NPI PM Leader

Tenneco•Plymouth, MI

13d

About The Position

The NA Regional Program Manager is responsible for overseeing and managing complex projects from inception to completion, ensuring alignment with company goals and client expectations. This role bridges technical expertise with strong project management duties, coordinating cross-functional teams, maintaining close communication with clients, and ensuring that deadlines and quality standards are consistently met. The Program Manager is the central point of contact for both internal teams and external stakeholders, ensuring smooth project execution, client satisfaction, and continuous process improvement. Additionally, the Program Director will oversee VAVE (Value Analysis/Value Engineering) projects, as well as coordinate and ensure the completion of Engineering Change Requests (ECRs), either requested by customers or driven by internal savings initiatives.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business Administration, or a related field. A Master’s degree or PMP certification is preferred.
Experience: A minimum of 7-10 years of experience in project/program management, ideally in a technical environment.
Technical Skills:
Proficiency in project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Jira, Asana).
Familiarity with technical documentation, product development cycles, and engineering processes.
Soft Skills:
Strong leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to interface effectively with clients and internal teams.
Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines.
High level of organizational skills and attention to detail.
APQP process knowledge, experience minimum 3 years
Knowledge of NA OEM processes and requirements.
Has a valid passport and ability to support regional business travel as needed (up to 25%).

Nice To Haves

Nice to have, plant experience working with key contacts such as the plant manager, logistics, quality, manufacturing leaders.
PPAP documentation and process
Strong understanding of risk management and process improvement methodologies.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage ambiguity.
Knowledge of braking products and customers is a plus.

Responsibilities

Project Planning & Coordination:
Develop detailed project plans, including scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, and resource requirements.
Coordinate cross-functional teams (engineering, sales, marketing, operations) to ensure alignment and progress on project milestones.
Lead project kick-off meetings, ensuring all stakeholders are informed and understand their roles and responsibilities.
Client Management & Communication:
Act as the primary point of contact for clients, providing regular updates on project status, addressing concerns, and managing expectations.
Ensure follow-up on client feedback and requirements, making necessary adjustments to the project plan.
Facilitate regular meetings with clients to review progress, resolve issues, and ensure client satisfaction throughout the project lifecycle.
Project Monitoring & Control:
Track project progress, ensuring on-time delivery by monitoring schedules, budgets, and resource allocation.
Identify potential risks and issues, proactively implementing mitigation strategies to avoid project delays or budget overruns.
Ensure regular reporting on project performance, providing status updates to senior management and clients.
Internal Coordination & Follow-Up:
Collaborate closely with internal teams to ensure that project requirements are clearly understood and executed.
Facilitate interdepartmental communication to streamline workflows and optimize resource allocation.
Follow up with internal departments to ensure timely implementation of agreed-upon actions, ensuring the smooth execution of project tasks.
VAVE Project Management & ECR Coordination:
Lead and manage VAVE projects to drive cost reductions, enhance product performance, and ensure compliance with customer requirements.
Ensure close coordination between cross-functional teams to implement ECRs as requested by customers or to support internal savings initiatives.
Track progress and completion of ECR activities, ensuring that all engineering changes are properly documented, communicated, and executed on time.
Process Improvement & Best Practices:
Continuously evaluate project management processes, identifying areas for improvement to increase efficiency and reduce project lead times.
Implement best practices in project management and ensure compliance with industry standards and company policies.
Document lessons learned from completed projects and integrate them into future project plans to avoid recurring issues.
Financial & Resource Management:
Manage project budgets, ensuring that all expenditures are within approved limits and providing regular financial reports to senior management.
Oversee the allocation of resources across multiple projects, ensuring optimal utilization to meet project timelines and client expectations.
PM will be responsible for reaching the QCD target which is quality, cost and delivery.
Guarantee the timely launch according to the client milestone, reach the gross margin of the project approved and assure that the PPAP from supplier and to the customer will be completed on time.