Robotics Project Manager
Overview:
This position will be managing complex projects in all facets of Robotics including palletizing, vision guided manipulation, assembly, as well as other leading edge technologies. Our goal is to help companies compete in their markets by providing the best material handling system solutions and technology. This leader is required to mentor, train, schedule, and lead the team through a multitude of challenging projects, ultimately driving success for the business and the team.
The Bastian Robotics Project Manager's (PM's) normal involvement in the sales cycle generally begins prior to hand-off, as part of the Sales pursuit team. This may involve estimating, solicitation of subcontractor proposals, assistance in presentations, review of proposed contracts, and systems design. As the sales process continues, the PM takes on increasing responsibility for understanding and controlling Bastian Robotics risk from technical, contractual, and cash flow, and organizational standpoint. Once the order becomes a contract, the PM has sole responsibility for budget, schedule and design. The PM translates the Sales estimate into a budget, scope of work and project plan suitable for entering into Great Plains for booking. For larger projects, and increasingly so as the group grows, the PM's success will depend increasingly on his or her leadership, communications ability and performance, and ability to manage the details of multiple projects; although technical and problem-solving skills will continue to be important.
Superior Performance Objectives:
- Set Goals and manage your time effectively with a Franklin Planner or equivalent.
- Promote Bastian Robotics in all appropriate forums.
- Manage all projects on time and on budget while exceeding our customer’s expectations.
- Work as a team with the rest of the office “small business mentality”
- Attend all Bastian Robotics and customer meetings on time and prepared.
- Master product information through training and personal efforts. Take charge of your training requirements and request the training you need.
- Maintain highest standards of professional appearance and manner in the office and especially with customers and suppliers
- Communicate with other Bastian Robotics team members effectively. Keep receptionist advised of schedule. Check and use voice mail / e-mail diligently. Maintain the team relationship. Communicate strategic information regarding suppliers, customers and competition.
- Repeat Business from projects managed
Qualifications:
- Bachelors of Engineering required. Masters Degree in Business or Engineering or P.E. preferred. Experience and/or education in basic financials, conversant with concepts of project ROI, discounted cash flows, simple and compound interest and depreciation.
- Must be extremely literate with MS Office software suite (particularly MS Excel).
- AutoCad, Solidworks and MS Project experience preferred.
- Material Handling, Engineering, Manufacturing or Packaging background required.
- Previous conveying experience preferred.
- Must have a solid understanding of application of contemporary industrial control systems.
Attributes:
- Energetic ambitious and hard working.
- Strong interpersonal skills and sales or management experience required.
- Strong demonstrated sense of customer service.
General Duties:
- Assist in the training of new Bastian Robotics employees.
- Work as a team with your coordinator and take out into the field or with a customer on a biannual basis.
- Maintain a consistently positive, enthusiastic attitude.
- Communicate with Bastian Robotics management regarding personal expectations and goals so that the company and individual can better work together to maintain, tweak, or overhaul the job description to everyone’s benefit.
- Submit Annual Review inputs and personal goals.
- Pursue MHMS Certification/GA Tech Logistics Certification.
- Follow the Bastian Robotics Systems Checklist.
- Review proposals, contracts and new orders for accuracy and commercial and technical issues. For your proposals or key documents have another team member review.
- Get the customer to commit to the design parameters and givens in writing! Fall back position is to document our assumptions as part of our proposal (ensure that they are included in the contract).
- Recommend the best internal Bastian Robotics team for the project. Coordinate assignment of resources with other PM’s. Primary responsibility for subcontractor selection with input from Sales and Systems Manager. Ensure that contracts with subs are structured correctly and leverage off of existing Bastian Robotics templates.
- Estimate and direct internal Bastian Robotics resources necessary to successfully complete the project. Communicate with other Systems Team members current and anticipated needs.
- Maintain positive cash flow on all projects. Work with Coordinator to follow-up on past due invoices.
- Publish weekly Project Logs for projects larger than $100,000. (Smaller projects should have published minutes of key meetings and/or decisions). (Frequency of logs may be reduced where appropriate, with Systems Manager’s approval).
- Maintain organized file throughout project and work with Coordinator to archive paper files at completion. Responsible for clean-up of electronic file library
- Be aware of budget margin and current forecast margin +/- 1% of all major projects at all times (Typically 2-3 projects at a time)! Advise Sales and Systems Manager of any significant expected deviations. Update forecast in Great Plains.
- Responsible for content, format and timeliness of all project correspondence and submittals including drawings, letters, equipment and controls documentation, spare parts lists, purchase orders.
- Anticipate problems take action rather than reacting.
- Take ownership of Bastian Robotics project team and our suppliers! It’s “our” system, not “the vendor’s system”. Take ownership of the controls. The PM should explain the project status to the customer, not the subcontractor.
- Manage the project schedule. Use electronic Gantt chart for installed projects. Communicate when other project parties (e.g. customer) delay Bastian Robotics. Maintain the baseline schedule for comparison.
- Approve all supplier invoices related to the project. Immediately return “held” supplier invoices to coordinator and communicate the reason for holding.
- Support the Site Supervisors when they need help in the field.
- Lead quick resolutions to customer back-charges (always a challenge). Use the Golden Rule with back charge issues, treat suppliers how we would want to be treated, not necessarily how the customer is treating Bastian Robotics.
- Assist Sales in managing escrow amounts of post-completion costs, if applicable. Coordinate resolutions to post-project warranty and customer service issues.
- Document, publish and present project “lessons learned”…ensure that current project “close-out” checklists are complete.
- Forward all contact information for inclusion into Siebel CRM.
- Organize and participate in post project “victory” engagements.
- Maintain office area clean and organized.
- Complete all administrative tasks/paperwork in timely manner.
- Enter time sheet data for previous week by Monday noon.
- Complete expense reports in a timely manner.
