Manager, Technical Talent Programs

Wärtsilä•Houston, TX

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Technical Talent Programs plays a pivotal role in building a sustainable and future‑ready technical workforce across Region North (AMER). This role leads early‑career talent strategy for technical and Field Service populations by developing strong academic partnerships, designing best‑in‑class internship and trainee programs, and owning structured induction experiences for new hires. This position directly supports Wärtsilä’s long‑term growth, technical capability continuity, safety culture, and employer brand in the North American technical labor market.

Requirements

Proven experience designing and leading technical workforce, early‑career, or internship programs.
Strong understanding of technical, blue‑collar, or skilled trade talent pipelines.
Demonstrated ability to build and manage external partnerships (universities, technical schools, training providers).
Solid program and stakeholder management skills across multiple functions and locations.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting Field Service, Manufacturing, Engineering, or Operations populations.
Exposure to safety‑critical or regulated environments.
Knowledge of US / AMER early‑career technical labor markets.

Responsibilities

Define and execute a regional early‑career and technical talent strategy aligned with Operations and Field Service workforce demand.
Translate business needs into scalable, sustainable hiring pipelines through academic and early‑career programs.
Build and maintain long‑term partnerships with targeted universities, community colleges, and technical schools across the region.
Position Wärtsilä as an employer of choice for technical talent through a clear and compelling employer value proposition for students and educators.
Design, launch, and continuously improve technical internship and trainee programs supporting Field Service and operational roles.
Ensure program quality, consistency, safety compliance, and alignment with future technical skill requirements.
Own and evolve structured induction programs for early‑career and newly hired Field Service employees in Region North.
Partner with Service, QEHS, and HR teams to ensure onboarding accelerates productivity, retention, and safe ways of working.
Work closely with Field Service leaders, HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, and external training providers to deliver programs at scale.
Act as the regional subject matter expert for early‑career and technical workforce programs.
Track and analyze outcomes such as conversion rates, time to productivity, and retention.
Use data‑driven insights to continuously improve program design, partnerships, and delivery models.