Head of Program Management (PMO)

Location: US- Remote

Reports To: VP of Design Engineering

Position Summary:

The Head of Program Management (PMO) will lead and build a high-performing team of Program Managers responsible for driving the successful execution of strategic initiatives and customer programs across the organization. This role is critical to a switchgear/switchboard manufacturer with e-house and skid-mounted solutions, requiring deep partnership with R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Safety, and Supply Chain to deliver complex, multi-disciplinary programs on time, on budget, and to specification.

This leader will be accountable for the end-to-end success of strategic programs — from customer requirements and design through manufacturing, quality release, and delivery — while also serving as a confident, credible face of the organization in front of customers. The ideal candidate combines deep technical and manufacturing knowledge of switchgear/switchboard products with proven program leadership and executive-level communication skills.

Key Responsibilities:

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Program Managers, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Define team structure, roles, and career development paths as the PMO scales to support growing program complexity and volume.
• Establish and standardize program management methodologies, tools, and governance across the organization.

Program & Portfolio Execution

• Own the successful execution of strategic initiatives and customer programs, ensuring alignment with scope, schedule, cost, and quality commitments.
• Establish and maintain a portfolio-level view of all active strategic programs, proactively identifying risks, resource constraints, and interdependencies.
• Drive program governance including stage-gate reviews, milestone tracking, risk management, and executive reporting.
• Ensure robust change management processes are in place for scope, schedule, and cost deviations.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Serve as the primary integration point between R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Safety, and Supply Chain to ensure programs move seamlessly from design through production and delivery.
• Partner with Engineering/R&D on new product introduction (NPI) and custom engineered-to-order programs for switchgear, switchboards, e-houses, and skidded packages.
• Work with Manufacturing and Supply Chain to align program timelines with production capacity, material lead times, and logistics constraints.
• Partner with Quality and Safety to ensure programs meet all regulatory, code, and customer specification requirements throughout execution.

Customer Engagement

• Act as a senior, customer-facing representative of the program management function, building trust and confidence with key accounts.
• Lead or support customer program reviews, kickoff meetings, and escalation discussions, translating technical and operational detail into clear commercial communication.
• Partner with Sales and Business Development to support proposal efforts, program scoping, and contract execution for strategic accounts.

Strategic Initiatives

• Stand up new customer programs and strategic initiatives from the ground up, including defining program structure, success metrics, and governance cadence.
• Identify and lead process improvement initiatives to increase program predictability, delivery performance, and customer satisfaction.
• Provide regular reporting to executive leadership on program health, risks, and strategic outcomes.

Competencies: 

• Strategic thinking with strong operational execution
• Executive-level communication and stakeholder management
• Risk management and proactive problem-solving
• Cross-functional influence without direct authority
• Customer relationship management
• Team building and talent development

Qualifications:

• 15+ years of experience in the manufacturing of switchgear, switchboards, or related electrical power distribution equipment.
• Proven experience leading and building high-impact teams that have stood up and executed strategic, high-visibility customer programs.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, cross-functional programs involving R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Safety, and Supply Chain.
• Strong track record of customer-facing engagement, including presenting to and negotiating with external stakeholders at various levels.
• Deep understanding of manufacturing processes, engineered-to-order product development, and production scheduling in an industrial equipment environment.
• Excellent leadership, coaching, and people-management skills, with experience developing program management talent.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to communicate clearly and confidently with senior leadership, customers, and cross-functional teams.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or related field (or equivalent professional experience).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with e-house, skid-mounted equipment, or modular power packages in addition to traditional switchgear/switchboards.
• PMP, PgMP, or equivalent program/project management certification.
• Experience implementing or scaling a formal PMO function within a manufacturing organization.
• Familiarity with relevant industry standards and codes (e.g., UL, IEEE, NEMA, NEC) applicable to switchgear and switchboard manufacturing.
• Experience with ERP/PLM systems and program management software (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, or similar).

Work Environment: 

• This is a remote position with regular virtual collaboration across R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Safety, and Supply Chain teams.
• Travel required (estimate: 25%) for customer visits, site meetings, and cross-site program reviews.