The Program Manager is responsible for the end-to-end performance of assigned customer program(s) within a larger site operation. This role owns operational execution, customer satisfaction, KPI achievement, and continuous improvement while serving as the primary customer contact and leading cross-functional teams to meet safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity expectations.
This role operates in a fast-paced, customer-driven environment and requires a strong sense of urgency, real-time decision-making, and proactive problem resolution to ensure uninterrupted operations and customer satisfaction.
Key Competencies
- Customer focus and relationship management
- Operational execution and accountability
- Problem-solving and decision-making
- Leadership and team development
- Data-driven performance management
- Communication and cross-functional coordination
Key Responsibilities
Customer Ownership & Service
- Serve as the primary customer contact for assigned program(s), including meetings, reviews, escalations, and changing requirements.
- Ensure customer expectations, specifications, and service commitments are clearly understood and executed.
- Maintain strong customer relationships through proactive communication and timely issue resolution.
Operational Leadership
- Lead day-to-day execution of assigned program operations, including workflow, staffing alignment, production schedules, and order fulfillment.
- Partner with supervisors to meet daily production, quality, safety, and delivery targets.
- Address operational delays, bottlenecks, and disruptions quickly to maintain customer service and program performance.
KPI & Performance Management
- Own and drive all program KPIs, including:
- safety performance
- quality metrics
- delivery / on-time performance
- productivity and labor efficiency
- inventory accuracy
- cost performance
- Analyze trends, identify gaps, and communicate results to leadership and customer stakeholders.
- Drive timely corrective actions to improve performance and sustain KPI targets.
Quality & Compliance
- Ensure program processes meet internal, regulatory, and customer-specific quality requirements
- Lead containment, root cause analysis, and corrective actions for quality issues and defects
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, coach, and develop supervisors and team members
- Set clear expectations and maintain accountability for results
- Support hiring, onboarding, training, and performance management
- Foster a positive, engaged, and results‑driven team environment
Continuous Improvement
- Identify and implement Lean and process improvement initiatives
- Improve workflow, reduce waste, and increase efficiency across the operation
- Support new program launches and operational changes
Success measures
- Consistent on-time, accurate delivery of all customer orders
- High customer satisfaction
- Incident- free workplace
- Operational metrics (cycle time, downtime, cost targets)
- High efficiency and effectiveness
- Employee development, engagement and retention
QUALIFICATIONS
Required:
- At least 5 years experience in packaging, kitting, fulfillment, or warehouse operations
- Prior operational leadership experience (Supervisor, Operations Manager, or similar)
- Experience managing KPIs, customer expectations, and daily operations
Preferred:
- Customer‑facing or account/program ownership experience
- Knowledge of Lean / continuous improvement principles
- Automotive or high-volume production environment experience