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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.