Program associate Jobs in Chattanooga, TN

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Astec is a global, environmentally focused infrastructure and manufacturing company of asphalt road building and aggregate processing. Our mission is to design and build the most innovative products for the industries we serve. Leveraging innovative solutions and technologies, we serve customers all over the world.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Operations Program Manager will lead a PMO project management team, ensuring the successful execution of site efficiency programs across several manufacturing facilities at Astec. The project team is responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing manufacturing projects, capital expenditures, and facility efficiency initiatives. The incumbent will assist our facility business partners in defining a strategic roadmap of 3-5 years. The Operations Program Manager will also effectively monitor and present program updates to relevant stakeholders, clients, or project team members. Responsible to coach, mentor, and supervise the PMO coordinators and specialists in daily assignments and activities and ensure that professional program management techniques and tools are used to manage programs and projects.

Key Deliverables

· Architect and oversee the multi-site project portfolio to ensure 100% alignment with the Infrastructure Solutions (IS) strategic roadmap and ROI targets.

· Establish and enforce rigorous portfolio governance standards to ensure data integrity across all budget, resource, and schedule reporting.

· Maintain absolute control over "Planned" data (budget and ROI projections) to ensure the PMO remains the single source of truth and prevents unauthorized data manipulation by decentralized leads.

· Serve as the primary change agent for project management maturity, driving process adoption within a high-speed manufacturing culture.

· Synthesize complex project data into actionable program-level insights for the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and site business partners.

· Direct the hiring, performance lifecycle, and professional growth of a high-performing project management team.

· Foster a collaborative environment with Engineering, Operations, and external vendors to de-risk complex facility efficiency programs.

Key Activities & Responsibilities

· Lead and mentor a team of project managers and coordinators.

· Oversee the project management team portfolio to ensure all projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.

· Prepare and present program-level reporting and dashboards for upper management.

· Analyze current project management processes and identify areas for improvement to enhance enterprise maturity.

· Implement new procedures and tools to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

· Work closely with engineering teams, Astec representatives, vendors, and various internal departments to achieve program goals.

· Conduct performance reviews and provide continuous feedback to team members.

To be successful in this role, your experience and competencies are:

· Experience leading a portfolio of projects with a combined value exceeding $10M in an industrial or manufacturing setting.

· 7–10 years of end-to-end project management experience with a proven track record of managing direct reports.

· Demonstrated ability to facilitate high-stakes planning workshops and steer cross-functional matrixed teams.

· Proficiency in Project Management Software (e.g., Project Insight, Asana, Microsoft Project, etc.) and the Microsoft 365 suite.

· Professional certification such as PMP, PgMP, or PfMP is highly preferred.

· Bachelor's degree or higher or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Supervisor and Leadership Expectations

Required

Our Culture and Values

Employees that become part of Astec embody the values below throughout their work.

· Continuous devotion to meeting the needs of our customers

· Honesty and integrity in all aspects of business

· Respect for all individuals

· Preserving entrepreneurial spirit and innovation

· Safety, quality and productivity as means to ensure success

Travel Requirements: 20–25% domestic and international travel

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Office

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to risk of injury in an office environment and occasionally a manufacturing shop plant environment. Duties include a typical office setting including extensive computer work, sitting or standing. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Astec does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, gender (sex), sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, citizenship status, a person’s veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law or executive order.