Junior Project Coordinator/ Project Coordinator

**Position**: Junior Product/ Project Coordinator

**Location**: Northampton, UK

Blackstar are recruiting for a guitar playing Junior Product/ Project Coordinator, or a graduate with guitar product & MI knowledge who is keen to move in to a Project Coordination/ Management role commercially.

This is an incredible opportunity to join an experienced team, to help grow Blackstar’s roadmap of new products from conception through to delivery. It is an incredibly varied role and would suit someone who has good product knowledge and is driven by achieving targets, a strong team player, someone who is focussed on ‘the bigger company picture’ and passionate about helping our company grow.

Our project management team is the beating heart of the company, and although the role sits in our R&D management team, collaboration with people across the company and wider world is key. Regularly solving problems both inhouse and overseas - we go the extra mile to keep the projects on time and on cost.

**The role**:
Due to continued business growth and large product roadmap, we are looking to appoint a Junior Product/ Project Coordinator to join our established team on a full-time basis. This is a very diverse position, but you will primarily be providing a key role in driving and managing product delivery throughout its full life cycle, from whiteboard concept through prototype and mass production stages. This is an active role where collaboration with people across the Company and wider world is essential.

**The duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to**:
Product Management
- Being responsible for the delivery and daily management of a roadmap of new exciting products with Blackstar core business and its sub brand Carry-on.
- Support product development from new product ideas and conception, through production, to the testing and product sign-off of both hardware and software.

Project Coordination
- Working with the R&D Project Manager on prioritisation and follow-up of day-to-day project tasks, issues on assigned products.
- The writing, maintenance and reporting of Microsoft project plans (including Gantt charts).
- Responsible for updating and maintaining a ‘Master Project Plan’ incorporating all projects in Microsoft Project Professional 2019.
- Manage, maintain and build individual project plans in Microsoft Project Profession 2019.
- Administrating the testing and documentation for new products (non-technical).
- Tracking and maintaining costs on the projects, helping to achieve our goals.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships both internally and externally with factories to achieve project objectives.
- Coordinate resources in line with project plan to meet project requirements
- The coordination and chasing of project information between the UK-based Blackstar departments (R&D, Marketing, Sales etc).
- The daily coordination of information and activities between the UK team and overseas engineering teams.
- The formulation and maintenance of the project risk register.
- Maintenance of project-related budgets and spends.

Technical Support
- Setting up and performing product sound tests.
- Sourcing local components for UK prototype production and testing.

Documentation
- Regular reports on all aspects of projects including timescales, budgets and costs.
- The organisation and filing of project-related documentation from internal and external sources
- Ensure that the QMS (Quality Management System) is followed and all project documentation if followed.
- Be a guitar player, and confident with the setting up of amplifiers etc.
- A positive ‘can-do/ go getter’ attitude with a keen eye for detail
- Experience in a project management role or similar would be beneficial - but not essential.
- Experience working in a target driven environment and working to deadlines.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Confident working with numerical data and financial information.
- Incredibly organised.
- Independent and self-reliant, being able to work without close supervision.
- Very methodical and a diligent record keeper

**The below skills would be beneficial, however not essential**:

- Experience with project ownership and project coordination.
- Adobe Photoshop / Illustrator design skills.
- Experience using Microsoft Project software.
- Knowledge of Agile or Prince2 management processes

**The Person fit**:

- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent numerical and analytical skills.
- Highly organised.
- High level of attention to detail.
- Independent and self-reliant.
- A flexible approach to work.
- Driven, Passionate and a definite go-getter.

**The company**:
Launched in 2007, Blackstar is an internationally recognised and respected guitar amplification company. We are a team of musicians who are truly passionate about what we do, and who understand the importance of great tone.

Blackstar is based in Northampton, England, with over