Program Manager

Overview: Do you want to join a team that's changing the world? Do you have a strong background as a Program Manager? Then we're looking for you! Check out the job description and apply now! Put your skills to meaningful use, gain unique experience, and work with world-class team members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who share the same vision. Join the PECNA team today! Responsibilities: Program Manager https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tMgKm_71qs (by clicking this link you are being referred to an external site that is not part of Panasonic) Meet the Recruiter: Eric Laffey Summary: Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we’re building the world’s largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you’ll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation. Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation. Job Summary: The Program Manager leads a portfolio of related projects that drive strategic initiatives, operational efficiency, and capital expansion within a high-volume lithium-ion battery manufacturing environment. In addition to overseeing program-level execution, this role includes direct people management responsibilities for Project Managers and PMO Analysts. The Program Manager ensures alignment across functions, manages interdependencies, and provides strategic and tactical direction to both project teams and senior stakeholders. This position is ideal for a hands-on leader who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and brings a strong combination of technical fluency, communication ability, and leadership experience. Essential Duties: Functional Leadership & Operations: Define and manage program scope, success criteria, deliverables, budgets, and resource plans across a portfolio of interrelated projects Create, maintain, and govern integrated master schedules to ensure alignment across engineering, operations, procurement, and construction activities Track and report program-level KPIs, ensuring timely milestone delivery, issue resolution, and performance transparency Optimize resource allocation and sequencing to balance capacity, cost, and schedule constraints while maximizing program outcomes Strategic Alignment & Continuous Improvement: Identify and manage program interdependencies, prioritizing initiatives to align with strategic objectives and operational timelines Apply program-level insights, metrics, and lessons learned to continuously refine project delivery approaches and PMO best practices Identify opportunities to improve program governance, reporting cadence, and workflow standardization across the portfolio Support long-term planning by aligning program execution with evolving business needs and capital strategy Team Development & Knowledge Sharing: Lead, coach, and develop Project Managers and PMO Analysts through performance management, goal setting, and career development planning Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement across program and project teams Ensure consistent application of PMO standards, tools, templates, and methodologies across all managed projects Promote knowledge sharing and capability building within the PMO to strengthen program delivery maturity Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement: Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams across engineering, operations, procurement, construction, and external partners Serve as the primary liaison between program teams and senior leadership, providing clear, data-driven program status and performance updates Facilitate steering committee meetings, stakeholder reviews, and executive briefings Translate complex technical and operational information into clear, actionable communications for diverse audiences Quality, Safety, Compliance, & Risk Management: Identify and manage program-wide risks and issues, developing mitigation plans and escalating appropriately to leadership Ensure program execution complies with company policies, regulatory requirements, and EHS standards Maintain program documentation, governance artifacts, and audit readiness to support internal and external reviews Reinforce a strong safety, quality, and compliance mindset across all program activities Supervisory Responsibilities: Provides direct supervision to Project Managers and PMO Analysts, including work assignment, performance oversight, training, and adherence to safety and operational standards Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements: To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees, wearing PPE is a possibility and may include equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator. The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job. Qualifications: Requirements - Required and/or Preferred Education, Certifications, and Licenses: Required: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Computer Science, or related technical/operations field. Relevant work experience may be substituted for required education Preferred: Master’s degree (e.g., MBA, MS in Engineering Management, Project Management) or equivalent Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP) certification, or equivalent Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt Essential Qualifications: 5+ years of progressive project or program management leadership experience Demonstrated success leading complex, multi-project programs in technical, construction, or manufacturing settings Strong understanding of program governance, budgeting, and risk management across interdependent projects Excellent communication, interpersonal, and conflict-resolution skills Proficiency in project/program management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, MS Project, Power BI, JIRA) Ability to influence across functional boundaries and operate effectively in matrixed environments Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English Alignment to Panasonic’s seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude) Preferred Qualifications: 10+ years of progressive program management leadership experience Experience in capital-intensive or high-volume manufacturing environments such as batteries, energy storage, automotive, or electronics Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, or hybrid project management methodologies Experience working with enterprise platforms such as SAP, Oracle, or MES/ERP systems Proven track record of leading teams through transformation, scaling, or process improvement Physical Demands: Physical Activities: Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to: Sit: 40% Walk: 40% Stand: 20% Required Lifting and Carrying: Rare (