Program Lead

Career Area:

Job Description:

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.

Role Definition

You are responsible for coordinating, scheduling, and integrating work across GCA/GCP product teams, to deliver projects/products using the outcome-based T5 process. This should be accomplished by ensuring efficient execution in the current quarter as well as looking ahead at the backlog and ensuring that discovery work for future quarters are being done. Central to this role is coordination with the Product Lead, Design Lead and Technical Lead.

The Project Manager is focussed on ensuring that the product team is delivering in a timely and efficient manner. This delivery could be into higher level System T5 projects and programs or projects/initiatives aimed at the products owned by the product team. The focus is on the product lifecycle and the programmes/projects that deliver these.

Responsibilities

The Project Manager is assigned to a product team and the products they own. For those teams and products the expectation is that the Project Manager is responsible for:

• Ensuring that activities managed directly or within the team meet established schedules, cost targets, and contractual objectives by effectively managing resources, team dynamics, and change control processes while providing contingency plans and problem resolutions as required.

• Coordinating and Scheduling work for the product team - the Project Manager is the owner of the project schedule. 

• Ensuring execution follows the CTCT T5 development process.

• Develop a clear understanding of the project scope and project deliverables outlined in requirements documents and provided by project stakeholders. Ensure that the Product Specification meets these requirements and all other obligations.

• Possess sufficient technical acumen to challenge assumptions, contribute to design discussions, and manage technical risks proactively

• Keep project milestones updated in our resource and project management software.

• Communicate regularly with management regarding the status of current projects.

• Proactively monitor project needs, identify project risks and put in place and execute on mitigation plans.

• Organize and lead regular scheduled project meetings to identify required actions and its timely completion.

• When required, lead continuous product improvement activities.

Degree Requirement
 

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering field preferred or equivalent.

• 9+ years experience in cross-functional project teams and software development organizations.

• Minimum 3-5 years' experience in technical project management experience with the ability to proactively identify & resolve issues early while maintaining relationships.

• Highly desired is 3 + years experience in a software development role 

• Demonstrated ability to deliver SW projects that bring quality products to market.

• Experience in Agile software development and a recognised certification in Project Management is highly desirable.

• Travel (including international) is less than 10%.

Skill Descriptors
Products and Services: Knowledge of major products and services and product and service groups; ability to apply knowledge of product and service appropriately to diverse situations.
Level Working Knowledge:
 

• Proven experience in backlog planning and scheduling.

• Proven hands on technical project management experience with the ability to handle multiple projects concurrently.

• Proven experience in proactively identifying and resolving issues early while maintaining relationships.

• Proven ability to influence without authority and foster a collaborative environment to achieve shared objectives across diverse and potentially distributed teams.

• Experience working internationally with diverse cultures is preferred.

• Proven experience with routine project communications.

• Leadership qualities with high energy that demonstrates the ability to work well with diverse groups of people in a way that motivates them to achieve common objectives.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Highly developed analytical, problem solving and negotiation skills.

• Highly organized with excellent time management skills and a flexible approach to working in a changing environment.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with aggressive deadlines.

• Anticipate and solve critical strategic and executional roadblocks, demonstrating an ability to navigate ambiguity and drive towards impactful outcomes.

Technical Excellence: Knowledge of a given technology and various application methods; ability to develop and provide solutions to significant technical challenges.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Advises others on the assessment and provision of all technical solutions.

• Engages appropriate subject matter resources to effectively resolve technical issues.

• Mentors others to enhance their technical competence and its application to achieve more effective technical solutions.

• Coaches others in promoting, defining, analyzing, and providing superior technical solutions to business problems.

• Provides effective solutions to moderate technical challenges through strong technical competence, effectively examining implications of events and issues.

• Assumes accountability for personal technical performance and holds others responsible for theirs.

Influencing Through Expertise: Knowledge of effective influencing tactics and strategies; ability to use these to deepen own expertise and impact or challenge decisions within and outside own organization.
Level Working Knowledge:

• Acquires expertise through training and practical experience in the relevant field.

• Analyzes the needs, desires, and motivations of the other party to effectively understand a given scenario.

• Identifies who the decision makers are and how they receive information.

• Provides evidentiary support while giving opinions or recommendations to influence decision-making.

• Conducts tasks in such a way as to build a strong reputation and credibility as an expert in the field.

Project Management: Knowledge of effective project management strategies and tactics; ability to plan, organize, monitor, and control projects, ensuring efficient utilization of technical and administrative resources to achieve project objectives.
Level Extensive Experience:

• Utilizes preferred tools, techniques and methods for estimating project cost and time.

• Plans, estimates, staffs, organizes and monitors significant projects.

• Identifies risks and vulnerabilities; creates contingency plans.

• Conducts regular and ad-hoc project reviews with project team, sponsors, and clients.

• Maintains open communication among project participants and interested parties.

• Communicates reporting requirements; creates monitoring and control mechanisms.

 

Posting Dates:

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply

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