Sr. Tech Project Manager - Military Veterans

Description & Requirements

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) is a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions. We are materials scientists, packaging designers, mechanical engineers and manufacturing experts with a shared purpose: Innovate Boldly. Package Sustainably. Guided by our values of integrity, respect, accountability and excellence, we use leading science and technology to move fiber-based packaging forward.

The opportunity:

The Senior Program Manager, Innovation, will be responsible for managing a broad portfolio of projects. In this role, you will manage a strategic collection of H2 projects that will deliver significant value to WestRock's 5-year strategic plan. In managing the portfolio of projects, you will develop a vision for the program, identify needed capabilities, and communicate program progress towards innovation strategic goals.

As Senior Program Manager, you will organize and lead project teams, assign individual responsibilities, develop project schedules, and determine resource requirements. You will also monitor and report on the status of projects including cost, timing, and staffing. In this role, you will ensure adherence to internal and external quality standards and identify and resolve obstacles to complete projects on time and within budget. You will also manage multiple, interrelated projects. On various projects, you will integrate vendor tasks into the project plan, track and review vendor deliverables.

How you will impact WestRock:

• Manage portfolio of program projects and communicate program progress through key leader reviews, including, but not limited to Innovation Product Reviews within WestRock's Integrated Business Planning process


• Evaluate opportunities and make new project recommendations, draft project charters to support technology programs


• Identify and recommend pilot capabilities needed to advance the technology development within programs


• Identify key deliverables, maintaining in scope items, scope changes and documentation; develop comprehensive project plan


• Identify resource requirements and create/work with existing project team members, including key stakeholder identification


• Create project timelines


• Align with project sponsor(s) and stakeholders including key commercial leadership


• Monitor team performance through objectives, milestones, evaluation criteria, and progress tracking


• Organize and lead regular team calls, ensuring clear agendas, action items (including accountability), and published notes


• Manage projects using a variety of tools to ensure project activities, dates, timing, and tracking are clearly understood by all project members and stakeholders and delivered


• Manage stage gate to include planning, completion, and review of stage gate deliverable


• Manage critical hurdle resolution/risk to include identification of hurdles, leading team workshops and action plans to resolution


• Provide technical/planning support for team members on critical work streams


• Responsible for task resolution with business, making sure there is ownership of key activities as we transfer from Innovation to the Business Unit


• Manage commercialization stage to include defining hand off to marketing/sales


• Ensure excellent communication/reviews, via team weekly reports, management reviews, building communication plans, stakeholder analysis


• Through the IBP (Integrated Business Planning) process, provide inputs into the IPR (Innovation Product Review) each month, identify project expectations and actions to resolve


• Provide strategic direction for projects and lead implementation of strategies to improve success and maintain alignment with project sponsor


• Responsible for capital requests, approval and spend management and forecast of remaining spend on monthly basis


• Liaison with strategic partners/supplier for invoice management/vendor payment, terms, and conditions for contracting


• Works with business segment innovation leadership to identify and support project needs for the segment


• Support and participate in monthly IPR meetings for relevant segments


• Maintain all needed data and identify exceptions when project timing is impacted by positive or negative past or potential events; identify alternative options to course correct negative changes


• Manage the procurement, installation, and startup of approved capital pilot equipment

What you need to succeed:

• 10+ years of proven work experience in analysis, project management


• Bachelor's Degree in a related field, or equivalent experience


• Master's Degree in Business Administration or related field (Science, Engineering, etc.) desired


• Certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP) highly desired


• Training/Certification as a Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt is desirable


• Experience in the manufacturing/packaging industry desirable


• Ability to translate the organization's innovation objectives into strategy necessary to leverage a key technology platform or focus area


• Ability to identify new projects opportunities and launch approved initiatives


• Strong communication at all levels with the organization


• Ability to manage complex projects that are 1-3 years in length


• Ability to influence, lead and facilitate complex, cross functional teams


• Strong technical competencies, preferably in Commercial, Carton Design, or Project Management


• Deep understanding of Stage Gate process to include stage definitions, gate deliverables, holding gate reviews, and managing gate decisions


• Strong business and financial acumen


• Ability to understand the business model, define and manage capital required to execute


• Advanced computer skills, including understanding of core project management fundamentals and tools and Microsoft Office Suite


• Ability to function well as a team player or independently, with excellent interpersonal skills


• Results oriented and innovative, with a commitment to excellence


• Ability to travel, both domestic and international


• Flexibility to work various hours, across global time zones


• Adherence to WestRock Values and Behaviors


• Adherence to WestRock Safety Guidelines and Practices


• Willingness to travel up to 25%.

What we offer:

• Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability and excellence


• Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities


• An attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies and potential


• A career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work.

Smurfit Westrock is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to create and maintain a diverse workforce where everyone feels valued, respected, and included. Smurfit Westrock does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.