Lead Program Manager, Returnable Container Operations & Logistics

Rivian•Normal, IL

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Rivian is seeking a highly motivated, floor-focused, and strategically minded Lead Program Manager, Returnable Container Operations & Logistics to architect, direct, and oversee the end-to-end physical lifecycle, strategy, and execution of our reusable packaging and container fleet. This is not a traditional, desk-bound corporate PM role. As a Lead, you will serve as the ultimate subject matter expert and senior escalation point, actively bridging shop floor reality with external partner accountability to ensure our manufacturing facilities have 100% container availability to support production. You will have primary operational and financial authority over our 3rd-Party Logistics (3PL) container management vendor, acting as the strategic liaison between component suppliers, the 3PL, and executive internal teams. Your mission is to drive overarching fleet optimization strategy, establish strict enterprise-wide maintenance and cleaning protocols, design systems to minimize loss, and champion circular economy practices across our supply chain. This role requires leading by example on the floor and mentoring cross-functional peers, and will be onsite in Normal, IL.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a related field (or equivalent years of experience in lieu of education).
6+ years of experience (with proven experience in a leadership or senior strategic capacity) specifically focused on returnable asset management, container fleet logistics, or industrial packaging operations—ideally within the automotive, EV, or heavy manufacturing industries. (General project/program management experience without specific container/returnable asset management experience will not be considered).
Proven track record of strategically managing complex 3PL vendors, driving contract negotiations/enforcement, and holding external partners accountable to stringent physical maintenance, cleaning, and sorting KPIs.
Demonstrated ability to influence leadership, champion large-scale strategic initiatives, and guide cross-functional floor teams without relying on formal reporting lines.
Advanced proficiency with ERP/WMS systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle), Asset Tracking software (RFID/GPS), Transportation Management Systems (TMS), and enterprise data analytics tools (Tableau, PowerBI).

Nice To Haves

Experience architecting preventative maintenance (PM) or quality control loops from the ground up for industrial dunnage and returnable racks.
Deep, authoritative understanding of automotive dunnage, returnable racks, and standard AIAG packaging guidelines.
Exceptional executive communication and negotiation skills; ability to influence plant leadership and hold massive external suppliers accountable to strict compliance standards.

Responsibilities

Architect, implement, and govern the standardized processes for cleaning returnable packaging. Set enterprise-wide quality standards, specific procedural steps, and strict cleaning cadences.
Design and oversee the strategic rollout of preventative maintenance schedules for all existing and new returnable packaging assets. Lead this initiative from the front, setting the standard for rigorous cadences to maximize asset lifecycle and ROI.
Direct and optimize comprehensive internal and external (parts suppliers) physical asset counts. Develop systemic processes for these intervals (quarterly/semi-annual) to maintain absolute inventory integrity, proactively identify shrinkage trends, and eliminate fleet loss.
Maintain a commanding daily presence on the production and warehouse floor. Act as a senior operational leader to directly observe container utilization, identify systemic bottlenecks, and drive cross-functional process improvements face-to-face with Plant Operations and Material Supply leadership.
Leverage advanced data analytics to architect a predictive, proactive container planning model, transitioning the network away from reactive "shortage response." Set the benchmark for auditing physical container flows to validate and refine systemic data.
Command overall operational and cost accountability for the 3rd-party container operations vendor (3PL). Steer strategic vendor relationships and aggressively track performance against strict SLAs regarding container sorting, cleaning, maintenance, and dispatching.
Lead complex root-cause analyses for critical supply chain issues and serve as the final authority on escalations. Design and enforce overarching chargeback mechanisms for component suppliers regarding lost, damaged, or misused assets.
Direct financial strategy by auditing 3PL billing, dwell times, and inventory accuracy to optimize total cost of ownership (TCO). Champion strategic loop optimizations to drive significant, measurable improvements in CapEx/OpEx budgets.
Steer the strategic partnership with Packaging Engineering during new product introductions (NPI) to ensure global/regional packaging designs translate seamlessly into highly efficient, scalable, and repeatable logistical loops.
Champion enterprise alignment between Material Planning, Logistics, and Plant Operations to seamlessly synchronize container return loops with dynamic production schedules, ensuring zero downtime and mitigating risk at the highest level.