Sr. Project Management Leader

At Polaris Inc., we have fun doing what we love by driving change and innovation. We empower employees to take on challenging assignments and roles with an elevated level of responsibility in our agile working environment. Our people make us who we are, and we create incredible products and experiences that empower us to THINK OUTSIDE.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Product Development Excellence (PDE) PMO Team is responsible for leading transformational initiatives and other continuous improvement projects across Global Engineering.  The Sr. Project Management Leader is responsible for leading long-term, high-impact initiatives & projects within Engineering.  The ideal candidate is passionate about project management, process development, continuous improvement, and enjoys coaching others in the application of best practices.  This person also enjoys taking complex problems and determining what project management approach to apply in order to gain team and stakeholder alignment in executing the solution.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Facilitate framing of larger process development programs to assist sponsor/project owner with defining scope, structure, metrics, governance, approach, and timing
• Lead development & execution of schedule, scope, communications, and risk management with project teams across multiple projects involving long-range or complex business objectives
• Facilitate workshops, including process mapping, for in-person and hybrid teams
• Lead and coach other project management leaders in the facilitation of process mapping and project planning
• Work closely with other Project Management Leaders, Program Managers, Portfolio Manager, and other sponsors/stakeholders to ensure all aspects of the project are successfully completed
• Identify and resolve, with the team, any potential deviations from the approved project plan
• Manage the critical path to achieve agreed-upon milestones on time
• Identify & resolve/escalate project issues/risks to minimize impact to schedule and/or budget 
• Identify potential solutions to resource constraints within and between projects
• Drive prioritization discussions
• Develop and drive adoption of project management best practices across teams including Gantt charts, key milestones, project charters, action/risk registers, etc.
• Facilitate identification and sharing of lessons learned & best practices across teams
• Define and track metrics
• Regularly communicate and report out on project status and key milestones
• Serve as subject matter expert for other Project Management Leaders
• Other duties as assigned

KEY SKILLS:

• Strong communication skills (written and oral) including facilitation and presentation skills, including at the executive level
• Excellent project management and process mapping skills
• Proven track record of achieving project deliverables
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and deadlines
• Ability to lead change and motivate others at all levels within the organization
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence others without direct authority
• Effective decision-making, problem solving and negotiating skills
• Ability to work effectively within tight deadlines and firm schedules
• Ability to embrace a rapidly changing environment and operate throughout ambiguous situations
• Self-directed with strong personal initiative
• Professionalism and strong customer service skills
• Proficient MS Excel, PowerPoint, MS Project, SharePoint

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Business, or related field is required.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a business setting with strong process orientation skills & experience, with 4+ years of project management experience within product development &/or process development/implementation is required.
• Proven experience as a subject-matter expert in either Lean &/or Continuous Improvement project management.
• Project Management Certification (PMP or similar) or Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification preferred

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Hybrid working model
• This position is not eligible for Sponsorship

The pay range for Minnesota is $96,500 to $126,600 per year. Individual salaries are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills, and geography.

To qualify for this position, former employees must be eligible for rehire, and current employees must be in good standing.