PROGRAM ASSOCIATE

About the role.
Program Associate The function of the Program Associate is to provide analytical advises and strong support to the project management of the Newbuild projects.
The role is to give mission-driven project management assistance, supporting the project management in their work through issue identification, analysis and communications.
Consults with internal clients in various departments (shoreside and shipboard) and with external partners (shipyard, technical and design consultancies) to gather, analyze, and report data for recommended courses of action.
Projects assigned are typically top priority, high profile, and multi-departmental initiatives for the organization and thus require continuous communication and interaction with the project management, onsite technical and design teams, shipyard, other internal and external partners.
Manage all aspects of project planning, tracking, and status reporting.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities.
Project coordination and support the development, tracking/monitoring and reporting of several small to medium size projects from inception to completion, ensuring on-time, on budget delivery of project outputs.
* Acting as project managements analytical advisor and support.
* Supporting the project management through issue identification, analysis and communication.
* Applying an objective issue-analysis approach for project areas and subsystems tracking.
* Iterative development of follow-up tools based on critical areas defined by project management or lessons learned from previous projects.
* Adapting the work approach according to changing project priorities.
* Responsibility of standardized, analytical and frequent reporting on newbuilding projects.
* Identification and proactive search of data sources, together with shipyard/ suppliers.
* Developing tools to help shipyard/ suppliers in forward-looking planning.
* Tracking total remaining work and displaying weekly/ monthly progress required for timely completion.
* Tracking project progress against milestone plan, building simulations (projecting actual progress on the future).
* Establishing and driving regular meetings between involved parties.
* Administrates team meetings (attendees, agenda, and official minutes) and drafts communications of project status based on pre-defined templates.
* Iterative development of reporting format based on management feedback and focus areas * Best practice definition and proactive sharing to other newbuilding projects and throughout the corporation.
* Consults with client to ascertain and define need or problem to obtain data required for solution.
* Analyzes data to determine solution such as implementation of alternate methods and procedures or changes in processing methods and practices.
* Performs vendor consultations/facilitations to monitor progress and ascertain and define any needs or problem areas and obtain solutions.
* Develops processing methods and practices for communicating project status to extended teams and executive management.
* Supports project teams in collection of quantitative/qualitative statistics, performs basic numerical analysis (financial, statistical).
* Iterative development of follow-up tools based on critical areas defined by project management or lessons learned.
* Changing the work scope according to changing project priorities.
* Able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with little to no guidance.
Performs other duties as required.
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position.
Employees will be required to perform any other job-related duties assigned by their supervisor or management.
Financial Responsibilities.
Oversees creation and management of small to medium size project budgets with oversight by Managers for projects under their supervision.
Solid understanding of accounting rules for expense and capital activities.
Qualifications.
Bachelor degree or above with a concentration in Business Administration, Management Information Systems, or a closely related discipline (Management Science, Industrial Engineering).
Experience.
2-5 years of relevant work experience in business development, analytics, professional services, technology or finance.
Knowledge and Skills.
* Solid written and verbal communication skills a must.
Clear and precise communication at all levels of the organization essential.
* Excellent problem solving skills & strong analytical mindset and drive for solving complex challenges.
* Ability to learn quickly and understand technical systems.
* Strong collaboration and communication skills and ability to influence.
* Ability to developing new analytical approaches independently, identify key issues, collect data, conduct data analytics and visualize data to create impact and support decision-making.
* Excellent interpersonal skills, strength in communicating in a multicultural environment with all levels of employees and management.
* Excellent administrative, organizational and presentation skills.
* Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
* Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and to draw valid conclusions.
* Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
* Ability to read, analyze and interpret contracts, financial reports, legal documents, and government regulations.
* Ability to give and receive instructions in written and verbal forms and to effectively present information and respond to questions from management, co-workers, customers, vendors, shoreside and shipboard employees.
Software.
Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, and Project required.
Familiarity with email, internet applications and AutoCAD system essential.
Internal Candidates.
Knowledge of CAR process.
budget, approval, reconciliation, and reporting, AMOS, Niku, Lotus Notes Database, SQM filing system, JDE, and Essbase.
Ability to work for the multiple Newbuild projects and to work permanently onsite in Saint Nazaire, France.
Fluent English and French skills, other languages considered as an advantage.
Technical studies considered as an advantage.
Physical Demands.
The physical demands described here are representative of those requirements employees must meet to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations.
The employee is regularly required to sit, stand, write, review and type reports, compile data, and operate a pc.
The employee communicates, listens, compares variables, and assesses information.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and color vision.
The employee regularly moves about the office complex, and may climb, descend, lift or move 10 pounds.
Work Environment.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodations.
The environment includes office location, and/or moving inside/outside the office.
A high noise level is possible if visiting shipboard, dry dock, new build or offsite locations.
Personal protective equipment will be provided as needed in these situations.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
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