Project Manager 

LOCATION: Westminster / Maryland (US-MD), United States | BRAND: Knorr Brake Company | REQUISITION ID: 11643 | JOB GRADE:16  | ON-SITE/REMOTE: Hybrid 

Knorr Brake Company is the innovative leader in the manufacture and supply of braking systems, passenger doors and climate-control equipment for all types of Mass Transit customers such as: METRO, Light Rail Vehicles, High-Speed Trains, Commuter Rail and Monorail Vehicles for the North America market. We’re part of the Knorr-Bremse Group, the global leader in braking technologies. We challenge our employees to pursue their work with passion while keeping an unparalleled commitment to technological excellence, integrity and social responsibility.

Knorr-Brake Company is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. It is the policy of the Company to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Project Manager is responsible for the successful technical and commercial execution of a portfolio of customer projects, serving as the primary point of contact between the customer and Knorr-Bremse. This role leads cross-functional project teams, coordinates activities across multiple Knorr-Bremse companies and business functions, and ensures projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in accordance with customer expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Utilize and follow established project scheduling, planning, and execution processes in accordance with KB procedures.
• Lead the technical and commercial execution of assigned customer projects throughout the project lifecycle.
• Serve as the primary customer contact for project-related communications, status updates, technical discussions, and issue resolution.
• Manage Design/Build projects from initial planning through design, delivery, warranty support, and transition to Aftermarket operations.
• Develop, maintain, and regularly update detailed project plans, schedules, budgets, and status reports.
• Lead project meetings, design reviews, and stakeholder discussions while tracking progress against commitments and milestones.
• Monitor project performance and implement corrective actions when necessary to maintain project schedules, deliverables, and customer expectations.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams including engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, finance, and customer service personnel.
• Manage project risks and opportunities, ensuring proactive identification, mitigation planning, and escalation as appropriate.
• Apply structured problem-solving methodologies and root cause analysis techniques to resolve technical, schedule, and commercial issues.
• Support change management activities, including customer negotiations related to specifications, scope changes, delivery schedules, and change orders.
• Achieve project shipment, revenue, profitability, and financial performance goals while providing regular updates to management.
• Execute customer relationship management strategies and maintain strong customer partnerships throughout project execution.
• Ensure compliance with documented project management processes, internal procedures, and customer contractual requirements.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by identifying opportunities to improve project execution, communication, and performance.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Management, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in project management, engineering, product development, manufacturing, or a related business environment.
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Understanding of project planning, scheduling, budgeting, and risk management principles.
• Strong customer-facing experience and ability to build productive working relationships.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and project management tools.

Core Competencies

• Ability to recognize team members' strengths and motivate others to achieve desired project outcomes.
• Sound decision-making skills with the ability to balance business needs while minimizing negative impacts on stakeholders.
• Ability to negotiate effectively for resources, priorities, and support across organizational functions.
• Demonstrated capability to guide teams through routine project challenges while engaging appropriate resources for issue resolution.
• Strong planning and organizational skills with the ability to identify obstacles and develop practical solutions.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills for interacting with project teams, customers, and leadership.
• Ability to resolve or appropriately escalate issues in a timely and professional manner.
• Strong multitasking skills and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Proven meeting facilitation, active listening, and stakeholder communication skills.
• Working knowledge of structured problem-solving methodologies and root cause analysis techniques.

Behavioral & Interpersonal Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking abilities.
• Collaborative team-oriented approach.
• Adaptability and flexibility in a changing business environment.
• Ability to prioritize competing demands and maintain focus on key objectives.
• Professionalism in customer-facing interactions.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.

Physical & Work Environment Requirements

• Ability to work in a professional office and manufacturing environment.
• Occasional travel may be required to customer sites, supplier locations, or Knorr-Bremse facilities.
• Ability to participate in meetings across multiple locations and time zones.

The anticipated salary range for candidates who will work in Westminster, MD is $89,900–$134,900 per year. The final pay offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on several factors that may include but are not limited to the type and years of experience within the job, the type of years and experience within the industry and education. KBC is a multi-state employer, and this pay scale may not reflect positions that work in other states or locations. Provided they meet all eligibility requirements under the applicable plan documents, employees (and their eligible dependents) will be eligible to enroll in group healthcare plans that offer medical, dental, vision, and basic life and disability insurance. Employees also will be able to enroll in our company’s 401k plan. Employees will also receive 120 hours of vacation leave and 40 hours of Personal Paid Absence every year. Employees will also enjoy 12 paid holidays, and 1 floating holiday throughout the calendar year, subject to relevant terms outlined in the employee handbook. 6 weeks of paid parental leave will also be available for use. Requirements for these benefits will be controlled by applicable plan documents and policies. Employees working on federal contracts covered by the Federal Paid Sick Leave requirements will be notified and will receive benefits consistent and compliant with the FPSL requirements. Hired applicant will be able to purchase company stock, subject to the relevant plan documents and annual bonuses based on achievement of certain metrics of up to 5% of annual salary. This is intended to provide a general description of benefits and other compensation and is not a substitute for applicable plan documents or company policies. Applications for this position are accepted on an ongoing basis.