Program Manager- Embedded

What you'll do:

The Program Manager is responsible for leading cross-functional product development, engineering, and business programs for the Electrical Sector EMEA Life Safety business. The role ensures disciplined planning and execution from project initiation through launch, with clear ownership of scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk, and stakeholder communication. The Program Manager partners with global business, product line, engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, and commercial teams to deliver safe, compliant, customer-focused solutions and predictable business outcomes. Demonstrates strong knowledge of Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), firmware development, and embedded product development processes, enabling effective planning, execution, risk management, and cross-functional coordination of embedded systems projects.

Program Manager Role & Responsibilities
1. Lead assigned Life Safety programs from initiation through launch and closure, ensuring alignment with business priorities, customer needs, and approved business cases.
2. Develop and maintain integrated project plans covering scope, schedule, budget, resources, quality, regulatory requirements, risks, dependencies, and key decisions.
3. Apply Eaton program management and PROLaunch processes, tools, governance, and review cadence to ensure consistent execution and complete project documentation.
4. Coordinate global cross-functional teams across product management, engineering, operations, supply chain, quality, finance, marketing, and sales.
5. Drive accountability for functional deliverables and readiness at each project gate, escalating gaps and decisions in a timely manner.
6. Track program performance against agreed milestones, cost, resource, and quality targets. Identify recovery actions when performance is at risk.
7. Identify, assess, and manage technical, commercial, supply, regulatory, and execution risks. Maintain clear mitigation and contingency plans.
8. Manage changes to scope, schedule, cost, and requirements through structured impact assessment, stakeholder alignment, and change control.
9. Facilitate project reviews and decision-making forums. Provide concise status updates, dashboards, and recommendations to business and engineering leaders.
10. Support business case development by validating assumptions, benefits, investment needs, resource requirements, and implementation options.

Qualifications:

• B.E. / B.Tech. in Engineering. A postgraduate qualification in Engineering or Management is preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in project or program management, product development, or engineering within a global, matrixed organization.

Skills:

• Working knowledge of stage-gate product development and PROLaunch or equivalent processes; project planning and scheduling; business case, budget, and resource management; risk and change management; product safety, quality, certification, and regulatory compliance. Experience with Microsoft Project, Jira, JAMA, Confluence, Power BI, advanced Excel, or similar tools.
• Knowledge of Life Safety products, systems, or applicable EMEA standards is preferred. PM, CSM or equivalent certification is preferred.
• Strong cross-functional leadership, stakeholder management, written and verbal communication, structured problem solving, decision-making, customer focus, accountability, and ability to influence without direct authority. Able to work effectively across cultures, functions, and time zones.