Project Manager Technical Project Mgmt. (IT) Specialist

About Vertiv

Vertiv is a global leader in the design, manufacturing, and servicing of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions. With more than 30 manufacturing plants spanning the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions, Vertiv powers the data centers, communication networks, and commercial and industrial facilities that drive the world’s digital economy.

As part of our ongoing Digital Factory transformation, Vertiv is executing the global deployment of Ignition - a state-of-the-art Manufacturing Execution System (MES) platform built on Inductive Automation’s Ignition framework, integrated with Oracle Cloud ERP. This flagship initiative spans 30+ manufacturing plants across three regions. The VX Ignition program is central to Vertiv’s Industry 4.0 strategy, enabling real-time shop floor visibility, digital work instructions, production tracking, quality management, and seamless ERP integration.

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced, self-driven, and strategically minded Project Manager to lead the end-to-end global deployment of MES across Vertiv’s worldwide manufacturing footprint. This is a high-impact, high-visibility role embedded within the IT Supply Chain & MES function, reporting directly Global MES lead.

The successful candidate will own the full project lifecycle - from program planning and site readiness assessments through wave-based rollout execution, go-live management, and post-deployment stabilization. You will serve as the central orchestrator for a complex, multi-region program involving IT, Operations, Plant Leadership, Oracle ERP teams, and external system integrator partners. This role demands deep expertise in MES/SCADA platforms (specifically Ignition), Oracle ERP integration, manufacturing domain knowledge, and the ability to manage executive stakeholders across cultures and time zones.

Key Responsibilities

A. Program Planning & Execution

• Lead the end-to-end project lifecycle for Ignition MES deployment across Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions, managing timelines, budgets, resources, and interdependencies across all active workstreams.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans including Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), Risk Breakdown Structures (RBS), resource plans, and milestone schedules aligned with the program’s execution roadmap.
• Drive and govern the wave-based deployment strategy, managing parallel workstreams from pilot phase through full-scale global rollout - ensuring each wave delivers on defined outcomes and lessons are systematically captured and applied.
• Coordinate foundational readiness activities in parallel with deployment tracks, including BOM/routing validation, infrastructure provisioning, Oracle ERP integration readiness, and shop floor hardware commissioning.
• Track project deliverables using outcome-based framing - defining clear, measurable definitions of “done” at each milestone and ensuring delivery teams remain accountable to those outcomes.
• Proactively identify schedule risks, resource bottlenecks, and scope creep; develop mitigation plans and escalate decisively to maintain program velocity.

B. Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Serve as the primary liaison between IT, Operations, Plant Leadership, Regional Directors, and external implementation partners - ensuring clear communication, aligned expectations, and timely decision-making across all stakeholder groups.
• Manage vendor relationships and delivery governance with system integrators for MES implementation, ensuring contractual obligations, quality standards, and schedule commitments are met.
• Drive cross-functional alignment with Oracle ERP teams, infrastructure teams, OT/IT convergence workstreams, and shop floor operations across all deployment regions.
• Prepare and deliver executive-level project status reports, risk dashboards, and steering committee presentations for Director / VP / CxO audiences, following reporting standards and outcome-based deliverable tracking.
• Lead stakeholder engagement at individual plant level during pre-deployment readiness assessments and go-live support activities, building trust and driving adoption across diverse cultural and organizational contexts.

C. Technical Coordination & Delivery

• Coordinate Ignition SCADA/MES platform configuration, System Integration Testing (SIT), User Acceptance Testing (UAT), and go-live activities at each plant, ensuring technical quality and operational readiness.
• Oversee integration workstreams between VX Ignition MES and Oracle ERP (Cloud), including production orders, inventory transactions, quality management, and shop floor data exchange.
• Ensure adherence to Vertiv’s Standard Build framework for consistent, scalable MES deployment across all global sites - balancing standardization with site-specific customization requirements.
• Manage infrastructure readiness activities including server provisioning (on-prem/cloud), network configuration, OT/IT segmentation, and shop floor hardware (HMIs, barcode scanners, label printers) installation and commissioning.
• Coordinate deployment of Ignition MES modules including Production Tracking, Digital Work Instructions (DWI), Quality Management, Birth History & Traceability, and Smart Torque integration.
• Partner with plant IT and operations teams to validate data migration, master data quality (item masters, BOMs, routings), and Oracle cut-over readiness prior to each go-live event.

D. Governance, Agile Delivery & Continuous Improvement

• Establish and maintain robust project governance frameworks including RAID logs (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies), change control boards, escalation pathways, and lessons-learned repositories.
• Drive Agile and hybrid project management methodologies adapted for manufacturing IT deployment contexts - balancing iterative delivery with the structured, sequential requirements of shop floor go-lives.
• Champion change management best practices to ensure smooth technology adoption at each plant - coordinating training, super-user enablement, and hyper-care support for post-go-live stabilization.
• Lead engagement focused on transformation and Agile ways-of-working, driving a customer-centric digital mindset from ideation through commercialization across the program.
• Provide mentorship to junior project team members and actively contribute to building the IT project management capability within the SC & MES practice.
• Conduct program retrospectives and embed continuous improvement cycles - ensuring each successive deployment wave benefits from operational learning and process optimization.

Requirements (Must Have)

• 8-10 years of total IT project/program management experience, with a minimum of 5 years managing large-scale MES, SCADA, or manufacturing IT deployments in discrete or process manufacturing environments.
• Hands-on experience with Inductive Automation’s Ignition platform - including MES module configuration, SCADA integration, deployment architecture, and shop floor implementation.
• Strong working knowledge of manufacturing execution processes: production scheduling, work order management, shop floor data collection, quality management, traceability, and digital work instructions.
• Proven experience managing Oracle ERP integration projects (Oracle Cloud preferred) covering production, inventory, and quality modules - including data migration and cut-over management.
• Demonstrated track record of managing multi-region, multi-plant global rollout programs with a minimum of 10+ simultaneous or sequential site deployments.
• Proficiency in Agile, SAFe, and Waterfall methodologies - with practical experience as Project Manager, Product Owner, or Scrum Master within SAFe programs.
• Expertise in developing and managing comprehensive WBS, RBS, and project governance frameworks including RAID logs, change control, and executive dashboards.
• At least one recognized project management certification: PMP, PRINCE2, SAFe Agilist, or equivalent.
• Proficiency in project management tools: Microsoft Project, Jira, Confluence, and the Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint).
• Excellent stakeholder management and executive communication skills - proven ability to engage effectively with plant managers, regional operations VPs, and CxO-level leadership.
• Willingness and ability to travel globally (up to 30%) to Vertiv manufacturing sites across Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or Master’s degree in Engineering, Information Technology, Operations Management, or a related field; or equivalent experience in a senior program leadership role.
• Experience working in discrete manufacturing industries such as power electronics, electrical equipment, industrial automation, or capital equipment - with exposure to complex, multi-variant production environments.
• Familiarity with Industry 4.0, Smart Factory, and Digital Factory transformation frameworks - including IoT, OT/IT convergence, real-time analytics, and shop floor digitization strategies.
• Experience with Birth History & Traceability systems, Smart Torque integration, and barcode/RFID-based shop floor data capture in a manufacturing context.
• Knowledge of CyberPlan (supply chain planning), WMS (Warehouse Management Systems), or TMS (Transportation Management Systems) - understanding of the broader supply chain IT ecosystem.
• Experience working with top-tier consulting firms or system integrators on large-scale global transformation programs - comfortable operating in a mixed internal/external delivery model.
• Familiarity with change management frameworks such as ADKAR or Prosci Methodology in manufacturing IT transformation contexts.
• Understanding of OT/IT convergence principles, shop floor network architecture, and industrial cybersecurity considerations relevant to MES and SCADA deployments.
• Experience with 8-10 years post-MBA/Master’s, with at least 6+ years leading large programs at top-tier consulting firms - with significant CxO and senior executive interaction.