Launch Project Manager

Minth North America•Lewisburg, TN

About The Position

Our team is expanding and looking to add a Launch Project Manager. We are seeking a dynamic and driven candidate interested in joining a rapidly growing global automotive company. The Launch Project Manager will act as the primary liaison between the factory and its key clients, such as Honda, Ford, GM, and other OEM companies. Additional responsibilities include: 1. Development Phase (Pre-SOP): Project Launch & Planning: Lead project kick-off meetings, develop a detailed master project schedule, and define key milestones, deliverables, and resource requirements for all phases. APQP Process Leadership: Strictly drive the five phases of APQP, ensuring all deliverables (FMEA, Control Plans, Process Flow, PPAP, etc.) are completed on time and to standard. Primary Technical Customer Interface: Serve as the main liaison with the customer's engineering team, leading technical reviews, managing engineering change requests (ECN), and overseeing sample delivery and approval. Cross-Functional Coordination: Coordinate efforts between the China R&D center and US factory teams (Process Engineering, Quality, Purchasing) to ensure product design is manufacturable and cost-optimized. Risk Management: Identify technical, supply chain, and scheduling risks during development, and lead the development of mitigation strategies. 2. Mass Production Phase (SOP & Beyond): Smooth Production Launch: Lead PPAP submission and approval, ensuring a stable production start-up and achieving Initial Quality (IQ) targets. Full Lifecycle QCDS Management: Hold ultimate responsibility for the project's post-launch quality performance, cost (budget vs. actual), delivery performance, and customer satisfaction. Continuous Improvement: Lead post-launch cost optimization (VA/VE), production efficiency improvements, and problem resolution (leading 8D reports). Change Management: Evaluate and manage all customer and internal engineering changes during mass production, conducting impact analysis, providing quotations, and ensuring flawless implementation. Customer Relationship & Commercial Management: Act as the primary day-to-day contact for the customer, managing contracts, quotations, regular business reviews (QBR), and payment collection. Project Closure: Manage the end-of-life (EOL) phase, including final production runs, tooling disposition, and final financial settlement.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Automotive, Materials, or related field). An MBA, PMP, or Master's in Project Management is a strong plus.
Minimum 8 years in the automotive components industry, with at least 5 years in full-cycle automotive project management, specifically encompassing both New Product Introduction (NPI) and mass production management experience.
Must have proven, successful experience directly interfacing with and managing projects for North American OEMs (GM, Ford, Stellantis, Tesla, Toyota, etc.).
Experience working in or closely with China HQ/Asia-Pacific teams while supporting an overseas plant is highly preferred.
Familiarity with processes such as stamping, injection molding, painting, plating, or aluminum processing is advantageous.
Strong technical ability with knowledge of materials and manufacturing and assembly processes
A high level of self-motivation and bias for action
Strong communication, presentation and organization skills
Ability to directly interact with customers while providing a professional image
Good interpersonal skills

Nice To Haves

Bilingual proficiency in English and Chinese (Mandarin) is preferred, but not required

Responsibilities

Lead project kick-off meetings, develop a detailed master project schedule, and define key milestones, deliverables, and resource requirements for all phases.
Strictly drive the five phases of APQP, ensuring all deliverables (FMEA, Control Plans, Process Flow, PPAP, etc.) are completed on time and to standard.
Serve as the main liaison with the customer's engineering team, leading technical reviews, managing engineering change requests (ECN), and overseeing sample delivery and approval.
Coordinate efforts between the China R&D center and US factory teams (Process Engineering, Quality, Purchasing) to ensure product design is manufacturable and cost-optimized.
Identify technical, supply chain, and scheduling risks during development, and lead the development of mitigation strategies.
Lead PPAP submission and approval, ensuring a stable production start-up and achieving Initial Quality (IQ) targets.
Hold ultimate responsibility for the project's post-launch quality performance, cost (budget vs. actual), delivery performance, and customer satisfaction.
Lead post-launch cost optimization (VA/VE), production efficiency improvements, and problem resolution (leading 8D reports).
Evaluate and manage all customer and internal engineering changes during mass production, conducting impact analysis, providing quotations, and ensuring flawless implementation.
Act as the primary day-to-day contact for the customer, managing contracts, quotations, regular business reviews (QBR), and payment collection.
Manage the end-of-life (EOL) phase, including final production runs, tooling disposition, and final financial settlement.