Associate Project Manager

As a member of the Project Management team, you will support the execution of new product development initiatives by coordinating project activities, maintaining timelines, and ensuring visibility to key tasks and deliverables. Working under the guidance of a Project Manager or Senior Project Manager, you will help keep projects organized and moving through the NPD process while learning PMO standards, methodologies, and tools. You support clarity, visibility, and accountability across projects while building foundational project management capability in a fast‑paced, cross‑functional environment.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities are executed in alignment with PMO standards, methodologies, and the Project Management Competency Matrix. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Project & Timeline Management: Support the execution of NPD projects through the Phase Gate process by maintaining accurate timelines, tracking assigned tasks, and monitoring deliverables. Identify potential timing or dependency risks and communicate them to project leadership. This role focuses on execution support, organization, and follow‑through — not administrative task completion for other teams.
• Cross‑Functional Coordination: Coordinate inputs across Marketing, R&D, Engineering, Sourcing, Operations, Quality, and Creative. Schedule meetings, capture notes and decisions, and clarify action items and ownership to support smooth cross‑functional collaboration.
• Risk Awareness: Assist in identifying project risks and dependencies, tracking mitigation actions, and escalating issues when scope, timing, or quality may be impacted.
• Stakeholder Communication: Provide clear and timely project updates to core team members, ensuring visibility to progress, open items, and upcoming milestones.
• Continuous Improvement: Learn and apply PMO tools and best practices to support more predictable and effective product launches.

• Bachelor's degree required (Business, Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, or similar).
• Typically 1-3 years of professional experience in project coordination, operations, or a related function.

• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and project management tools.

• Detail-Oriented: Accurately tracks assigned tasks, timelines, and deliverables. Identifies potential issues and flags risks early for review.
• Communication: Clear verbal and written communication across departments.
• Problem-Solving: Identifies issues within assigned workstreams and collaborates on solutions. Escalates challenges appropriately when support is needed.
• Cross-Functional Fluency: Builds working knowledge of Brand, Engineering, Sourcing, and Operations and how they contribute to NPD execution.
• Adaptability & Ambiguity: Thrives in fast-paced, constantly evolving environment.

• Mediator in Training: Learns to remain objective while balancing different functional priorities.
• Conflict Navigation: Helps teams resolve minor conflicts or competing priorities, with the judgment to escalate when needed.
• Calm in the Storm: Maintains focus and composure during tight deadlines or competing priorities, helping keep work moving forward.
• Influence Without Authority: Builds strong working relationships and can encourage cross functional teams to meet key deadlines even without direct authority.
• Attention to Detail: Consistently monitors project details and identifies potential issues early, ensuring small oversights don't create bigger problems down the line.

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