Project Manager

Zotefoams•Walton, KY

About The Position

The Project Manager will ensure end-to-end project execution for all capital, modernization, safety, and process improvement initiatives across ZFI (Walton) and ZMW (Tulsa). This role is being established to take ownership of project management activities including capital business cases, planning, scheduling, budgeting, vendor coordination, and implementation. The Project Manager ensures that all assigned projects are delivered safely, on time, within scope, and within budget, while maintaining strict alignment with Zotefoams operational strategy, safety expectations, and operational excellence standards.

Requirements

Associate’s/Certificate in mechanical engineering, manufacturing, project management, or related field/equivalent industry experience.
5+ years of project management experience in manufacturing or engineering environments.
Experience managing capital projects, equipment installations, or modernization initiatives.
Ability to build cost-justified business cases and manage full project lifecycle.
Strong project planning, scheduling, and organizational skills.
Understanding of mechanical/electrical systems and process equipment.
Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership abilities.
Proficiency with project management tools and dashboards.
Commitment to safety and regulatory compliance.
Must be team-oriented and collaborative.
Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software and experience with Microsoft Project.
Must be able to traverse the facility.
Must be able to lift 50 pounds at a time.

Nice To Haves

Additional certifications/experience in Lean Six Sigma, PMP, or Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a plus.

Responsibilities

Capital Project Management:
Develop full capital business cases, including financial justification, ROI analysis, risk assessment, and project scope.
Validate objectives, deliverables, and means with sponsor.
Define strategy to obtain deliverables with project team together with associated deadlines (Roadmap).
Lead timing in all phases of capital projects from conceptual design through installation, commissioning, and close-out.
Estimate resources necessary for the success of each stage of the project.
Proactively identify and manage crises which may impact the success of project/study.
Manage RFPs, quotes, vendor evaluations, equipment specifications, and procurement.
Coordinate with Maintenance, Process Engineering, Operations, and external contractors to execute projects efficiently and safely.
Applies recognized project management methodology to manage scope, resources, time, costs, quality, risks, and communications.
Monitor capital spend and report on budget performance, timeline adherence, and key risks.
Contractor Sourcing & Quotation Management:
• Lead the end-to-end process for obtaining competitive quotes for equipment, services, and construction work.
• Develop clear scopes of work to ensure accurate, comparable vendor proposals.
• Identify, evaluate, and pre-qualify contractors and suppliers based on capability, safety performance, technical expertise, cost, and past performance.
• Coordinate site visits, bid walkthroughs, and technical discussions with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Conduct structured bid evaluations, comparing pricing, schedules, and risk factors.
• Maintain a preferred vendor list and build strong working relationships with key suppliers.
• Ensure alignment of contractor sourcing with safety standards, quality expectations, and corporate procurement policies.
• Oversee onboarding and orientation of contractors to ensure compliance with site rules, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
Project Planning, Execution & Control:
Translate high-level modernization or expansion concepts into actionable project plans.
Establish timelines, milestones, resource plans, and deliverables.
Track progress, maintain project dashboards, and report to leadership.
Drive problem-solving to remove roadblocks and mitigate risks.
Cost Control & Budget Management:
• Adhere to project budgets, ensuring alignment with capital plans and financial guidelines.
• Create cost estimates during conceptual, design, and procurement phases to support investment decisions and business case development.
• Track spending throughout the project lifecycle, reconciling actuals vs. forecast and identifying variances early.
• Implement cost-control mechanisms including change management, purchase-order tracking, and contingency governance.
• Review vendor proposals for commercial accuracy, completeness, and cost competitiveness.
• Identify value engineering opportunities to reduce project cost without compromising safety, quality, or performance.
• Prepare periodic capital spend reports for leadership, highlighting budget status, risks, and corrective actions.
• Ensure timely submission of capital expenditure requests, purchase orders, and financial close‑out documentation.
• Partner with Finance to maintain transparency, support audits, and ensure adherence to company accounting and procurement policies.
Safety-Driven Project Delivery:
Integrate safety principles into all design and implementation activities.
Conduct and support safety risk assessments where required.
Ensure contractors comply with Zotefoams safety procedures and regulatory requirements.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Work closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, and Global teams.
Support alignment of project activities with broader digital transformation and automation goals.
Communicate progress, risks, and opportunities to leadership, ensuring transparency and alignment.
Travel up to 5% to support vendor visits, project execution, cross‑site coordination, or commissioning activities.
Equipment, Process, & Technology Integration:
Support specification, procurement, and installation of new production equipment and modernization technologies.
Collaborate with Process Engineering to ensure equipment meets operational performance requirements.
Facilitate training plans for operators and maintenance teams.
Documentation, Standards & Continuous Improvement:
Create and maintain documentation including schedules, risk logs, financial tracking, and commissioning reports.
Standardize project management workflows and tools.
Identify lessons learned and drive continuous improvement initiatives.