Senior Automation Program Manager

Position Summary

HBD Industries is an integrated operating company of middle market manufacturing businesses. HBD operates four business platforms, each of which designs and manufactures highly-engineered industrial products for mission-critical applications. HBD operates eleven (11) manufacturing sites across the United States. 

HBD is embarking on a new initiative to surgically deploy automation into select sites. The Automation Project Manager is responsible for defining, developing, and executing the company’s automation roadmap. Collaboration with business leaders on selecting the best “first” projects will be a critical first milestone for this role. It will follow with responsibility to actively manage the selected projects across the finish line to measurably improve safety, quality, delivery, or productivity. This role will partner with another new role, Automation Project Engineer, to get the projects done.

 Principle Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead shop-floor assessments to identify, validate, and prioritize automation opportunities.
• Facilitate feasibility studies including technical, operational, safety, quality, and financial evaluations.
• Quantify expected improvements in safety, quality, productivity, throughput, or operating costs.
• Evaluate alternative technologies, concepts, and implementation approaches.
• Present recommendations and investment proposals to plant and senior leadership teams for approval.
• Lead automation projects from initial concept through production stabilization.
• Develop project charters, schedules, budgets, risk assessments, and implementation plans.
• Coordinate cross-functional implementation teams including operations, maintenance, quality, safety, supply chain, IT, finance, and external integration partners.
• Manage equipment suppliers, system integrators, contractors, and technical consultants.
• Track project performance against scope, schedule, budget, and expected benefits.
• Identify and mitigate technical and operational risks throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure successful startup, commissioning, validation, and throughput achievement.

Experience and Education

Required

Preferred

Technical Skills 

Organizational Relationships 

Travel Required 

The automation projects will require on-the-ground project management at the sites where the implementations are taking place. The role will require up to two (2) weeks per month of travel. There is no fixed schedule for the travel. Projects that are in the early phases will require less travel. Sites in the final phases of a project will require more. This role will determine where and when they will be at the factories. When not in an HBD factory, the role can work from home. Home base would preferably be in southern California, North Carolina, or Georgia. These are areas where the automation projects will most likely start.

The estimated base salary range for this position is $130,000 - $150,000. Actual compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, skills, education, certifications, geographic location, internal equity, and business needs.

Employment visa sponsorship is not available for this position now or in the future. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.

HBD Industries is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.