Director, Technical Project/Program Management

Rheem Manufacturing Company•Atlanta, GA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Technical Project/Program Management owns execution of assigned strategic projects and programs and leads a team of program managers. The role focuses on delivering key KPIs through team leadership and customer-centric solutions. Serving Rheem North America, the position may be based in Atlanta, Georgia; Fort Smith, Arkansas; Lewisville, Texas; or Indianapolis, Indiana. It follows a hybrid arrangement, with work in the office Monday through Thursday and remote work on Fridays. The Director develops and executes program strategy aligned with corporate objectives and market trends; oversees product roadmaps and product lifecycle performance; and leads cross-functional programs from planning through manufacturing acceptance and full production. The role partners with product, finance, operations, engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and other functions to align investments, resources, launch readiness, and program outcomes. It also provides leadership development, coaching, and mentorship to build a high-performing team.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related field.
At least 10 years of experience in product development or project management.
At least 5 years of experience leading business or functional team members in a fast-paced environment.
Strong knowledge of product development stage-gate processes, including design, pricing, manufacturing, and sourcing.
Strong execution skills, including the ability to drive schedules, remove barriers, and deliver on time, on budget, and to quality targets.
Ability to translate product strategies into executable program plans using PLM and resource management tools.
Strong analytical and financial acumen, including the ability to track program costs, monitor capital and tooling spending, and assess ROI and cost-benefit implications.
Experience navigating matrixed teams and working cross-functionally with department leaders to develop, influence, and execute project initiatives and goals.
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with attention to detail and accuracy.
Ability to present clearly to senior leadership and translate complex issues into actionable information.
Strong professional presence and ability to build relationships and influence at multiple organizational levels.

Responsibilities

Execute program management vision and strategy aligned with corporate objectives and market trends while maximizing efficiency.
Champion programs using the Navigator process through manufacturing acceptance and full production.
Coach, develop, and mentor a high-performing team, fostering innovation, accountability, collaboration, and excellence.
Lead programs for talent retention, succession planning, and employee engagement, and allocate resources to build employee capabilities and leadership capacity.
Manage and execute multi-year product roadmaps across multiple categories.
Guide strategic annual plans for new product introduction execution, aligning them with financial forecasts, budgets, commercialization, and training implementation.
Collaborate with finance and operations to align product investments with long-term business objectives.
Lead cross-functional program teams to meet customer, business, and manufacturing requirements in accordance with Navigator guidelines.
Monitor program metrics, identify risks and issues, and implement corrective actions to maintain schedule, cost, and quality targets.
Provide concise program updates to senior leadership and conduct post-launch reviews to capture lessons learned and drive continuous improvement.
Collaborate with functional leadership to align priorities and partner with functional leaders to balance workloads, remove bottlenecks, and support on-time delivery.
Use negotiation and communication skills to align and motivate teams and keep stakeholders informed and committed to program goals.
Oversee the product lifecycle and manage the development, profitability, and market-share growth of the assigned product portfolio to meet or exceed KPIs.
Lead core or value-stream teams to operationalize product strategies and deliver on cost, quality, and performance commitments.
Provide program execution insights on feasibility, timing, risks, and financial considerations to inform product management decisions and roadmap adjustments.
Facilitate cross-functional problem-solving with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, finance, and purchasing to address constraints, evaluate trade-offs, and accelerate decisions.
Organize, schedule, and control plant-related program activities with site and functional leaders to meet launch timing, budget, and quality expectations.
Communicate expectations, deliverables, milestones, and changes that affect program execution.
Manage capital and tooling progress to align investments, equipment readiness, and tooling milestones with program requirements; communicate and prioritize resource needs with functional managers.
Validate equipment, processes, and capabilities to ensure manufacturing readiness for production ramp-up.
Identify opportunities and lead cross-functional initiatives to improve speed to market, quality, and program delivery.
Develop and coach team members to strengthen program management capability, communication, problem-solving, and performance.