Automotive Program Manager (Bilingual in Korean)

Cesna Recruitment • Troy, MI

3d

About The Position

The Automotive Program Manager will serve as the primary point of contact for customers, managing programs across the full product lifecycle. This role involves leading cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment with headquarters, analyzing customer requirements, and providing tailored solutions. Responsibilities include managing program award, development, supplier selection, launch, series production, and post-production performance. The manager will coordinate meetings, facilitate discussions, and ensure program execution meets expectations for timing, quality, and customer satisfaction. Key aspects include managing the global Change Management process, overseeing series production, ensuring compliance with automotive standards (IATF 16949, Automotive SPICE, ISO 17025), and maintaining working knowledge of APQP. Business travel to manufacturing sites or HQ may be required to support customer visits and project reviews.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required, or equivalent experience (three additional years of relevant technical experience in degree). A technical or engineering degree is strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of project and/or program management experience within the automotive industry, with a demonstrated record of successful program execution.
• Proven ability to lead cross?functional teams and manage complex programs across multiple phases of the product lifecycle.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information appropriately, ensuring data security and compliance.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Familiarity with project management tools and software.
• Solid understanding of automotive product development processes and cross?functional engineering practices.
• Strong communication, leadership, and stakeholder?management skills, with the ability to drive results in a global environment.
• Bilingual in Korean and English preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively with global clients and internal teams.

Nice To Haves

• Experience coaching or developing project and/or program managers is preferred.
• Project Management certification is preferred.
• Prior experience in a Program manager or Design release engineer environment is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for any business-related issues, ensuring prompt and effective resolution.
• Function as a liaison between customers and internal teams, facilitating clear and timely communication.
• Work closely with HQ to monitor and resolve issues, ensuring alignment with company policies and procedures.
• Provide regular updates to HQ on project status, customer feedback, and potential challenges.
• Clarify customer requirements through detailed discussions and documentation.
• Provide tailored solutions to address both business and engineering-related challenges.
• Assist customers in resolving technical and operational issues, ensuring smooth project execution.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to develop and implement effective solutions.
• Own and manage assigned programs across the full product lifecycle, including program award, development, supplier selection, launch, series production, post-production performances and lessons learned, in alignment with our product delivery process lead and coordinate multi-disciplinary, cross functional teams to achieve program objectives related to timing, quality and customer satisfaction.
• Establish, maintain, and monitor top-level programs plans, including customer milestones, internal deliverables, and resource requirements.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for customers on assigned programs, leading all program?related communications.
• Build strong customer relationships and represent with professionalism, accountability, and transparency.
• Participate in lessons?learned analyses for both awarded and lost business opportunities.
• Arrange and facilitate meetings for design, innovative technology promotion, process, and business discussions between us and customers.
• Ensure all stakeholders are aligned on project goals, timelines, and deliverables.
• Deliver business results that meet or exceed our expectations for awarded programs, with clear accountability for timing, quality performance.
• Regularly communicate program status, risks, and mitigation plans to internal teams and management steering committees.
• Coordinate and monitor program documentation, schedules, technical performance (including tooling, and capacity), quality deliverables, and production readiness.
• Proactively manage risks, implement countermeasures, and escalate issues when required.
• Lead the global Change Management process, ensuring alignment to design, specifications, cost, and timing commitments.
• Manage the Series Production phase, including claims management, change execution, continuous improvement initiatives, ECR/APQP change/validation change activities, and ongoing commercial negotiations.
• Ensure sufficient resources are planned and allocated to support quality, timing, safety, and security objectives.
• Ensure programs are executed in accordance with Supplier Quality Management System (SQMS) requirements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable automotive standards and customer?specific requirements, including IATF 16949, Automotive SPICE, ISO 17025.
• Maintain working knowledge of APQP and regulations and ensure all program activities are performed in a safe manner.
• Conduct business trips to manufacturing sites or HQ to support customer visits and project reviews.
• Function as a key representative during customer visits, ensuring a positive and productive experience.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level