Senior Program Manager - Grade Control

Caterpillar•Dayton, IL

16h•$147,760 - $221,640•Onsite

About The Position

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc. When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it. Your Work Shapes the World Whether it be groundbreaking products, best in class solutions or creating a lifelong career, you can do the work that matters at Caterpillar. With a 95-year legacy of quality and innovation and 150 locations in countries around the world, your impact spans the globe. When you join Caterpillar, you are joining a team of makers, innovators, and doers. We are the people who roll up our sleeves and do the work to build a better world. We don’t just talk about progress and innovation. We make it happen. And we are proud of that, because it helps our customers build and power the world we live in – the roads, hospitals, homes, and infrastructure. Without a dedicated workforce Caterpillar could not effectively meet our customer’s needs. Join us. Job Summary: You will lead a team of Machine Systems program and project managers who, working with CTCT development teams, are building the hardware and software platforms and integrated applications from which innovative solutions to real world customer problems can be created. Focus is on the product life cycle and the grade control NPI programs and projects that deliver these. About Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies (CTCT) Our division develops machine control products that use site design information combined with positioning technology to semi-automatically control machines. These products are used in a range of applications to enable a machine operator to perform their work safely, accurately, efficiently, sustainably and effectively using sophisticated yet intuitive user-centric technology.

Requirements

Planning: Tactical, Strategic: Develops, refines, and communicates tactical plans for own responsibilities. Provides the right level of detail as input for strategic plan development. Demonstrates the value and necessity of linking tactical plans to overall strategic plan. Ensures attention to the detail and dependencies of existing project plans. Plans for allocation of resources in line with unit goals, technical and business objectives. Ensures the planning process is integrated with the overall business plan.
Quality Management: Utilizes quality indicators relevant to Grade Control software development. Adheres to organizational quality management processes and practices. Applies key aspects of continuous improvement processes and evaluates impact on quality. Uses quality evaluation tools and techniques such as Risk Based Thinking. Works with quality assurance methods, tools and techniques.
Effective Communications: Works to create a climate that values and rewards good oral and written communication. Communicates effectively with diverse audiences, using appropriate media and language. Monitors developments in communications tools for potential use by organization. Writes reports, articles, or books for distribution to the business or professional community. Ensures important messages are clearly understood. Coaches others on methods of improving their own communications.
Problem Solving: Ensures capture of lessons to be learned from a problem-solving effort. Organizes potential problem solvers and leads problem resolution efforts. Uses varying problem-solving approaches and techniques as appropriate. Contributes to standard practices for problem-solving approaches, tools, and processes. Analyzes and synthesizes information and devises alternative resolution strategies. Develops successful resolutions to critical or wide-impact problems.
Program Management: Evaluates risks and vulnerabilities and creates contingency plans. Advises others on preferred tools, techniques and methods for estimating program cost and time. Conducts regular and ad-hoc program reviews with project managers, team and clients. Coaches others in maintaining open communication among project managers and interested parties. Oversees reporting requirements and creates monitoring and control mechanisms. Plans, estimates, staffs, organizes and monitors a set of projects within a program.

Nice To Haves

Extensive experience in cross-functional project teams and machine system or software development organizations.
Solid experience of direct people management experience, responsible for performance and career planning.
An understanding of the grade control industry and demonstrated ability to bring quality products to production.
Demonstrated ability to deliver machine system or software projects that bring quality products to market.
Proven hands-on technical project management experience with the ability to proactively identify & resolve issues early while maintaining relationships.
Grade Control machine software NPI experience is highly desirable.
Experience in Agile software development and a recognized certification in Project Management is highly desirable .
Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Electrical, Electronics, or Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent industry experience.

Responsibilities

This role is a leadership position accountable for the efficient delivery of projects and programs focusing on Machine systems (Integration & Commissioning and Positioning & Controls) through the execution of the CTCT T5 development process.
Owner of the CTCT Machine Systems development process aspects of the CTCT T5 development process.
Key contributor to Operator Application development process aspects of the CTCT T5 development process
Oversight of the execution of the CTCT T5 development process including Risk Based Thinking.
Partner with the Technical Directors, Technical Stewards and Sr Product Managers to establish standards, best practices, and a culture of continuous improvement that leads to the best outcomes.
With other Senior Program Managers, accountable to ensure that Machine Systems needs are reflected in appropriate team backlogs.
Manage directly or through reports the execution and delivery of NPI programs and projects for both Caterpillar and Trimble.
Maintenance and implementation of metrics to measure product life cycle targets (Time, Cost Quality, Content)
Leadership of broader NPI development plans including those that pertain to Caterpillar factory integration and Mining (CI and RI)
Communication with leaders CTCT to establish and maintain a shared, consistent understanding of the CTCT product, platform or application, direction and goals.
Coach and mentor team members to grow their skills and capabilities for benefit of both their own career and the success of the business