Senior Program Manager– Customer Experience Forum & Human Interface Guidelines

General Motors•Warren, MI

About The Position

About the Team The Human Interface Design (HID) team invents, designs, and delivers core software experiences in our vehicles and across GM’s first‑party apps and branded websites. HID partners closely with Product, Engineering, Research, Brand, and Vehicle Program teams to define and execute intuitive, human‑centered experiences that support GM’s software‑defined vehicle, digital ecosystem, and brand strategy. About the Role The Lead Producer – Customer Experience Forum & Human Interface Guidelines is an enterprise‑level leader who enables the operational frameworks that power GM’s Customer Experience Forum, Customer Experience Reviews (CXR), and Human Interface Guidelines (HIG/HI Guidelines). This role: Establishes processes, best practices, and governance that make CX Forum, CXR, and HIG executable, scalable, and measurable across programs. Acts as the producer and integrator across Software Product Management, Engineering, Program Management, Marketing, Brand, and HID teams to ensure seamless collaboration and successful outcomes. Builds and leads a team of producers and program managers focused on operational excellence, program maturity, and cross‑functional delivery. The role demands exceptional attention to detail, a keen eye for aesthetics, the ability to multitask, and a problem‑solving mindset to define and protect what makes a great product and experience at GM. Why This Role Is Critical Enterprise, cross‑functional impact: CX Forum, CXR, and HIG influence design, engineering, software, safety, marketing, program management, and operations—requiring a single producer‑leader to align priorities, clarify decisions, and own delivery frameworks. Operational excellence at scale: The role establishes and refines program management practices, tools, and cadences that enable consistent, high‑quality execution across multiple programs, brands, and regions. Integrated specifications & roadmaps: Embeds HIG into vehicle, system, safety, and software specifications and into software product roadmaps, backlogs, and validation criteria. Governance & decision quality: Designs and runs governance forums and change‑control mechanisms so CX and HI decisions are timely, traceable, and grounded in data and customer insight. Executive visibility: Provides concise, high‑impact updates, options, and recommendations to senior leadership; manages complex stakeholder expectations at the enterprise level.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Design, Human‑Computer Interaction, Human Factors, Psychology, Engineering, or a related field.
10+ years of program/project management experience using multiple methodologies within software design teams and/or complex CX/UX environments.
5+ years directly managing program teams (producers, PMs, or similar); automotive or digital mobility experience strongly desired.
Demonstrated experience leading cross‑functional forums, councils, or governance bodies tied to customer experience or design standards.
Previous experience working with software design teams to develop software applications and websites at scale; portfolio or body of work demonstrating workflow/process design, creative IQ, and problem solving.

Responsibilities

Program Practice Management & People Leadership Lead and collaborate with cross‑functional teams to ideate, iterate, and launch new product, CXR, and HIG experiences at scale.
Utilize strong storytelling and narrative framing to influence design intent and CX decisions across specialized teams and levels within HID and partner organizations.
Build, lead, and inspire a diverse program team (mix of producers and PMs), fostering growth, coaching, and professional development.
Establish and refine program teams and operating models focused on product delivery and cross‑functional collaboration, emphasizing operational excellence and program maturity.
Oversee selection, engagement, and performance of 3rd‑party vendors/partners for HIG content, tooling, and delivery support.
Advocate for and institutionalize design program management best practices across Global Design and partner organizations.
Customer Experience Forum & CXR Ownership Serve as single accountable producer‑leader for the enterprise Customer Experience Forum, defining its charter, operating model, and strategic agenda.
Coordinate and drive Customer Experience Reviews (CXR), including scope, cadence, and readiness across programs, ensuring they occur at the right milestones in GxDP.
Facilitate cross‑functional alignment across HID, Product, Engineering, Research, Brand, and Program teams to drive cohesive CX decisions.
Elevate and resolve CX tradeoffs, risks, and inconsistencies by synthesizing customer insights, research, and business priorities, framing options and documenting outcomes.
HIG / HI Guidelines Strategy, Governance & Adoption Own and evolve GM’s Human Interface Guidelines, establishing principles, standards, and patterns that enable consistent, intuitive, and accessible experiences across vehicles, apps, and digital services.
Ensure guidelines support scalability, innovation, and platform reuse while maintaining brand and usability integrity.
Stand up and maintain HIG governance, including decision forums, change control, prioritization criteria, and clear RACI.
Act as the escalation point for interpretation and application of HIG/HI standards across programs and portfolios.
Lead end‑to‑end delivery of high‑impact HIG initiatives—defining scope, timelines, dependencies, and success criteria; track and drive adoption across teams and regions.
Specifications Integration & Software Collaboration Map HIG to requirements hierarchies; ensure they are embedded in vehicle, system, safety, and software specifications and traceable to validation/acceptance criteria.
Partner with systems engineering and safety to align HIG with standards, regulatory requirements, and verification plans.
Integrate CX/HIG into product roadmaps, epics, and release planning, ensuring backlog items reflect guideline intent and acceptance tests.
Coordinate closely with product, design, and engineering leads to align discovery, definition, build, and release with HIG and CXR/Forum decisions.
Vehicle Program Coordination (GxDP) Coordinate with Vehicle Program Chiefs and PMO to slot CXRs at the right GxDP gates/milestones, maintaining a harmonized milestone plan across nameplates.
Track readiness, risks, and decisions for CX and HI topics; escalate issues with clear options, impacts, and recommendations to senior leadership.
CXG / HIG Website & Content Operations Plan, launch, and continuously improve the HIG / Customer Experience Guidelines website, including content architecture, publishing workflows, and change logs.
Create and maintain supporting artifacts such as playbooks, templates, example patterns, and training materials; enable self‑serve consumption at scale.
Governance, Communications & Metrics Define and run meeting structures (cadence, agendas, artifacts, charters) for CX Forum, CXR, and HIG governance that ensure consistent decisions, traceability, and accountability.
Prepare and deliver executive‑level updates—dashboards, narratives, and decision memos—that enable rapid, informed leadership action.
Demonstrate professionalism and confidence in high‑visibility settings; manage complex stakeholder landscapes with clarity and diplomacy.
Define and track KPIs (e.g., adoption, compliance, quality, cycle time, customer impact) and publish recurring status to leadership and program teams.