Lead Pmo (St. Thomas, On)

Drive your Career!

We love our cars, but it’s the people behind them who make them what they are. To market, sell, and service great cars, we need great people. That’s why at Volkswagen Group Canada, we are passionate about our cars and our brand and foster this same passion and drive in our people. We know that the right people in the right positions can do incredible things, and we love making that happen.

We are currently looking for a Lead PMO, based out of St. Thomas, ON

Our mission has started. Volkswagen Group’s largest cell factory in St. Thomas will carry out all battery activities – from processing raw materials to developing a unified Volkswagen battery to managing the European and North American gigafactories. Headquartered in Salzgitter, Germany, we are experiencing the transformation of mobility up close. Our goal is to contribute a positive impact to our global society, the environment and the economy. To reach these goals we need your POWER!

For the ramp-up phase of our North American operations, we are looking for a proactive and strategic Lead Project Manager who thrives in fast-paced and fast-changing environments. Temporarily reporting to the CFO, you will work closely with the PowerCo Strategy team at our Headquarters in Germany as well as colleagues from the Volkswagen Group of Canada in Ajax, ON to establish the North American division of the new company, and oversee and direct all project-management activities and its team.

**This is a flex hybrid model, requiring a minimum of 2 days in the office in St. Thomas, ON**

Primary Responsibilities:

• Creating reports and presentations to support business requirements; analyzing and reporting on key metrics
• Travel nationally and internationally for up to 25% of the time
• Supervising Ramp-up PMO Team
• Steering teams based on business objectives, continuously aligning them to those objectives, even in the face of ambiguity and aggressive deadlines
• Facilitating end-to-end scoping / estimation and managing logistical cross dependencies
• The full life cycle and management of the project governance processes, including project intake, review, assignment and closure
• Defining strategies for governance, risk mitigation and contingency planning
• Developing and maintaining a thorough understanding of the organization’s vision, business plans, and key business drivers by collaborating with the HQ Strategy and Leadership Teams on a regular basis
• Engaging in and providing critical information to the HQ PMO Team in Germany, to cross functional teams, and other stakeholders
• Performing other related duties as assigned or as they might pertain to the position
• Leading highly strategic cross-functional and cross-organizational initiatives
• Clearly communicating roadmaps, progress, risks, mitigation plans, and impacts to the board of directors, internal cross-functional and remote project teams
• Setting practice standards, priorities and schedules
• Creating and managing cross-functional plans, collaborating cross-functionally with internal teams (and external vendors if applicable) to define requirements and manage timelines
• Working closely with PMOs at HQ in Germany and bridging the strategy between both locations

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Administration, Engineering or related field and/or equivalent relevant work experience.
• Previous experience driving large-scale projects and programs from start to finish within highly complex operating environments
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills with the ability to effectively train others and communicate with teams across the organization
• Overtime may be required to meet ramp-up deadlines
• Ability to travel within Ontario, as well as internationally (~25%)
• Ability to maintain flexible work hours to account for time zone differences with Europe, when necessary
• Master’s Degree is considered an asset
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines
• Expert-level knowledge of Project Management associated methodologies, techniques, processes, and approaches
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• 5+ years of professional experience in project and change management, and at least 2 years’ experience supervising a team
• Project Management Certifications, such as PMP, PgMP, CAPM or comparable are considered an asset
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with proven decision-making abilities
• Ability to operate effectively in a high-demand, rapidly shifting / fluid environment
• Proven ability to easily adapt to multitask and shift priorities effectively and expediently
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Desired Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• International mindset and strong interest in global work and diverse teams
• Strategic vision with a creative and forward-thinking perspective
• German language skills are considered an asset
• Entrepreneurial drive to help establish a company from the ground up

What you’ll get in return:

• Opportunities for development
• A flexible and collaborative team dynamic
• Opportunities to participate in exciting company events that give back to the community
• Competitive employer paid benefits and overall compensation package
• And much more!

Interested applicants are asked to submit their application by September 8, 2023

*Please note that we appreciate the interest of all candidates, however only those under consideration will be contacted.

Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, family status, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability or any other characteristic protected by federal, or local laws.

Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities during all phases of the hiring process including the application process. If you require an accommodation because of a disability, we will work with you to meet your needs. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance. If you are selected for an interview and require an accommodation, you are encouraged to advise the Recruiter who will consult with you to determine an appropriate accommodation #LI-Hybrid.