Operations Project Leader - Service

Come be DISRUPTIVE with us! At Milwaukee Tool, our most valued resource is our dedicated team of employees - employees who work with a passion to be the best and an unparalleled pride in their work and in the Milwaukee brand. We know that the only way to sustain growth and success is to value the growth and success of each person within the organization that's why we invest in an individual's growth and development from day one.

At Milwaukee Tool, we strive for operational excellence to deliver best-in-class products and service that exceed the needs of our end users. We achieve this by cultivating a culture to hire, reward, mentor and grow 'Exceptional People.'

The Service Manufacturing Project Leader (PL) is responsible for supporting the seamless integration of manufacturing processes with post-sale service operations. This role focuses on improving product maintainability, supporting service teams with specialized equipment and technical expertise, and ensuring that manufacturing designs are optimized for efficient service and support in the field. The ideal candidate will work cross-functionally with design, production, quality, and service teams to ensure a robust and serviceable product lifecycle. In addition, the candidate will be a strong communicator, highly organized, and experienced in project leadership and customer engagement.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with design, service, and manufacturing teams to ensure products are designed for ease of service (DFx principles: Design for Manufacturing, Assembly, and Serviceability)
• Develop and improve repair and maintenance test processes, specialized tools/fixtures, and documentation
• Drive platforming approach to specialized testing equipment to minimize asset management and cost to service centers, leveraging NPD for process and related software
• Create project schedules, roles and responsibilities (RASICs), and facilitate and document process improvements
• Track project schedule to ensure adherence to timelines; keep team and management informed of project issues. Identify and mitigate project risks & implements risk reduction plans. Escalate as appropriate
• Provide technical support to field service teams, including troubleshooting complex issues and offering engineering-level solutions
• Create and maintain specialized equipment diagnostic guides, work instructions (WI), and training materials
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce service costs and increase uptime for products in the field
• Support the transition of new products from R&D to production and service by participating in design reviews and pilot builds
• Ensure compliance with safety and regulatory requirements in service procedures
• Track and report KPIs related to service efficiency, product reliability, and warranty costs
• Regularly visit service centers to maintain open lines of communication and observe process improvements and additional CI opportunities
• 25% + domestic travel with occasional global travel to manufacturing locations

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, maintenance, service engineering, or a related technical role
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, assembly methods and product life cycle management
• Experience with root cause analysis tools (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone, FMEA)
• Knowledge of CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD) and PLM systems
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma principles is a plus
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally
• Strong problem-solving skills with a hands-on, proactive mindset

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in service planning or support, or operational support in service
• Understanding of rework projects and planning
• Familiarity with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle)
• Working knowledge of reliability engineering and maintenance strategies (RCM, TPM)
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or Agile methodologies
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and electrical schematics