Senior Manager, Automotive Program Management

Role Summary

The Senior Manager in Automotive Program Management leads a team of Program Managers overseeing the development, execution, and launch of automotive products. This individual ensures that programs—from request for quotation (RFQ) through to series production—meet customer needs, business goals, and product roadmaps by managing cross-functional collaboration and program lifecycles.

Key Duties

• Direct a portfolio of product development and launch programs aligned with business growth and product strategies.
• Establish project scopes, objectives, timelines, budgets, and KPIs.
• Ensure delivery excellence covering quality, cost control, scheduling, customer satisfaction, and profitability.
• Maintain program plans, monitor milestones and risks, and manage critical path activities.
• Lead cross-functional groups to identify and mitigate risks, resolving issues promptly.
• Plan resource allocation, balance workloads, and support team capabilities development.
• Act as the primary liaison for customers, providing updates on project progress and launch readiness.
• Support business development initiatives like RFQs, commercial evaluations, business case creation, and proposal preparation.
• Align efforts of Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Purchasing, and Finance to meet program and financial targets.
• Oversee program documentation such as schedules, risk registers, action trackers, changes, and phase-gate reviews.
• Conduct program reviews with executive leadership, delivering accurate reports and metrics to aid strategic decisions.
• Encourage a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence throughout the program management team.
• Develop and standardize program management practices, tools, and processes to enhance effectiveness.
• Ensure team members receive mentoring, training, and career development to support organizational needs and succession planning.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field is mandatory; Electrical Engineering, Electrification, or Powertrain knowledge is advantageous.
• At least 5 years managing Program Managers or technical project teams.
• Minimum 10 years in automotive product design and development with direct OEM customer involvement.
• Proven ability to collaborate with diverse teams and customer stakeholders including Design Release Engineers, Supplier Quality Engineers, Purchasing, and Manufacturing.
• Experience within global engineering teams and knowledge of Asian business culture preferred.
• Strong skills in communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, stakeholder engagement, and problem-solving.
• Deep understanding of IATF 16949 standards and core automotive quality tools such as APQP, PPAP, FMEA, MSA, SPC, and GD&P.
• Technical expertise in Design for Manufacturing and Assembly, 3D CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, CATIA, Creo/Pro-E, NX), validation testing, and manufacturing processes like casting, machining, and assembly.
• Willingness to travel about 15%, including occasionally internationally.

Additional Information

This position offers a base salary plus an annual bonus. It requires 100% on-site presence in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada.