European Project Lead

Essential Functions • Strategic Planning & Execution – Own the end to end strategy for shifting manufacturing and support functions from U.S. sites to European facilities, aligning with divisional and location strengths. • Stakeholder Engagement – Build and maintain relationships with site leaders, customers, regional managers, and senior leadership to secure buy in, manage expectations, and resolve issues. • Project Governance – Develop and enforce project plans, milestones, risk registers, and status reporting mechanisms. • Change Management – Lead change management activities to ensure smooth transition, cultural alignment, and operational continuity. • Resource & Budget Oversight – Define resource needs, track spend against budgets, and optimize cost effective solutions. • CAPEX Management – Create, manage, and implement CAPEX requirements for strategic moves in host sites, ensuring alignment with financial targets and long term asset strategy. • Compliance & Risk – Ensure all relocations meet regulatory, safety, quality, and export control requirements across U.S. and EU jurisdictions. ________________________________________ Specific Responsibilities Include • Lead cross functional project team (Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, HR, Finance, Legal). • Mentor and develop project staff and local site leaders. • Create detailed project charter, scope, and deliverables. • Conduct feasibility studies and business case development. • Coordinate plant transfer activities, equipment transfer, and site setup in Europe. • Oversee workforce transition, training, and knowledge transfer. • Draft CAPEX proposals for new facility build outs, plant upgrades, and equipment purchases. • Work with Finance to secure funding, monitor CAPEX spend, and report variances. • Ensure CAPEX aligns with strategic asset allocation and lifecycle planning. • Deliver regular executive updates and stakeholder briefings. • Facilitate workshops and town halls to share progress and gather feedback along with location management and HR. • Define KPIs (e.g., relocation timeline, cost variance, production ramp up). • Monitor progress, perform root cause, and implement corrective actions. • Identify, assess, and mitigate risks (logistics, regulatory, talent, supply chain). • Maintain risk register and contingency plans. • Ensure adherence to U.S. export control laws and EU regulatory frameworks. • Coordinate with legal and compliance teams. • Apply Lean/Kaizen principles to streamline transition processes. • Capture lessons learned and embed best practices in future projects. ________________________________________ Other Duties and Responsibilities • Participate in global strategy meetings to align relocation objectives with corporate goals. • Represent Howmet at customer and supplier forums related to the transition. • Contribute to annual budgeting and forecasting for the relocation program. ________________________________________ Experience and Background • Minimum 8 years of progressive project management experience in manufacturing or aerospace. • Proven track record of leading large scale relocation or global expansion initiatives. • Experience working across U.S. and European sites, with strong understanding of cross border regulatory and cultural differences. • Demonstrated ability to manage multi million dollar budgets and complex stakeholder groups. ________________________________________ Skills • Project Management – PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent certification. • CAPEX & Finance – Strong knowledge of capital budgeting processes, cost control, and financial reporting. • Leadership & Communication – Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to influence senior leaders and diverse teams. • Analytical – Strong data driven decision making; proficiency in MS Project, MS Excel, PowerPoint. • Change Management – Familiarity with ADKAR, 7S, Kotters 8 step process or similar frameworks. • Lean/Kaizen – Experience applying continuous improvement tools to process and transition projects. • Compliance & Risk – Knowledge of U.S. export control (ITAR, EAR) and EU regulatory environment useful although not essential • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Operations Management, or related field. • Master’s degree or MBA preferred.