Project Manager - Product Engineering/Product Development

Are you an ambitious and driven individual looking to implement your Project Management best practices? Are you organization-obsessed? Do you love creating a structure that enables others to Go Fast? This may be the perfect role for you. 

Apex Wheels, a leader in lightweight motorsport wheels, is looking for an enthusiastic Project Manager to support our engineering team in coordinating and overseeing projects from inception to completion. You will work closely with cross-functional teams responsible for product development, manufacturing process improvement, and technical research, assisting in project planning, resource allocation, scheduling, and ensuring project objectives are met within set timelines and budgets.

We are at a stage in our growth where more formal Project Management methodologies are needed. Your experience and leadership in Project Management are vital to this role. You'll be expected to look at our current practices, advise Apex on how to best implement and standardize Project Management within the Engineering department, and then lead the charge. You'll also be a key contributor towards establishing Project Management standards that various other departments in our small but growing team will use as additional PMs are hired. We're looking for someone to show us how it's done - a true specialist but with experience implementing it with a team engineers. You may occasionally support other teams (Procurement, etc) in project management or similar activities like project hand-offs, transitions, documentation, etc.

Your first big task will be to consolidate the various existing ad-hoc project management spreadsheets into our new tool, Notion. Then, you'll establish best practices using Notion that support effective project management. 

While we welcome motorsport enthusiasts to apply, a keen eye for organization, project management, and keeping things on track will go much further than expertise in wheel fitments or experience at the race track. Familiarity with manufacturing principles may help you anticipate twists and turns along the road ahead but can be learned on the job. This position will require you to lead and/or participate in meetings with our vendors in different timezones, so scheduling flexibility is important. This is a remote position that can work from anywhere in the contiguous USA and includes occasional domestic and international travel.

How to Apply: To be considered for this position, include the following in your cover letter: Tell us how your meticulous attention to organization has helped you succeed in previous roles. Then, tell us about your interest and background in Motorsports. If you have none, let us know why you're interested in Apex!

• Effectively organize engineering projects from conception to completion, ensuring all stakeholders are aware of deliverables, deadlines, and activities so they are delivered on time, within scope, and on budget. Develop and maintain project timelines, identify critical milestones and dependencies, and allocate resources effectively to meet project objectives. Monitor project budgets, track expenses, and provide regular reports to ensure projects are executed within allocated budgets. Maintain comprehensive project documentation, including project briefs, status reports, meeting minutes, and change requests. 
• Own project reporting, providing leadership with insights into team productivity, adherence to project timelines, and workforce planning. 
• Identify potential risks and issues that may negatively impact project timelines or outcomes. Develop contingency plans and implement proactive measures to mitigate risks. Conduct project retrospectives for each project, gather lessons learned, and assist the team in implementing best practices that support timely, on-budget, and high-quality execution of projects.
• Coordinate scheduling of external testing & homologation with 3rd party testing facilities. 
• Continuously evaluate and improve project management processes, tools, and methodologies to optimize project efficiency and productivity.
• Participate in Engineering roadmap planning and review with internal stakeholders. 
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including marketing, production, design, content, sales, and market research to coordinate project activities, assign tasks, and ensure seamless project execution. 
• Infrequent travel to Apex headquarters in Pleasanton, CA (typically no more than once a quarter), and possibly to international factory visits (typically not more than once a year).

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, project management, or other related field.
• 3+ years of experience in a Project Management position.
• Experience with product development/manufacturing preferred.
• Demonstrable experience with Project Management best practices, organizational skills, and the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrable experience with Project Management tools such as MS Project, Asana, Notion, Smartsheets, etc. and the ability to quickly learn and implement new software solutions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Self-motivated and able to effectively drive change and fully own the functions of the position while working collaboratively as part of a team.
• Ability to travel domestically to California and able to obtain a valid passport to travel internationally.

Benefits

• Base annual salary $60,000 - $90,000 DOE
• Employee Medical, dental, and vision insurance are 100% company-paid with company contributions towards spouse/partner and dependent healthcare insurance.
• 401k with employer matching after the waiting period.
• Accrue a minimum of 10 days of vacation in the first year, with increases at key anniversaries.
• Paid sick leave and paid company holidays.
• Eligibility for the SEMA college grant and loan forgiveness program.
• Casual dress environment where T-shirts, jeans, and shorts are welcome.
• Support your track addiction with reimbursements for HPDE and autocross event registration fees.
• Employee discounts and freebies on APEX products and schwag.
• Full access to our shop with lift and tools to work on your car.
• Participate in company activities including karting, spectating at races, track days, and more.

Qualification

Bachelor's Degree