Project Manager Manufacturing Transformation - Contract Position

Title: Manufacturing Transformation Manager (Contract) Department: Business Transformation Position Type: Contractor / Consultant Location: St. Louis, MO (Primarily On-Site) Reports To: Vice President, Operations Transformation Travel Required: 10% Contract Length: 6 months+ Company Overview Pretium Packaging is a leading full-service designer and manufacturer of rigid packaging solutions catering to specialized applications with small to mid-sized production volumes. Our company is dedicated to offering a diverse range of sustainable packaging solutions while maintaining a focus on consistency, quality, and cost-effectiveness. At Pretium, we prioritize customer needs by leveraging our expertise in market insights, cutting-edge bottle and closure technology, sustainable packaging alternatives, top-tier quality management, and exceptional customer service. Position Overview The Manufacturing Transformation Manager (Contract) will support high-impact operational improvement initiatives focused on plant stabilization, business simplification, profitability improvement, and manufacturing footprint optimization. Initial responsibilities will include evaluating and executing opportunities to simplify the business, improve profitability, rationalize product portfolios, support operational due diligence, and drive strategic manufacturing improvement initiatives across the network. This role combines manufacturing expertise, analytical rigor, and project leadership . Working closely with Operations leadership, the successful candidate will identify improvement opportunities, analyze operational and financial data, develop recommendations, and drive execution across multiple stakeholders and workstreams. The role requires someone who can move seamlessly between plant-floor discussions, data analysis, executive presentations, and project execution. Success in this position requires the ability to evaluate complex operational issues, develop data-driven recommendations, influence cross-functional teams, and lead initiatives through implementation and measurable results. The ideal candidate brings enough manufacturing credibility to engage plant leaders, enough analytical capability to identify the right actions, and enough project management discipline to ensure those actions are successfully executed. Key Responsibilities Support manufacturing transformation initiatives focused on plant stabilization, business simplification, profitability improvement, and operational performance. Analyze manufacturing, operational, and financial data to identify opportunities for SKU rationalization, product transfers, profitability improvement, and business simplification. Conduct business, operational, and contractual due diligence to support executive decision-making. Develop business cases, recommendations, and executive-level presentations to drive transformation initiatives. Partner closely with Operations leadership to evaluate opportunities, assess tradeoffs, and recommend actions. Coordinate execution across Operations, Commercial, Supply Chain, Finance, and Manufacturing teams. Lead cross-functional initiatives from analysis through implementation and measurable business results. Track initiative progress, risks, decisions, and business outcomes to ensure successful execution. Support strategic manufacturing improvement, consolidation, and operational optimization initiatives through planning, analysis, and execution. Qualifications 8–12+ years of experience in manufacturing, engineering, operations, industrial engineering, process engineering, operational excellence, business transformation, or related fields. Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, production processes, capacity planning, equipment utilization, and plant economics. Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate large and complex data sets and translate findings into actionable business recommendations. Demonstrated experience supporting manufacturing improvement, plant transformation, consolidation, operational excellence, CAPEX programs, or business simplification initiatives. Proven ability to develop business cases, perform financial and operational analysis, and communicate recommendations to senior leadership. Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives from analysis through implementation and measurable business results. Strong executive communication and stakeholder management skills. Experience working in cross-functional environments involving Operations, Commercial, Supply Chain, Finance, and Manufacturing teams. Advanced proficiency in Excel required; experience with Power BI, ERP systems, manufacturing reporting tools, and AI-enabled technologies (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, Cowork) preferred. Demonstrated ability to leverage data and emerging technologies to develop business recommendations, improve operational effectiveness, and accelerate decision-making is highly valued. Backgrounds in manufacturing engineering, process engineering, industrial engineering, plant engineering, operational excellence, plant leadership, or manufacturing transformation are strongly preferred.