Director, Engineering PMO

Novolex•Lake Forest, IL

2d•$180,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director, Project Management & Commercialization is responsible for leading the project management and commercialization function for engineering initiatives across Novolex Business Units. This role establishes the strategic direction for the team, advances standardized project management governance, and leads the implementation of an enterprise stage-gate process to strengthen execution discipline, improve visibility, and ensure alignment to business priorities.

Requirements

10+ years of program management, project management, commercialization, PMO, or enterprise initiative leadership experience, preferably within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
5+ years of leadership experience leading engineering or technical organizations.
Experience developing and implementing project management strategies, governance models, stage-gate processes, or PMO capabilities within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
Demonstrated ability to establish operating rhythms, lead organizational change, and implement standardized processes across cross-functional stakeholder groups.
Strong management and prioritization skills.
Executive communication and stakeholder alignment capability.
Technical background and understanding of engineering principles and practices.
Experience overseeing multiple projects simultaneously, at multiple locations.
Ability to communicate cross-functionally with both internal and external stakeholders.
Proficiency using common office technology and tools.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting packaging, plastics, extrusion, thermoforming, molded fiber, paper, and/or related manufacturing operations.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the strategic roadmap for the Project Management & Commercialization team, including team mission, operating model, role clarity, and implementation priorities.
Operationalize the organization by establishing governance routines, decision-making protocols, operating rhythms, and cross-functional interfaces with Engineering, Operations, Commercial, Finance, and Business Unit leadership.
Design, standardize, and implement an enterprise stage-gate project management process, including gate criteria, approval requirements, required deliverables, escalation pathways, and performance metrics.
Lead change management and cross-business-unit implementation to drive adoption of project management standards, tools, reporting cadence, and governance expectations.
Own project schedules, budget tracking, and scope management to ensure deliverables meet quality standards and deadlines.
Oversee the end-to-end lifecycle of engineering projects, including balancing timelines, budgets, and technical specifications.
Assign tasks, balance workloads, and delegate responsibilities to maximize team productivity.
Act as the primary bridge between the engineering team and stakeholders.
Perform additional duties as assigned.