Project - Area SOP Manager - Panasonic North America : Job Details

Overview

We are proud to announce the establishment of a state-of-the-art Li-ion battery factory, set amidst the beautiful Kansas City Metro. This groundbreaking green-field factory will serve as a pioneering hub for innovation in sustainable energy solutions. If you are passionate about contributing to a sustainable future and being part of a dynamic team shaping the electric vehicle revolution, this opportunity is tailor-made for you. We are seeking dedicated individuals to join us as full-time, on-site team members at our new, state-of-the-art factory located in the thriving city of DeSoto, Kansas.

Responsibilities

Meet the Recruiter: ( Denise Goetz

Job Summary:

The Area SOP Manager leads all project activities toward Start of Production (SOP) within a defined production area at the KS plant (KE, KA, KC, or KP). This role ensures production readiness of the area by coordinating activities across construction, tool installation, engineering, and support functions like IT, SCM, Environment & Safety, and Quality. The Area SOP manager drives milestone execution, manages requirements, and resolves cross-functional issues to safeguard timelines and SOP-critical deliverables.

Success in this role requires strong leadership and project management skills, fast anticipation, and the ability to manage conflicting priorities with clarity and resilience. The Area SOP Manager acts as the key integrator between planning and execution, ensuring alignment across disciplines and enabling informed decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.

Essential Duties:

• Coordination of installation and commissioning activities

• Definition and compilation of SOP requirements

• Identification of SOP risks

• Driving issue resolution & punch list

• Facilitating decision making

• Securingchange requestapprovals & control

Project Oversight & Compliance:

• Define the tactical plan to achieve start of production

• Ensure a clear structure of work by defining and compiling SOP requirements across involved stakeholders

• Ensure that all project work meets the required quality standards

• Secure project delivery in timeline budget and compliance with international and local regulations

• Managing the collaboration and priorities within the assigned area, in liaison with the project management office (PMO). Aligning construction, tool installation, manufacturing engineering and cell production engineering, as well as indirect functions such as IT, Supply Chain Management, EHS, Quality, etc.

• Safeguard and derisk schedule focusing on SOP risks & requirements

• Discover and address scope gaps

Project Supervision:

• Define and follow up on project milestones and milestone checklists

• Ensure detailed requirements for each handover milestone are defined and shared between all involved stakeholders related to the designated area

• Organize handover reviews and track issues until their completion & validated sign-off

• Ensure handover of his area to serial production

Project Issues, Risks, Change Requests & Problem Solving:

• Identify the interfaces of all stakeholders for the designated area

• Identify bottlenecks and develop solutions together with the project team

• Follow-up on project risks, issues & change requests

• Manage conflicts / issues among stakeholders (Construction, Engineering, indirect functions)

Cross-functional Coordination & Reporting:

• Build strong working relationships with internal construction, engineering, operations, safety, and executive team

• Prepare, moderate and debrief daily area standup meetings to achieve overall alignment and coordination between all involved stakeholders for the area.

• Synthesize and present regular project updates, highlighting status, risks, and mitigations

• Identify and address project risks and issues across the lifecycle of the project

• Report on area progress and initiate escalation on gravity items

• Prepare leadership decision-making meeting by providing best of best/worst of worst-case options incl. recommendation for action based on insights

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:

• To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees,' wearing PPE is a possibility and includes equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator. A respirator fit test will be required based on functional area.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.

Qualifications

Requirements - Required and/or Preferred:

Education:

• Required: Bachelor's degree in Industrial, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical Engineering, Project Management, or related field

• Preferred: Master's degree in Engineering or related discipline

Essential Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, industrialization project management, or related roles, ideally in battery cell manufacturing

• Demonstrated experience with multi-discipline & multi-cultural engineering projects across all phases

• Solid foundations in manufacturing engineering and project management methodologies

• Strong leadership presence with the ability to inspire and guide cross-functional teams in high-pressure, fast-paced environments

• Demonstrated ability to build rapport quickly and foster trust-based relationships across diverse teams and stakeholders

• Takes full accountability and ownership under intense pressure and supports ambiguous situations with providing structure and clear targets.

• Maintains an unbiased, clear-minded perspective with a strategic focus on the broader organizational goals

• Exhibits resilience and composure under pressure, consistently driving results and continuous improvement

• Ability to learn quickly and adapt to evolving challenges and technologies

• Willingness and capability to manage conflicting priorities and drive resolution constructively

Preferred Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience managing complex manufacturing engineering projects

• Lean Six Sigma certification (minimal : green belt, preferred: black belt)

• Working knowledge of local, state, and federal site development regulations

• Alignment to Panasonic's seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)

Preferred Certification(s):

• Project Management Professional (PMP)

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt

Physical Demands:

Physical Activities: Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to:

• Sit: 30%

• Walk: 40%

• Stand: 20%

• Lift: 10%

Required Lifting and Carrying: Not required (0%), Occasional (1-33%), Frequent (34-66%), Continuous (67-100%)

For this position, the required frequency is:

• Up to 10 lbs.: Occasional

• Up to 20 lbs.: Not Required

• Up to 35 lbs.: Not Required

• Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.): Not Required

Benefits & Perks - What's In It For You:

Panasonic Energy prioritizes total well-being and offers comprehensive benefits options to support physical, emotional, financial, social, and environmental health:

• Highly inclusive and class-leading healthcare options to include family planning, mental health, and pet insurance

• Employee assistance programs that support total well-being with complimentary session offered each and every month

• Company-matched and fully vested 401K retirement program that starts immediately from date of enrollment

• Annual bonus program, High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition

• Simplified access to self-guided and representative-supported short and long-term financial wellness and retirement planning

• Educational Assistance & Reimbursement Program

• Inclusion programs and associated employee resource groups that promote representation and belonging

• Leadership, career, and mentorship development programs opportunities at all levels across the organization

• Collaborative and motivating culture routed in continuous personal and professional growth and much more.

Where You'll Be:

For our onsite roles, Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering an ideal working environment that goes beyond the conventional. We understand the significance of moments that matter in your onsite experience, and we prioritize creating a workspace that not only promotes productivity but also ensures a fulfilling and positive work atmosphere. Join us at Panasonic Energy, where your onsite presence is valued, and we strive to make each moment count in your professional journey.

Who We Are:

Meet Panasonic Energy ( ! At Panasonic Energy, you'll do work that matters as we are dedicated to transforming the world through the acceleration of sustainable energy. By producing safe, high-quality lithium-ion batteries, you become part of a team that plays a crucial role in creating technologies that move us ( .

This is an exciting time to join us as we expand our operations to De Soto, Kansas and build the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory. We will provide you with the opportunity to experience career growth in more ways than one.

As an innovative thinker, you'll thrive here, as we continually push the boundaries of lithium-ion battery technology and production capabilities to enhance efficiency and performance in EVs.

Being part of Panasonic Energy means positively contributing to society, aligning with our commitment to building a better world through sustainable energy solutions.

We care about what you care about, fostering an environment where your contributions make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation. Join us and be part of a team that values your work, encourages innovation, and actively contributes to a positive societal impact.

In addition to an environment that is as innovative as our products, we offer competitive salaries and benefits.

We Take Opportunity Seriously:

At Panasonic Energy, we are committed to a workplace that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. Fairness and Honesty have been part of our core values for more than 100 years and we are proud of our diverse culture as an equal opportunity employer.

We understand that your career search may look different than others and embrace the professional, personal, educational, and volunteer opportunities through which people gain experience. If you are actively looking or starting to explore new opportunities, submit your application!

Supplemental Information:

Pre-employment drug testing is required.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. All qualified individuals are required to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Due to the high volume of responses, we will only be able to respond to candidates of interest. All candidates must have valid authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction.

Thank you for your interest in Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America.

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