Program Manager

Anchor Tool & Die Company; Kentucky; On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Anchor Tool & Die Company seeks a detail-oriented Program Manager (Launch Engineer) to lead new product launches across automotive, heavy truck, and commercial food equipment sectors. You will evaluate tooling, process flow, and costing with Engineering and Purchasing, updating leadership on project statuses and escalations.

Notably, visa sponsorship is unavailable. The role requires coordinating cross-functional teams, dockets for gate reviews, and adherence to Anchor Principles.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in launch or program management, ideally in automotive or appliance industries.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and multiple program launches.
• Knowledge of gate reviews, APQP, PPAP, FMEA, IATF, and related processes.
• Proficient in problem solving methods (8D, Ishikawa, 5-Why) and root-cause analysis.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to read prints, GD&T, and understand engineering standards for projects.

Responsibilities

• Directs planning, organization, control, and completion of major projects or programs.
• Formulates engineering programs and organizes projects per requirements.
• Assigns personnel to project phases and technical studies.
• Ensure programs meet goals for quality, cost, delivery, and customer satisfaction.
• Act as supplier and customer liaison and primary point of contact.
• Review designs for compliance with standards and customer specs.
• Coordinate scheduling, troubleshooting, and design/test problem resolution.
• Approve design changes and releases, control project expenditures.
• Prepare interim and final project reports.

Skills

Launch management

Cross-functional leadership

APQP/PPAP/FMEA

Problem solving

Lean Six Sigma

GD&T reading

Education

Bachelor's degree in Program/Manufacturing Eng

Job description

Description

Overview

We are seeking an energetic and detail-oriented Program Manager (Launch Engineer) to lead the team in launching new products in industries such as automotive, heaving truck, and commercial food equipment. Responsible for evaluating tooling/capital, manufacturing process flow and layout inputs to drive the accuracy of product costing during product life cycle, along with Engineering and Purchasing, and acting as the key spokesperson for plant project deliverable status updates and escalation of the issues to the leadership team. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced setting, leveraging strong leadership, technical proficiency, and strategic planning skills to drive successful launches that align with organizational goals. NOTE: The company is not able to offer visa sponsorship at this time.

Responsibilities:

• Comply with all the Anchor Principles and Guidelines, as well as Anchor polices and procedures.
• Directs, coordinates and exercises functional authority for planning, organization, control, integration and completion of a large and important project or a program represented by a number of small projects with many complex features. A substantial amount of the work supervised is comparable to that described for Project Engineer.
• Plans & Formulates engineering program & organizes projects according to project requirements.
• Assigns Project personnel to specific phases or aspects of the project, such as technical studies, preparation of specifications, process design etc., or to the complete new program.
• Ensure assigned programs attain established goals with a clear focus on quality, cost , delivery, and complete customer satisfaction. Coordinate activities with internal and external resources as needed.
• Act as supplier and customer liaison, serving as first point of contact.
• Reviews new designs for the compliance with engineering principles, company standards, and customer specifications.
• Coordinates activities concerned with technical developments scheduling and resolving engineering design and test problems.
• Evaluates and approves design changes, specifications and drawing releases.
• Controls expenditures within limitations of project budget.
• Prepares interim and completion project reports.
• Performs other work related duties that management deems necessary.
• Decisions regarding tooling, gage and machine build sourcing; design requirements and or design issues that impact cost, timing or delivery have to be coordinated with designated Tooling Engineer, and approved by Management.

Requirements

• Minimum of 2 years in Launch or Program Management, preferably in the automotive or appliance industries.
• Prior experience leading cross-functional teams and managing multiple program launches simultaneously.
• Must have experience with gate reviews, APQP, PPAP, FMEA, IATF, etc.
• Experience with problem solving methodologies and tools, including 8D, Fault Tree Analysis, Ishikawa Diagrams, Cause/Effect, 5-Why, etc.
• Experience with continuous improvement methodologies, including Six Sigma, Lean, Kaizen, 5S, etc.
• Experience with mechanical presses, welding, assembly, coil processing equipment, and associated material handling equipment and automation required.
• Ability to read prints and understand GD&T, model visualization and engineering standards as they relate to the customer projects.
• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably with course of study in Program Management or Manufacturing, Industrial, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or 5 years of relevant experience.