Program Manager

Role & responsibilities

Position: Resident Program Manager

Job Family: Quality/Programs

Work Instructions, Procedures, and Information

IMS, KEOPS, OPTIMAP, POMS

Organizational Interfaces

- Direct Manager: Program Director (Europe)

- Functional Manager: Engineering Director (RCE/RWE)?

- Direct Report: None

- Organizational Interfaces/Communication & Cooperation:

• Customer Engineering Managers, Commercial Project Managers, Program Management Office (PMO), Core Team, ITC EPM, Plant Director (if applicable)

Competence Requirements

• Knowledge/Qualifications:
• Bachelors or master’s degree in engineering or a related field.
• Knowledge of automotive industry processes, customer requirements, and standards.
• Previous Experience (if relevant):
• 5+ years of experience in program or project management roles, preferably in automotive or engineering industries.
• Proven expertise in customer-facing roles and liaison functions.
• Key Technical Competencies:
• Strong understanding of automotive plastic design and manufacturing processes.
• Proficiency in project management tools and methodologies (e.g., OPTIMAP).
• Basic financial acumen for budget tracking and commercial negotiations.
• Key Behavioral Competencies:
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in English is must.
• Leadership and the ability to drive cross-functional collaboration.
• Strong problem-solving and conflict-resolution abilities.
• Previous experience of working with in multi-cultural and/or international teams

Missions

• Serve as the primary point of contact for European customers, representing OPmobility teams (Engineering, Programs and Quality).
• Ensure seamless project delivery, aligning technical, operational, and financial objectives.
• Maintain high customer satisfaction while driving project profitability.

KPI and/or Main Deliverables:

• Achievement of customer milestones and deliverables.
• Positive customer satisfaction scores and feedback.
• Effective management of project scope changes and adherence to budgets.

Activities

• Customer Interface:
• Represent the project team at customer offices to ensure alignment with customer expectations and project requirements.
• Influence customer decision towards optimum product and process solutions for OPmobility and the customer.
• Facilitate regular customer meetings to update on project status, risks, and action plans.
• Act as the primary escalation point for customer concerns related to engineering and program execution.
• Project Management:
• Collaborate with the EPM in India to ensure project deliverables are met within agreed timelines.
• Monitor project milestones, escalating critical issues to relevant stakeholders.
• Provide on-site support during critical phases such as design reviews, validations, and production ramp-ups.
• Manages project scope and drive scope changes (internal / external) process and ensures team is working on a common scope baseline.
• Commercial Responsibility:
• Track and manage project budgets in coordination with the EPM and Commercial Project Managers.
• Identify and report on customer scope changes and assist in their negotiation.
• Support financial reporting and ensure alignment with the project’s profitability targets.
• Risk Management:
• Identify and address risks related to technical deliverables, timelines, and budgets.
• Implement mitigation plans in collaboration with the Indian team and customer stakeholders.
• Operational Efficiency:
• Address challenges related to time zone differences by ensuring effective scheduling and communication.
• Facilitate in-person visits and workshops between the Indian engineering team and the customer.
• Continuous Improvement:
• Capture lessons learned and best practices for application to future projects.
• Provide feedback to the Indian engineering team to enhance process and project performance.

Specific Local Activities (if relevant)

• Support in technical and commercial discussions for tooling feasibility and tuning processes.
• Collaborate with plant teams during the validation and production phases as required.

Preferred candidate profile

Perks and benefits