Full-Time

Deputy Program Manager

Posted on 8/21/2026

Deadline 8/20/27
Daifuku

Daifuku

1,001-5,000 employees

Manufactures and integrates material handling systems

No salary listed

Bolingbrook, IL, USA

In Person

Bachelor's

Category
Business & Strategy (1)
Required Skills
Supply Chain Management
Forecasting
Risk Management
Data Analysis

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Requirements
  • 5+ years of experience in Program Management, Project Management, Operations, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, or Material Handling environments.
  • Strong analytical, planning, scheduling, and problem-solving skills.
  • Experience with customer-facing reporting, executive presentations, KPI management, and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Knowledge of risk management, root cause analysis, corrective action processes, and project controls.
  • Excellent communication, leadership, and cross-functional coordination skills.
  • Ability to influence internal and external stakeholders and operate effectively in a fast-paced customer-facing environment.
Responsibilities
  • Support Program Demand Planning activities, including forecasting, capacity analysis, and recommendations to the Executive and Senior Leadership Team.
  • Assist Sales in evaluating prospective opportunities, assessing capacity and schedule feasibility, and supporting bid/no-bid decisions.
  • Develop and analyze opportunity schedules, critical path activities, and program risks for leadership decision-making and customer proposals.
  • Collect and analyze historical and current project performance data to improve future planning, costing, contracting strategies, and execution performance.
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives through analysis of program execution data, reduction of waste, mitigation of risks, and implementation of corrective actions.
  • Support management of internal and customer escalations, including Root Cause Analysis, 8D processes, corrective action planning, and closure verification.
  • Monitor, analyze, and communicate program KPIs to internal leadership and customer stakeholders through weekly, monthly, and quarterly business reviews.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for customer specification management, ensuring compliance with program standards, training requirements, costing controls, and contractual obligations.
  • Support preparation and management of Customer Business Reviews, reporting compliance requirements, and executive-level communications.
  • Coordinate and respond to customer inquiries, active program issues, manufacturing and resource utilization reporting, and technical vendor management activities.
  • Provide project management coverage and support for active projects when required.
  • Assume Program Manager responsibilities during absences and maintain continuity of program execution and customer engagement.
Desired Qualifications
  • A Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Project Management, or a related field.

Daifuku is a global manufacturer and integrator of material handling systems for warehouses, factories, and distribution centers. It designs, builds, and installs end-to-end solutions that move, sort, store, and retrieve goods using conveyors, automated storage and retrieval systems, automated guided vehicles, and coordinating software. It differentiates itself through a long history, global footprint, and turnkey capabilities—from design to installation to after-sales support—tailored to the needs of large-scale logistics and manufacturing. Its goal is to improve supply chains by reducing labor, increasing throughput, and enhancing accuracy and reliability in material handling across diverse industries.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Osaka, Japan

Founded

1937

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • August 6, 2026 raised full-year sales, income, and dividend guidance to record highs.
  • First-half 2026 sales jumped 31.6% to ¥440.1 billion, confirming strong execution.
  • Cleanroom systems demand stayed strong, supporting orders and management's upward revision.

What critics are saying

  • Amazon contract losses drove 434 U.S. layoffs in April 2025, exposing concentration risk.
  • Daifuku Services America cut 49 Michigan jobs in May 2026, signaling softer service demand.
  • Automotive systems remain cyclical; a European OEM capex slump would hit Eisenmann quickly.

What makes Daifuku unique

  • Daifuku spans warehouses, cleanrooms, automotive lines, and baggage systems across 24 countries.
  • The Eisenmann July 2026 acquisition deepens European automotive painting and surface-treatment capabilities.
  • New AGV factory in Japan strengthens in-house automation manufacturing and delivery capacity.

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Benefits

Flexible Work Hours

Company News

Finimize
Aug 6th, 2026
Daifuku raises full-year outlook after strong first half.

Daifuku raises full-year outlook after strong first half. The automation group lifted its forecasts for net income and sales after first-half profit rose 15% and it declared a 40-yen interim dividend. about 1 hour ago - 1 min What's going on here? Daifuku, a Japanese automation company, lifted its full-year sales and profit outlook after a strong first half and announced a 40-yen interim dividend. What does this mean? Daifuku said first-half net income rose 15% to 43.1 billion yen as sales grew 8.9% to 355.5 billion yen. Off the back of that, it raised its forecast for the year ending December 31st to 86.5 billion yen of net income and 735 billion yen of sales, up from 80 billion yen and 700 billion yen. It also lifted its basic earnings per share forecast to 233.55 yen and reiterated it expects to pay 90 yen per share in dividends for the year. In other words, management is signaling that the stronger... Keep reading for free. This content is free, but you must be logged in to continue reading. Already have an account?

IPCM
May 20th, 2026
Daifuku acquires 100% of Eisenmann to strengthen automotive manufacturing systems

Japanese company Daifuku has acquired 100% of shares in Eisenmann GmbH from current shareholder Nimbus Hands-on Investors. The acquisition strengthens Daifuku's manufacturing systems business for the automotive industry, particularly in painting and surface treatment. Eisenmann specialises in innovative automation technologies and sustainable solutions for painting and final assembly, primarily serving European automotive and industrial component manufacturers. Daifuku operates production and sales bases across 24 countries, with automobile production line systems forming a core business. The acquisition enables Daifuku to offer more comprehensive coverage in automotive and industrial manufacturing, from quotation through to after-sales support, tailored to European standards. Both companies expect the deal to enhance proposal capabilities, expand integrated offerings and increase customer value in automotive production line systems.

Robotics & Automation News
Aug 20th, 2025
Daifuku completes new AGV factory in Japan

Daifuku completes new AGV factory in Japan.

BridgeTower Media
Mar 19th, 2025
Colorado company selected to upgrade baggage handling system

ICM is teaming up with Daifuku, which will supply the baggage handling equipment such as the sorting system, conveyors and carousels.

FoodTechBiz
Aug 22nd, 2024
Everest Foods and Daifuku: A Partnership for Unmatched Efficiency

Daifuku introduced an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS) that included cranes for both single-deep and double-deep storage.