Principal Program Manager, Auto & Industrial

Xometry•Lexington, KY

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Principal Program Manager owns a portfolio of Xometry’s most complex and highest-value production programs, often several concurrent programs worth $5 million or more each, from award through launch and into steady-state supply. This person serves as the primary customer contact, leads cross-functional and manufacturing partner teams, and is accountable for program quality, delivery, and financial results. In addition to managing individual programs, the role improves Xometry’s overall program operations. The Principal Program Manager sets program management standards, drives operational improvements that help the portfolio scale, and mentors other program managers. The position reports to the Director, Strategic Program Operations. The role may be remote or hybrid and involves approximately 25% travel to customer and partner facilities. It requires ITAR eligibility as a U.S. person because the position requires access to export-controlled information.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related field.
12 or more years of program or project management experience, including leading production programs in a manufacturing environment.
Manufacturing experience across processes such as CNC machining, injection molding, sheet metal, stamping, die casting, or extrusion.
Demonstrated success running multiple concurrent, complex programs, often worth $5 million or more each, from award through launch and into repeat production.
Working knowledge of APQP and related quality planning practices.
Experience managing program budgets, timelines, scope, and financial results.
Experience leading cross-functional teams and managing supplier or contract manufacturer performance.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and facilitation skills in technical and manufacturing settings.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level presentation skills.
Hands-on and accountable approach, with willingness to get into the details to keep programs on track.
Ability to build credibility with customer program directors and partner plant managers.
Structured, data-driven approach and ability to act on program signals before issues become escalations.
Customer focus and clear, proactive communication.
Ability to build processes and standards others can follow.
Comfort working independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
ITAR eligibility as a U.S. person, such as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, or individual granted asylum or refugee status.

Nice To Haves

Five or more years of military experience, such as service in program management, acquisition, logistics, or operations roles.
PMP certification.
Lean or Six Sigma certification.
Experience in automotive, aerospace, defense, or industrial manufacturing.
Experience with PPAP, AS9102 first article inspection, or other customer launch requirements.
Familiarity with ERP systems, Salesforce, BI tools such as Tableau or Looker, and project management tools such as Smartsheet, Jira, Asana, or Microsoft Project.
Experience in a high-mix contract manufacturing or manufacturing marketplace environment.

Responsibilities

Lead multiple concurrent, complex production programs from opportunity and award through first article, launch, and repeat production.
Build and manage detailed program plans that meet customer and internal requirements for scope, timeline, quality, and cost.
Run programs using the Xometry Product Development Process, aligned with Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP).
Manage program budgets and financials, including tooling, capital, and margin, and drive actions to meet financial objectives.
Track launch and production metrics, including timeline adherence, on-time delivery, quality, customer experience, and financial results.
Serve as the primary point of contact for customer program, engineering, quality, and procurement teams.
Lead cross-functional teams across Sales, Field Deployed Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain Planning, and the Partner Network.
Hold manufacturing partners accountable for program commitments and work with them to resolve capacity, schedule, and quality issues.
Coordinate resources, partner capacity, and dependencies across concurrent programs; identify risks, escalate when needed, and lead mitigation and recovery.
Communicate program status through regular reviews with customers and internal leadership.
Identify opportunities to expand programs within existing accounts and bring them to Sales and Account Management.
Lead cross-functional operational initiatives that improve program efficiency, scalability, and repeatability.
Define and monitor program KPIs and use data to identify and drive improvements.
Apply Lean principles and operational best practices to program workflows, identifying opportunities for automation and process improvement.
Develop and maintain program management standards, templates, and playbooks.
Work with Product and Engineering to improve tools and systems that support program execution.
Mentor and coach program managers on launch planning, customer management, financial management, and structured problem solving.
Serve as an escalation point for difficult program issues across the portfolio.
Help onboard new program managers and contribute to hiring.