Engineering Group Manager - Seat Complete

GM•Warren, MI

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Seat Complete Engineering Group Manager (EGM) is the technical and people leader responsible for development, integration, and delivery of complete seat systems across assigned vehicle programs. The role leads GMNA Seat DREs and seat integration engineers and partners with Seat leadership, vehicle program teams, vehicle architecture, interior, safety integration, design studio, manufacturing, purchasing, global development teams, and suppliers. It is accountable for delivering seat solutions that balance customer expectations, vehicle integration, technical performance, quality, timing, cost, and business objectives. This hands-on leadership role requires deep automotive seating and seat-complete integration expertise, independent judgment, timely decision-making, and the ability to act autonomously while aligning with department strategy and program priorities. The manager identifies and resolves complex issues, establishes a path forward, and builds confidence across teams and suppliers. The position is hybrid, with the selected candidate expected to work on-site at the Warren Tech Center at least three days per week, or as otherwise determined by the hiring leader. Relocation assistance is not available. Travel may be required during development, execution, and launch. GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or a related technical field.
Demonstrated experience leading complete seat engineering, seat system integration, or a closely related automotive seating function.
Deep technical knowledge of automotive seating, including structures, mechanisms, components, subsystems, integration, packaging, and vehicle interior interfaces.
Experience leading technical development from early concept and frontloading through validation, launch, and production issue resolution.
Ability to make autonomous, timely decisions in ambiguous and high-pressure situations while balancing customer needs, technical requirements, business metrics, and department strategy.
Strong understanding of engineering development processes, requirements management, design reviews, DFMEA, peer reviews, DFSS, validation, and issue-resolution disciplines.
Ability to lead DREs and integration engineers through complex program deliverables, with accountability for timing, quality, technical performance, and launch readiness.
Exceptional communication skills, including explaining technical issues, tradeoffs, risks, and recommendations across engineering, program, purchasing, manufacturing, and supplier organizations.
Ability to create cross-functional alignment and establish a clear path forward without unnecessary escalation or delay.
Strong relationship-building skills and ability to gain trust from team members, peers, senior leaders, program teams, purchasing, and suppliers.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, resolve conflict, remove roadblocks, and maintain composure while delivering results.
People-leadership skills, including coaching, feedback, talent development, recognition, performance management, and workload prioritization.
Willingness to travel as required during development, execution, and launch phases.

Nice To Haves

Master of Science degree in engineering or a related technical field.
Master of Business Administration.
DFSS Black Belt certification.
Experience with manufacturing automation and/or product design for automation.
Experience with innovation and technical advancement within automotive seating or interiors.

Responsibilities

Lead technical development and integration of complete seat systems from concept through launch for assigned vehicle programs.
Own seat-complete technical execution, ensuring structures, mechanisms, components, subsystems, trim, restraint interfaces, electrical content, occupant interfaces, and vehicle integration requirements are compatible and delivered as an integrated system.
Establish and maintain technical direction for seat systems, including requirements, interfaces, design intent, validation strategy, issue resolution, and launch readiness.
Balance vehicle and seat technical specifications, customer expectations, quality, cost, mass, timing, manufacturability, serviceability, and other program imperatives.
Lead technical and peer reviews, DFMEA activities, DFSS application, design assessments, and cross-functional issue-resolution forums.
Partner with suppliers to develop, mature, validate, and launch seat systems and technologies that meet GM requirements and program objectives.
Identify technical risks, assess tradeoffs, and drive mitigation plans to closure with clear owners, timing, and decision criteria.
Lead GMNA Seat DREs and seat integration engineers in meeting vehicle program milestones, GVDP deliverables, and launch commitments.
Make timely decisions, resolve ambiguity, remove roadblocks, and establish a path forward while balancing department strategy, vehicle needs, customer impact, and business metrics.
Document and communicate technical decisions to impacted stakeholders across Seats, program teams, purchasing, manufacturing, and suppliers.
Manage competing priorities and assignments with disciplined execution.
Lead balancing of portfolio imperatives, including HVI, and ensure VTS, SSTS, CTS, and other vehicle and seat requirements are achievable, compatible, and aligned.
Identify and deploy engineering resources for program execution and frontloading initiatives, including strategic sourcing, design detail reviews, and early development activities.
Support execution and launch through appropriate travel and direct engagement with program, plant, and supplier teams.
Build relationships across Seat engineering and leadership, Interior SMT, safety integration, purchasing, vehicle architecture, design studio, manufacturing, program teams, global development teams, and suppliers.
Communicate technical issues and recommendations clearly to technical and non-technical audiences and create alignment on requirements, ownership, timing, risks, and next steps.
Represent Seat Complete Engineering in cross-functional forums and ensure Seat priorities, constraints, and technical needs are considered in vehicle decisions.
Promote global and regional collaboration and the use of lessons learned and best practices across programs.
Lead, coach, and develop GMNA Seat DREs and seat integration engineers; set priorities, assign and stabilize workloads, and align resources with program and functional needs.
Conduct regular team meetings and communicate GM policies, procedures, safety messages, functional strategy, and organizational priorities.
Provide timely feedback, evaluate performance and behaviors, recognize contributions, and address performance concerns.
Support career development, identify capability gaps, and deliver training and development initiatives that increase team capability and capacity.
Ensure employees complete mandatory GM and role-specific technical or functional training.
Participate in staffing initiatives, workforce planning, compensation planning, and compensation administration as required.
Address roadblocks and employee concerns, complaints, and work-related issues in a timely and fair manner.
Foster a workplace grounded in accountability, inclusion, collaboration, technical excellence, and continuous improvement.