager is an effective communicator because he/she can adapt their own communication style to the listener.  This includes building professional relationships in all levels of the company and obtaining expert knowledge of the company’s business processes. 

• Questions convention wisdom and is willing and able to speak to authority with poise and organized thoughts.
• Gains trust and respect by telling the truth concisely, whether in written reports or in meetings. The ability to tell the truth when the going gets tough, concisely present what went wrong and how it will be addressed, sooner rather than later, is a key ability for this position. Bad news does not get better with time.  
• Reduces program risk by assessing program progress, based on both informal information gathered from functional groups and data, to identify bottle necks and missed milestones early, and marshal resources to maintain progress.
• Facilitates regularly scheduled coordination meetings with the functional groups.
• Anticipates resource needs, independently of assessments made by others.
• Is a champion for the program and aligns resources to drive the program to successful completion. Stakeholders are fully loaded and oftentimes programs don’t get the attention they deserve.  The program manager should be both a team player for the company and an advocate for their own programs.
• Creates and maintains the program schedule and monitors the program funds.

Core competencies:

1. Problem Solving

No matter how well-developed a program plan, problems will inevitably arise in any program. The program manager should have excellent problem-solving skills and be able to think quickly and adeptly about how to address problems as they come up, and to learn from the issues so that the same problems do not arise again.

2. Interpersonal Skills

Program management requires advanced interpersonal skills.  The program manager works with both supervisors and peers, and it’s important to be able to relate well to others, to dictate responsibilities, to offer constructive feedback, and to support and encourage others. You want your team to be working effectively and this means you will need to find ways to motivate them and earn their respect. Being comfortable with managing people will make your job much more effective.

3. Multi-Tasking

Because the program manager has to keep track of so many different things at once, it is important to be able to multi-task. You may have to track spending, adjust budgets, assess team member performance, look for gaps in work efficiency, communicate with your team, and suggest changes in the plan all in the same day. This requires an ability to switch quickly between tasks and to think about the project on many different levels at once.

• BS in Engineering, Chemistry, or Materials science.
• At least 10 years in a high-volume, consumer and industrial products manufacturer.
• Cross-disciplinary experience.  Experience with quality, engineering, manufacturing, and marketing. 
• Leadership. It is important to be able to listen generously and align the group in a direction which reduces program risk and increases the likelihood of maintaining the schedule and delivering the anticipated outcomes of the program. Confidence and poise to meet with senior staff and regulatory authorities.
• English language fluency

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Rain Bird is an Equal Opportunity Employer