Project Manager, Warehouse Automation

company information

fairlife, LLC is a Chicago-based dairy company that creates great-tasting, nutrition-rich and value-added products to nourish consumers.

With more than $1B in annual retail sales, fairlife’s growing portfolio of delicious, lactose-free, real dairy products includes: fairlife® ultra-filtered milk; Core Power® High Protein Shakes, a sports nutrition drink to support post-workout recovery; fairlife® nutrition plan™, a nutrition shake to support the journey to better health.

A wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola company, fairlife, LLC has been recognized by both Fast Company and Nielsen for its industry leading innovation.

The company is driven by its values of caring for the people, animals, and planet it touches across its business. By providing nourishing products, implementing stringent care standards for animals, and stewarding efficient operations and responsible packaging, fairlife, LLC puts a focus each day on making a positive impact for all. 

To learn more about fairlife and its complete line of products, please visit fairlife.com.

job purpose:

The Project Manager – Warehouse Automation has accountability for leading a team of Warehouse Engineering Project Management Professionals in the planning and delivery of large, complex, or multi-location capital projects involving warehouse automation and capacity expansions. This role will ensure Automation Commercialization projects create efficiency, deliver capacity, and drive operational savings. Accountabilities include design, building construction modifications, installation, commissioning, and validation. Technologies include but are not limited to Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGVs), Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems (ASRS) and Automated Truck Loading Systems.

responsibilities:

• Develops program-level strategy, schedule, and capital requirements for warehouse automation projects, in partnership with Warehouse Operations leadership.
• Establish Standard Operating Procedures for warehouse operations.
• Establish data points for warehouse design, including raw material and finished goods movement. Establish data points internal and external traffic flow, to generate building and roadway design.
• Serves as a project management expert and provides coaching to team on best practices, defined processes, exception handling, tradeoff decision-making, adherence to standards, etc
• Partners with other functions such as Warehouse Automation Operations to pilot and transition ownership of new automation technologies.
• Responsible for development of Equipment standards and ensures projects adhere to Warehouse Engineering design and equipment Standards.
• Leads cross functional teams (Warehouse Operations, IT, Controls Engineering, the field) and charts a path for project success.
• Ensures project requirements integrate effectively with ERP solutions through partnership with cross-functional stakeholders (IT, Controls Engineering, Warehouse Operations).
• Strategizes and plans ahead to identify schedule, cost or field service expectation issues before they come to fruition and can develop action plans to meet project needs.
• Builds and leverages external connections to technology, vendors, and equipment suppliers to identify new innovations and optimize current technologies.
• Qualifies new Contractors for critical areas of the business.
• Develops and manages forecasts and cost control to value engineer scope and compress/accelerate schedules.
• Influences and Champions strategic change that drives business results.
• Develops and promote strategies to maximize the organization’s ability to innovate, improve, and produce high quality results.
• Defines commissioning, qualification, and validation requirements and ensures our OEMs are held accountable for adherence through Master Services Agreements, Purchasing Agreements, etc.

skills/qualifications required:

• 10+ years in the dairy or beverage industry, with a minimum of 7 years in the automated warehouse space.
• Exceptional project management capabilities
• Strong cost management and forecasting experience and knowledge
• Strong cross functional and total supply chain knowledge.
• Knowledge in installation and construction standards.
• Ability to lead and develop others and build effective teams
• High level of collaboration, influencing, & communication skills
• Exceptional time management
• Recognized as a leader of people, particularly in non-reporting relationships
• Ability to manage extreme complexity and multiple workstreams
• Understanding of the business justification process for productivity
• Understanding of TPM principles
• Must be able to travel 50% of the time
• Knowledge of Supply Chain and Logistics, WMS, WCS, AGV’s and general Automated Warehouse technology and YMS (Yard Management Systems)
• Strong SharePoint, PMO 365 and Office 365 skills to develop and maintain project trackers and web hosted applications.
• Strong leadership skills
• Strong collaborative skills and ability to work with a diverse team of resources.
• Strong verbal and written skills
• Ability to lead a team of technical resources and manage a team budget.
• Ability to communicate clearly within the organization and externally.

position location: remote

reports to: Vice President of Engineering

travel requirements: 50%

exempt/nonexempt:

fairlife, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, veteran status, or any other category protected by law. All qualified applicants and employees will be given equal opportunity. Selection decisions are based on job-related factors.

In addition to its nondiscrimination commitment, the Company will also provide reasonable accommodation of qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the Company. If you have a disability and would like to request accommodation in order to apply for a position with us, please email [email protected].