Project Launch Manager

Lear Corporation; Southfield (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Lear Corporation is seeking a Project Launch Manager in Southfield, MI to oversee the complete lifecycle from customer award through launch and post-SOP support. The role requires coordinating plans, budgets, and risks while leading engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, purchasing, and finance teams.

The candidate will interface with customers for status and deliverables and drive launch readiness and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of program or project management experience in automotive
• Strong understanding of APQP, PPAP, EPC and manufacturing launch processes
• Willingness to relocate from Southfield to Detroit during launch phase

Responsibilities

• Own end to end program lifecycle from customer award through launch and post SOP support
• Co-develop and maintain program plans, timelines, budgets, and risk registers
• Lead the plant team including engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, purchasing, and finance
• Serve as the primary plant interface to the customer for program status, escalation, and deliverables
• Lead production launch planning including plant readiness, tooling, capacity, and ramp up to meet milestones
• Coordinate pilot builds, PPAP, Run@Rate events, and launch metrics
• Transition program leadership from development site to plant during launch phase
• Drive launch issue resolution via structured problem solving and escalation
• Support platform team with program financials and budget adherence
• Lead change management assessments and implementation for the plant team

Skills

Cross functional leadership

Program management

Complex program management

Automotive development lifecycles

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field

PMP or equivalent certification

Job description

Project Launch Manager - Southfield, MI - World Headquarters

Job Description

As a member of the function team, the job title will be responsible for the management and execution of plant infrastructure and capital equipment installation readiness plan, problem solving launch risks and execution risks at the manufacturing plant, and providing plant feedback on change management, launch risks, and execution risks to the platform team with business cases developed to solve these risks.

Responsibilities

• Own end to end program lifecycle from customer award through launch and post SOP support
• Co‑develop and maintain program plans, timelines, budgets, and risk registers
• Lead the plant team including engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, purchasing, and finance
• Serve as the primary plant interface to the customer for program status, escalation, and deliverables
• Lead production launch planning, including plant readiness and infrastructure, tooling, capacity, and ramp up while meeting all timing milestones within Project file
• Coordinate pilot builds, PPAP, Run@Rate events, and launch metrics
• Transition program leadership from development site to plant during launch phase
• Drive launch issue resolution using structured problem solving and escalation where needed
• Support system level trade offs between performance, cost, manufacturability, and reliability
• Support Platform Manager with program financials, including investment tracking, prototype build expenses, and plant infrastructure expenses and ensure budget adherence
• Lead change management assessments and implementation for the plant team
• Support platform team as needed with contract compliance and commercial discussions
• Proactively identify, manage, and elevate technical, schedule, financial, and launch risks
• Ensure adherence to APQP and IATF requirements
• Drive lessons learned and continuous improvement across launches
• Strong understanding of:
  • Automotive development lifecycles (APQP, PPAP, EPC)
  • Manufacturing launch processes
• Cross functional team leadership
• Proven ability to manage complex programs
• Willingness to transition work location from Southfield to Detroit during launch phase

Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field

Experience Requirements

• 5+ years of program or project management experience, or manufacturing experience in automotive, preferably electronics
• Experience launching automotive programs
• Cross functional team leadership
• Proven ability to manage complex programs
• Willingness to transition work location from Southfield to Detroit during launch phase
• Strong understanding of automotive development lifecycles (APQP, PPAP, EPC) and manufacturing launch processes

Preferred Requirements

• Experience with power distribution modules, high current electronics, or EV architectures
• Exposure to liquid cooled electronic systems
• Working knowledge of ISO 26262 functional safety
• PMP or equivalent project management certification
• Experience working with global teams and suppliers
• Experience launching electronic control units (ECUs) or power electronics

Equal Opportunity Employer

Lear Corporation is committed to fair, meritbased employment practices and equal opportunity.

We provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable law. For assistance during the application process, contact your recruiter directly.

Applicants must submit their resume for consideration using our applicant tracking system. Due to the high volume of applications received, only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the country where the position is located. Unsolicited resumes from search firms, employment agencies, or similar, will not be paid a fee and will become the property of Lear Corporation.