Project Manager -PLM & Operations
Job Overview
The Project Manager serves as the company's Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Centric Software, the organization's Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) platform. This role partners closely with Centric developers and Global IT to strengthen the system's infrastructure, drive automation, and improve efficiency across the product development-to-production lifecycle.
The role leads onboarding and training for Product Development, Design, Sales, Customer Service, Production, and other cross-functional teams on Centric and related workflows across the end-to-end product development-to-production lifecycle. The role also partners cross-functionally with Operations, Product Development, Design, and other business teams on special projects—including business analysis, research, data validation, root cause analysis, process improvement, SOP development, and workflow creation—to optimize and streamline internal processes and support business priorities.
The Project Manager also acts as backup to the Costing Supervisor, ensuring compliance with established protocols, providing hands-on technical support, leading process retraining, and maintaining team alignment with best practices. This role helps process costing during periods of high workload as needed.
Responsibilities
Centric PLM System Expertise
- Serve as the company's Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Centric Software, the organization's PLM platform.
- Partner with Centric developers to enhance system infrastructure and identify opportunities for increased automation and efficiency.
- Support the daily use of the PLM system, costing functions, and the interface with the ERP system, while supporting future initiatives to expand direct Centric adoption and collaboration with factories.
- Oversee the investigation, testing, documentation, and timely resolution of open issues and tickets related to the ERP–Centric interface.
- Manage user access for Centric and other assigned systems, including account setup, access and permission assignments, updates, and deactivation based on employee roles and business needs.
- Prepare and deliver quarterly and ad hoc reports from Centric, extracting, analyzing, and validating PLM data and reconciling information with ERP or other business sources as needed for leadership and cross-functional teams.
Cross-Functional Projects & Process Improvement
- Lead and support cross-functional Operations and PLM projects, coordinating stakeholders, project timelines, status updates, approvals, action items, and deliverables; track open items through resolution and escalate risks or delays as appropriate to ensure initiatives remain on track.
- Gather, research, analyze, reconcile, and validate information from Centric, ERP, spreadsheets, reports, departments, and other business sources to support cross-functional projects and operational needs; investigate discrepancies, identify root causes, and summarize findings and recommendations for Operations and leadership as needed.
- Review workflows and SOPs across departments to identify process gaps, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement; partner with teams to develop, update, and implement procedures and process improvements.
- Prepare ad hoc and recurring analyses, project summaries, presentations, reports, reconciliations, and supporting documentation for Operations and leadership as needed.
Training & Onboarding
- Lead onboarding and training for Product Development, Design, Sales, Customer Service, Production, and other cross-functional teams on Centric and related workflows across the end-to-end product development-to-production lifecycle.
- Provide ongoing Centric training, troubleshooting, and process support to employees across cross-functional teams and for new projects/programs as needed.
- Develop, update, and maintain SOPs, training manuals, process documentation, and instructional videos, ensuring materials remain accurate, current, and aligned with company standards and process changes.
Costing Backup Support
- Serve as a knowledgeable backup to the Costing Supervisor, helping maintain compliance with established protocols and best practices.
- Provide hands-on technical support, resolve process issues, and lead retraining sessions as needed to maintain team alignment and operational consistency.
- Assist with processing costing during periods of high workload to maintain operational efficiency and continuity.
- Develop department SMEs and Super Users, providing guidance and collaboratively leading related projects to strengthen departmental capability and system adoption.
DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY
- Acts as backup to the Costing Supervisor as needed; does not directly supervise the Costing Tech team.
- Operates independently within established responsibilities, procedures, and approved project scope; significant process changes and special project implementations require appropriate department head or leadership approval.
Requirements
- Proven experience serving as a subject matter expert or power user within a PLM system, Centric strongly preferred.
- Proficient in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), PLM systems (Centric preferred), and ERP systems (e.g., A2000) as applicable.
- Solid understanding of how to define processes and coordinate/execute software and operational needs to achieve business goals.
- Strong understanding of the end-to-end product development and production lifecycle, including the roles and responsibilities of Design, Product Development, Costing, Production, and other cross-functional partners.
- Ability to step in and support the Costing Supervisor and Costing Tech team as a knowledgeable backup, with the ability to professionally develop department SMEs and Super Users.
- Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills, including the ability to present technical issues to a non-technical audience.
- Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and projects concurrently and deliver quality results under time constraints.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to gather, reconcile, and validate information from multiple sources, identify discrepancies and trends, and translate findings into clear, actionable summaries.
- Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and root-cause analysis skills.
- Effective organizational and time-management skills; self-starter and team player with a strong sense of ownership.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build cross-functional relationships across Product Development, Design, Operations, Costing, Production, Global IT, and other business teams.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- BS/BA in a relevant field, or equivalent combination of education and hands-on experience.
- Prior experience with Centric Software or a comparable PLM platform at an advanced/SME level strongly preferred.
- Experience working within apparel product development and operations, with knowledge of garment construction preferred.
Salary Range: $85,000–$100,000 per year
Pay: $85,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Experience:
- Centric Software: 4 years (Preferred)
- Garment construction: 4 years (Preferred)
- Apparel Product Development : 4 years (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
