Automotive Seating Launch Program Lead

Camaco; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Camaco is seeking a Program Manager for Automotive Seating to lead new product launches, engineering changes, and customer programs. You will coordinate cross-functional teams, suppliers, and manufacturing to deliver on time, within budget, and to quality standards.

You will manage programs from award through ramp-up, ensuring APQP, IATF 16949 compliance, and profitability targets. Strong communication and project management are essential in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in automotive program management, launch management, engineering, manufacturing, or quality.
• Experience with automotive seating systems, seat structures, mechanisms, trim, foam, plastics, welding, assembly, or JIT/JIS operations preferred.
• Strong knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plan, MSA, SPC, Run-at-Rate, and customer launch requirements.
• Experience working with OEMs or Tier 1 automotive customers.
• Understanding of IATF 16949 and automotive customer-specific requirements.
• Strong project management skills, including timing, budget, risk management, and cross-functional coordination.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication, negotiation, escalation, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead automotive seating programs from nomination/award through launch, SOP, ramp-up, and production stabilization.
• Serve as the primary customer interface for program status, timing, risks, open issues, engineering changes, and launch readiness.
• Develop and maintain program timelines, milestone trackers, open issues lists, escalation plans, and launch readiness reports.
• Coordinate cross-functional activities with Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Materials, Purchasing, Finance, Tooling, Maintenance, Launch, and Operations teams.
• Drive APQP deliverables, including timing plans, design reviews, process flow, PFMEA, control plans, MSA, capability studies, PPAP, run-at-rate, and customer approval requirements.
• Manage program budget, tooling costs, engineering expenses, capital requirements, and financial performance against approved business case.
• Monitor and control program profitability, including cost changes, customer recoveries, supplier costs, labor assumptions, scrap, rework, and launch expenses.
• Lead regular internal and customer program reviews to communicate status, risks, actions, and recovery plans.
• Ensure customer requirements are clearly understood, communicated, and implemented throughout the organization.
• Manage engineering changes, customer change requests, ECR/ECN activities, timing impacts, cost impacts, and implementation plans.
• Support seating system manufacturing processes, including frame assembly, welding, foam, trim, plastics, mechanisms, headrests, armrests, complete seat assembly, and JIT/JIS sequencing where applicable.
• Coordinate tooling, fixtures, gauges, poka-yoke devices, packaging, line layout, and manufacturing readiness for new or modified programs.
• Identify launch risks and drive corrective actions before they impact quality, delivery, or customer satisfaction.
• Support problem-solving activities using 8D, 5 Why, Fishbone, Red X, Lessons Learned, and other structured methods.
• Ensure compliance with IATF 16949, customer-specific requirements, safety standards, and internal program management procedures.
• Manage supplier readiness for program components, including timing, PPAP status, capacity, quality risks, and delivery performance.
• Support capacity planning, manpower planning, line balancing, and production ramp-up activities.
• Track program KPIs including launch timing, APQP completion, PPAP status, budget performance, tooling readiness, open issues, customer scorecards, quality performance, and delivery readiness.
• Escalate risks and roadblocks to leadership with clear data, recovery plans, owners, and due dates.
• Maintain accurate documentation for audits, customer reviews, gate reviews, and internal management reviews.
• Capture and apply lessons learned from previous launches to improve future program execution.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Problem-solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree (Engineering/Business/Manufacturing/Operations)

Tools

Microsoft Project

Excel

PowerPoint

ERP/MRP systems

Program tracking tools

Job description

Camaco is seeking a Program Manager for Automotive Seating to lead new product launches, engineering changes, and customer programs. You will coordinate cross-functional teams, suppliers, and manufacturing to deliver on time, within budget, and to quality standards.

You will manage programs from award through ramp-up, ensuring APQP, IATF 16949 compliance, and profitability targets. Strong communication and project management are essential in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.