Program Manager, Special Projects

Zwiesel Fortessa Americas LLC•Ashburn, VA

5h•$60,000 - $75,000

About The Position

The Program Manager leads the execution of Zwiesel Fortessa Americas’ special project initiatives from concept through delivery. Managing concurrent projects, this role ensures timelines, deliverables, and approvals stay on track across cross-functional teams (Sales, Marketing, Product, Vendor Relations, Quality Control, Creative, Finance, Operations, Supply Planning) and external vendors. The Program Manager serves as a key connector—driving alignment, removing obstacles, and maintaining project momentum. Success requires exceptional attention to detail, strong project management skills, and proactive written and verbal communication. This role must identify potential risks early and recommend actionable solutions to keep initiatives on track. As a daily representative of Zwiesel Fortessa to manufacturers and suppliers, this role must consistently reflect the company’s professionalism, reliability, and core values.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; preferred in Business, Product Development, or related field.
3–5 years of relevant experience in project or product management, ideally in consumer goods.
Proven success managing cross-functional development projects from concept to launch.
Strong organizational and project management skills with exceptional attention to detail.
Clear, concise communicator across written, verbal, and visual formats.
Proficient in Microsoft Office; experience with project management tools (e.g., Asana, Smartsheet).
Comfortable using ERP, PLM, and BI systems for product and business data.
Occasional domestic and international travel required.
Ability to work beyond standard hours during peak project periods; reasonable accommodations apply.
Ability to lift and handle product and packaging samples up to 40lbs as needed.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite and technical drawings preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage assigned special projects from start to finish.
Develop and maintain detailed timelines, ensuring critical milestones—samples, costing, reviews, and inspections—are met.
Lead regular status meetings and milestone reviews to drive accountability.
Proactively identify risks, escalate concerns, and present timely, practical solutions.
Act as the primary liaison across internal (Sales, Marketing, Product, Vendor Relations, Quality Control, Finance, Operations, Supply Planning) functions for active projects.
Share decisions, updates, and action items clearly using the designated project management tools.
Collaborate with Sales Leadership to incorporate margin targets and pricing feedback early in development.
Anticipate roadblocks and coordinate resolution across functions to protect launch success.
Ensure all projects consistently meet established brand quality standards, reinforcing brand integrity, visual consistency and overall customer experience.
Provide status updates and contribute to cross-functional checkpoints, maintaining accurate documentation in required systems.
Coordinate review of samples and prototypes; document and route internal feedback.
Address vendor feasibility challenges without compromising design integrity.
Maintain alignment with Supply Planning, Product Development leadership, and Vendor Compliance on sourcing priorities and new product activity.
Serve as the internal advocate with vendors to align on what is within project scope, establish realistic production expectations, and clearly communicate timelines, capabilities, and trade-offs so customers understand impacts throughout the development process.
Initiate and manage vendor projects focused on samples, and drawing specifications.
Schedule and coordinate regular meetings with vendors to review project progress and address requirements.
Communicate specifications to vendors, ensuring clarity and timely delivery of documentation.
Track and secure timely approvals and receipt of samples from vendors to keep projects on schedule.
Collaborate with Sales Leadership to validate costs and ensure profitability at each stage of the process.
Support sourcing diversification and vendor transitions in alignment with company goals.
Represent Zwiesel Fortessa professionally in all external communications.
Create and manage part numbers, SKUs, and product data in ERP, PLM, and BI systems.
Ensure all product information is accurate, complete, and updated to support launches and product lifecycle through its maturity.
Organize and maintain physical samples, coordinate access and product reviews across internal teams.
Independently manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
Prioritize competing demands with ownership, urgency, and strong follow-through.
Maintain high standards of accuracy and responsiveness across all deliverables.