Strategic Initiatives Leader
KION Group · Grand Rapids · $18–$24/hr (stated in the posting)
Dematic has an immediate need for a Strategic Initiatives Project Manager supporting the Spare Parts & Repairs business unit. This role is part of the North America Lifecycle Solutions and Services team (commonly referred to as Aftermarket) that works to support our existing customer sites with services, parts, repairs and upgrades to help improve their safety, lower their costs, optimize output and be more efficient through all phases of the system’s lifecycle.The Strategic Initiatives Leader is responsible for leading and accomplishing high-impact, cross-functional strategic programs that drive business transformation, operational excellence, growth, and organizational priorities. This role partners closely with executive leadership, business collaborators, product teams, engineering, operations, finance, and commercial organizations to define strategy, develop implementation plans, manage risks, and ensure successful delivery of strategic initiatives.
A successful applicant combines strong project management expertise, business insight, collaboration skills, and the ability to drive alignment and progress across sophisticated organizations. This role will report directly to the Sr. Director – Parts & Repairs Business; the ideal candidate is someone with Project Management experience who is looking to step into a leadership position within the next 18 to 24 months.
We offer:
What We Offer:
- Career Development
- Competitive Compensation and Benefits
- Pay Transparency
- Global Opportunities
Learn More Here: https://www.dematic.com/en-us/about/careers/what-we-offer/
Dematic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
The base pay range for this role is estimated to be $122,250 - $179.300 at the time of posting. Final compensation will be determined by various factors such as work location, education, experience, knowledge, and skills.
Tasks and Qualifications:
What You Will Do in This Role:
Strategic Program Leadership
- Lead enterprise and business-unit strategic initiatives from concept through execution and value realization.
- Partner with executive leadership to define program objectives, success criteria, business outcomes, and implementation roadmaps.
- Translate strategic goals into actionable project plans, milestones, resource requirements, and measurable deliverables.
- Ensure alignment between strategic initiatives and organizational priorities.
Project & Portfolio Management
- Develop and maintain integrated project plans, schedules, budgets, dependencies, and resource forecasts.
- Monitor program performance, identify risks and issues, and implement mitigation plans to ensure successful delivery.
- Track project progress against scope, cost, quality, and timeline commitments.
- Establish governance frameworks and facilitate decision-making processes across stakeholders.
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Coordinate activities across multiple business functions, including Operations, Engineering, Product Management, Sales, Marketing, Finance, IT, and Customer Support.
- Facilitate alignment among diverse stakeholders with competing priorities.
- Lead recurring program reviews, steering committee meetings, and executive status updates.
- Drive accountability and action-item closure across project teams.
Change Management & Business Transformation
- Support organizational change initiatives associated with strategic programs.
- Develop communication plans to ensure stakeholder alignment and adoption.
- Identify process improvement opportunities and implement best practices that improve organizational effectiveness.
- Champion a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Financial & Business Case Management
- Develop business cases, cost-benefit analyses, ROI assessments, and funding recommendations for strategic investments.
- Monitor budgets and expenditures to ensure initiatives remain within approved financial parameters.
- Track benefits realization and report outcomes against approved business objectives.
- Support annual planning and strategic investment prioritization exercises.
Executive Communications & Reporting
- Provide concise and actionable updates to senior leadership regarding program status, risks, decisions, dependencies, and business impacts.
- Develop executive-level presentations, reports, dashboards, and performance metrics.
- Escalate critical issues and recommend corrective actions when required.
- Support governance reviews and strategic planning discussions.
What We Are Looking For:
- Bachelor's degree in business, Engineering, Information Technology, Operations Management, or related field.
- 5+ years of project, program, or strategic initiative management experience, or consulting.
- Demonstrated success leading complex cross-functional projects and business transformation initiatives.
- Strong knowledge of project management methodologies, tools, and governance practices.
- Experience managing executive stakeholders and influencing decision-making.
- Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- PMP, PgMP, Agile, Scrum, Lean, or Six Sigma certification.
- Experience in Material Handling Industry preferred
- Experience supporting digital transformation, product modernization, operational excellence, or enterprise software initiatives.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Project, Power BI, Excel, PowerPoint, and collaboration platforms.