Automotive Projectmanager // Customer Programs & OEM Development

Lightyear; Netherlands; On-site; EUR 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual salary € 85.000 - 125.000,-

Excellent pension scheme

40 vacation days

Job summary

Lightyear is seeking an Automotive Project Manager to lead customer development programs with international automotive OEMs, translating commercial opportunities into engineering projects while balancing customer expectations and technical feasibility.

You will work at the intersection of Sales, Engineering and our automotive customers, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and according to automotive quality standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• At least 5 years of Project or Program Management experience within the automotive industry.
• Proven experience working directly with automotive OEMs and/or Tier-1 suppliers.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary hardware development projects.
• Strong knowledge of automotive development processes including APQP, IATF 16949, Engineering Change Management, Program milestones and launch readiness.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer-facing projects end-to-end, shaping scope, deliverables, planning and execution with customers and internal stakeholders.
• Bridge between OEMs, Sales, and Engineering to balance expectations, technical realities and business priorities.
• Drive progress across cross-functional teams in a fast-moving environment with limited resources.
• Build trusted relationships with engineers and customer executives to ensure alignment and commitment.
• Own budgets, timelines and risk management by identifying obstacles early and solving them pragmatically.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Customer-facing communication

English communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Master's degree in Engineering

Job description

Summary

Where: De Amfoor 2 in Venray
Domain:Project Management
Experience:open to all candidates; at least 5+ years of relevant experience in a similar or at least (closely) related role
Degree:Bachelor or Masters

Working at Lightyear is a unique experience. You get the opportunity to work for a company with a pure and meaningful mission. A mission that will make a positive and lasting impact on future generations.

Drive the future of solar mobility with the automotive industry

At Lightyear, we are developing solar technology that enables electric vehicles to charge directly from the sun. Together with leading automotive OEMs, we transform innovative concepts into real-world vehicle applications.

Our customer projects start as proof-of-concept and prototype programs but are designed with one goal in mind: scaling towards production and long-term industrial partnerships. As our Automotive Projectmanager, you will play a pivotal role in guiding these programs from concept validation to industrial implementation.

Please note: This is not a general Projectmanager position. We are specifically looking for an experienced Automotive Projectmanager with a proven track record in automotive product development and customer programs involving OEMs and/or Tier-1 suppliers.

What will you do as a Projectmanager at Lightyear?

As Automotive Projectmanager, you will lead customer development programs with international automotive OEMs. You will be responsible for translating commercial opportunities into successful engineering projects while balancing customer expectations, technical feasibility and business priorities.

You will work at the intersection of Sales, Engineering and our automotive customers, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope and according to automotive quality standards.

As projects mature, you will help transition successful proof-of-concepts into industrial development programs and long-term customer partnerships.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading customer-facing projects end-to-end, shaping scope, deliverables, planning, and execution in close collaboration with both the customer and internal stakeholders.

• Act as the key bridge between OEMs, Sales, and Engineering balancing customer expectations, technical realities, and business priorities.

• Driving progress across cross-functional teams in a fast-moving environment with limited resources.

• Building trusted relationships at all levels, from hands‑on engineers to senior customer executives, ensuring alignment, transparency, and commitment throughout the project lifecycle.

• Owning budgets, timelines, and risk management by identifying obstacles early and solving them pragmatically before they become issues.

• Supporting commercial discussions when needed, managing agreements, change requests, and long‑term partnerships with confidence and professionalism.

• Helping mature our project delivery approach as Lightyear scales from innovation projects to customer programs with real volume and impact.

• Continuously improving how we execute, collaborate, and deliver learning fast and getting better with every project.

  At the end of the day, success means more than delivering a technical milestone but building relationships that lead to long term collaborations.
  It means delivering it together with a happy customer, a motivated team, and momentum for what comes next.

  What makes you successful?
  You are someone who:

  • Thrives in complex automotive development environments.

  • Understands both engineering and commercial priorities.

  • Is pragmatic and solution- oriented.

  • Remains calm under pressure and enjoys solving challenging problems.

  • Can switch effortlessly between strategic discussions and day‑to‑day execution.

  • Builds trust quickly with customers and internal teams.

  • Enjoys working in a dynamic scale-up where priorities can change rapidly.

The kind of Project Manager we are looking for

We are specifically looking for candidates with:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.

• At least 5 years of Project or Program Management experience within the automotive industry.

• Proven experience working directly with automotive OEMs and/or Tier-1 suppliers.

• Experience managing automotive product development programs from concept through prototype and validation.

• Strong knowledge of automotive development processes including: APQP, IATF 16949, Engineering Change Management, Program milestones and launch readiness

• Experience leading multidisciplinary hardware development projects.

• Strong stakeholder management and customer‑facing communication skills.

• Excellent English communication skills.

• Experience with sustainable mobility, EV technologies or solar technology is considered a strong advantage.

Location

Our headquarters are located in the Netherlands.

You will be expected to work from the Netherlands and should be willing to relocate if not already based here.

Occasional travel within Europe to customer locations is part of the role.

What can you expect from Lightyear?

• The opportunity to work with leading automotive manufacturers on breakthrough technology.

• A key position in one of Europe's most innovative clean mobility companies.

• High levels of ownership and autonomy.

• A multidisciplinary team of highly talented engineers and professionals.

• Annual salary € 85.000 - 125.000,-

• Excellent pension scheme.

• 40 vacation days (based on a full-time contract).

• Personal development opportunities and room to grow with the company.

• The opportunity to help shape the future of sustainable mobility.

Why join us?

• Be a part of a small and driven team at a technology start‑up with a strong focus on sustainability.

• Engage in a collaborative work environment that encourages innovation, independent thinking and close cooperation.

• Opportunity to grow with the company as we accelerate and expand our impact in clean mobility.