Project Manager

Responsibilities: Lead cross-functional project teams, including areas such as Research & Development, Engineering, Master Planning, Commercial Planning, and Regulatory, from concept through product launch. Own the end-to-end project lifecycle for furniture product development, ensuring all product development items are implemented effectively from initial idea to market release. Build and maintain detailed project plans, including timelines, milestones, dependencies, and resource requirements for a variety of product types and complexities. Clearly communicate key milestones, critical path deliverables, and project expectations to project team members and stakeholders. Identify project risks early, develop mitigation plans, and proactively manage issues to keep projects on track. Drive accountability across cross-functional team members by ensuring clarity on deliverables, deadlines, and commitments, and following up to ensure completion. Provide regular project status updates to senior leadership, highlighting progress, risks, and recommended actions. Utilize strong communication skills to inform various levels of the organization in a timely and appropriate manner, using both in-person and remote communication channels. Facilitate discussions and meetings that help project teams resolve conflicts, remove obstacles, and make timely decisions. Apply project management principles and best practices to analyze project performance and drive continuous improvement opportunities. Leverage systems and data analysis to monitor project health, identify trends, and support decision-making. Collaborate closely with commercial and product planning teams to ensure product enhancements and new furniture products align with business objectives and customer needs. Use tools such as PLM systems, SAP ERP, PTC Arena, and Microsoft Excel to track project details, manage product data, and create reports for stakeholders. Support change management activities related to new products, enhancements, and process improvements, helping teams adopt new ways of working. Champion process improvements by challenging the status quo and recommending enhancements to workflows, tools, and communication practices.

Essential Skills: Minimum of two (2) years of experience in one or more of the following areas: product management, new product planning, commercial planning, project engineering, or furniture product development. Experience with the product enhancement process within a consumer product or manufacturing environment. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including the ability to build, analyze, and present reports for project stakeholders. Demonstrated project management experience, including managing timelines, milestones, risks, and cross-functional deliverables. Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence business partners and drive accountability across diverse teams. Excellent team communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to tailor messages to different audiences. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously. Comfort working with systems and performing data analysis to support project decisions and continuous improvement. Strong conceptual, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to break down complex issues and propose practical solutions. Experience communicating through remote mediums such as video conferences, email, and text-based communication tools. Background or familiarity with consumer manufacturing or furniture manufacturing environments.

Additional Skills & Qualifications: Bachelors degree is preferred. Experience with PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) tools and product development lifecycle processes. Experience working with consumer products and understanding their development and enhancement cycles. Familiarity with SAP ERP and PTC Arena or similar enterprise and product data management systems. Experience in change management and exposure to change management principles is a plus. Experience using Workfront or similar project management software is a plus. Driven, self-motivated mindset with a strong focus on achieving project goals and continuous improvement. Comfort challenging existing processes and recommending improvements to enhance efficiency and collaboration.

Work Environment: This role operates in a hybrid work environment with an expectation of three days per week in the office, fostering a highly collaborative culture focused on product innovation and continuous growth. Onsite hours are generally Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with some flexibility as needed to support project timelines and team collaboration. You will work closely with cross-functional colleagues across product development, engineering, planning, regulatory, and commercial teams, using a mix of in-person and remote communication tools such as video conferencing, email, and messaging platforms. The environment emphasizes teamwork, open communication, and shared accountability for delivering high-quality educational furniture products that support elementary programs, early childhood organizations, and families nationwide.

Job Type & Location: This is a Contract position based out of Carson, CA.

Pay and Benefits: The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $44.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Nov 25, 2026.Workplace TypeThis is a hybrid position in Carson, CA.