Sr Firmware Project Manager

Overview

Hayward Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HAYW) is a global leader in pool and spa equipment, designing and manufacturing innovative solutions that enhance water experiences. As the world’s largest manufacturer of residential swimming pool equipment, we continue to expand our presence in the commercial pool market. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Hayward operates facilities across the U.S., Canada, Spain, France, Australia, and China.

Based in our North Kingstown, RI facility, and reporting to the Global Director of Project Management, this position will be the primary coordinator for assigned enterprise projects and will be responsible for the execution of multiple approved projects. As a Hayward Senior Project Manager, this position will manage and execute both product design and software developments from concept through volume production in a cross-functional team environment to ensure that the highest levels of design quality, reliability, and performance are observed.

Responsibilities

• Project Planning and Coordination - Consult with project sponsors and stakeholders to develop project plans for approved projects that include scope, deliverables, goals, dependencies, responsibilities, and timelines.
• Coordinate project components including plan development, scope, task definition, progress monitoring and reporting, variances, project changes, resource planning, risk identification, and mitigations.
• Provide leadership and project ownership for platform development projects for all business units at Hayward.
• Lead software development teams to meet product and company objectives. Define project milestones and report progress throughout the project duration.
• Provide project management leadership within the Agile development framework on activities such as sprint planning and retrospectives.
• Manage outside development partners through the product development process ensuring adherence to Hayward deliverables and standard practices.
• Contribute to Project Management Best Practices - Develop, maintain, and implement project management tools and templates.
• Ability to summarize and provide concise status reports of project progress. Ability to anticipate and define issues encountered during product development and provide mitigation options and recommendations for resolution in real time.
• Set and manage expectations with project stakeholders, team members, and sponsors on an ongoing basis.
• Coordinate with Software Quality Assurance (SQA), Product Testing, and Product Management to determine release requirements.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience working in a multi-disciplined product development environment.
• 4-7 years of experience leading product development efforts containing embedded software. Software project leadership for these product developments is a must.
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills to effectively establish, build, and maintain cooperative working relationships with staff and external developers.
• Proven project coordination skills; able to manage multiple projects with conflicting time frames and resources.
• Knowledge and skills in Agile project management methodologies.
• Proficiency in project management software, such as Jira and GitHub.
• Manage and drive sprint planning, sprint reviews, and sprint retrospective meetings.
• Strong organizational skills with a focus on quality improvement opportunities; able to provide guidance to project team members.
• Excellent judgement and problem-solving skills; able to accurately assess the impact of an action or a recommendation.
• Facilitate discovery resolution using creativity and professionalism; demonstrate flexibility and adaptability to changing situations.
• Ability to negotiate agreements with vendors, stakeholders, and team members throughout the life of a project, to achieve efficient cost and schedule performance and achieve successful results.
• Superior communication skills - both oral and written; comfortable making presentations to a diverse audience of senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Knowledge of the product development process and the methods and tools necessary to meet the expectations of the organization in a complex development environment is a must.

Education:

• Minimum Bachelor's degree in Engineering, or a related field. Demonstrated project management expertise and experience gained through on-the-job project coordination experience. Desirable to already have or intend to pursue certification in Project Management (such as PMP, Agile/Scrum Master etc.).

At Hayward, we are committed to quality, innovation, and sustainability—delivering solutions that inspire happiness and well-being. If you’re passionate about solving complex problems and driving product excellence, we invite you to join our team!