Manager of Program Managers

Autoliv United States•Auburn Hills, MI

About The Position

Autoliv is currently looking to fill the role of a Customer Program Manager focusing on Seatbelts. This role involves leading and managing a team of program analysts, providing guidance, support, and mentorship to drive exceptional performance. The position requires growing, coaching, and developing project managers to foster a culture of "protect the projects" mindset, financial awareness, and accountability throughout the organization. The Manager of Program Managers will ensure the department meets internal and external deliverables according to program timing schedules with high quality. This includes escalating issues with timely communication to recover "red" projects, driving the team to meet or exceed Project Financial Targets, and ensuring Project Managers adhere to a "know your numbers" financial culture. Communication with internal and external groups is key to meeting objectives. The role also involves developing and tracking the annual department budget, understanding customer vehicle development and engineering support systems, and ensuring staff is trained in these systems. Support for the manufacturing organization with information and on-site presence for manufacturability and performance, as well as customer support for on-site meetings, is expected. Additionally, the role supports ongoing design maintenance for performance and cost reduction, interfaces with Customer Management to resolve issues, champions Project Management Policy Deployment topics, and ensures company interests are maintained while exhibiting boundaryless behavior for new business and launch excellence.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Business or similar applicable area
5+ years’ Manager of Project Management leadership experience with excellent track record in product development and launch skills
10 years of automotive PM Management experience
Experience interfacing with internal and external customers globally.
Previous hands-on experience in a manufacturing environment with ability to provide Plant and Customer support.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, plus proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Microsoft Project
Responsive and customer-focused with a demonstrated use of professional judgment.
Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.
Results-oriented with ability to adapt and thrive in a fast-paced environment prioritizing tasks and decisions in a timely manner.
Detailed-oriented with strong technical and analytical skills with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

Restraints experience is considered a plus.
Japan OEM experience (Honda, Subaru, Toyota, Nissan)

Responsibilities

Lead and manage a team of program analysts, providing guidance, support, and mentorship to drive exceptional performance
Grow / coach / develop project managers to foster a culture of “protect the projects” mindset, know our financials, and drive accountability and follow up throughout the organization.
Ensure the department is meeting the internal and external deliverables as required by the program timing schedules, and that the quality of the events is high.
Escalate properly with timely communication – recover red projects
Drive team to meet or exceed Project Financial Targets, and ensure Project Managers follow the “know your numbers” financial culture.
Communicate with internal and external groups to meet objectives.
Develop and track annual department budget, and ensure it stays on track.
Understand the customer(s) vehicle development system and engineering support systems (also ensure staff is trained as required in these systems).
Support the manufacturing organization with information and on-site presence to ensure manufacturability and performance.
Support the customer for on-site meetings as required to assure satisfaction.
Support on-going maintenance of the designs for performance and cost reduction activity.
Interface with Customer Management to drive resolution to issues which are not being resolved at the program level.
Be a champion for certain Project Management Policy Deployment topics.
Ensure that the company interests are maintained in all activities.
Exhibit boundaryless behavior particularly around securing new business and ensuring continued launch excellence for current programs