Senior Program Manager

OPmobility SE; Rossford (OH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

OPMobility SE is seeking a senior Program Manager to lead multiple complex automotive programs across diverse customers in the United States. You will own programs from development through industrialization, launch, and production ramp-up, coordinating cross-functional teams across engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, supply chain, and finance.

The role calls for strong leadership, deep knowledge of APQP/PPAP, and proven ability to manage profitability, budgets, and capital

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Program Management, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of experience within the automotive industry, preferably in Tier 1 or Tier 2 supplier environments.
• Minimum 5 years of direct Program Management experience managing automotive programs from development through industrialization, launch, and production.
• Experience leading multiple complex programs simultaneously across multiple customers.
• Strong experience with complex assembly and manufacturing environments, including coordinating tooling and production readiness.
• Proven industrialization and launch experience with transition from product development to stable serial production.
• Deep knowledge of APQP, PPAP, automotive launch processes, and customer-specific requirements.
• Ability to lead large cross-functional teams and influence Engineering, Operations, Quality, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Finance, and Commercial stakeholders.
• Strong customer-facing experience, including managing senior-level customer relationships, escalations, and changes.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing program profitability, budgets, tooling investments, and CAPEX.
• English required; additional languages are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple complex automotive programs across multiple customers, ensuring objectives are met.
• Own programs from development and industrialization through launch and production ramp-up.
• Lead programs involving complex assembly and manufacturing processes across functions.
• Drive cross-functional program execution across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Finance, Sales, and more.
• Manage program timing, milestones, risks, resources, budgets, tooling investments, profitability, and EBIT.
• Balance priorities across different timelines and customer interfaces; manage expectations and relationships.
• Drive APQP, industrialization, validation, launch, and production readiness activities per requirements.
• Secure support from functional leaders and ensure accountability for deliverables.
• Establish governance across program teams, sites, customers, and senior leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement, lessons learned, risk mitigation, and corrective actions.

Skills

Program management

Automotive industry experience

Cross-functional leadership

APQP/PPAP knowledge

Customer interface/relationship mgmt

Budgeting/EBIT/profitability

Industrialization/launch

Manufacturing readiness

Risk management

Leadership/communication

Portfolio/program management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Program Management, or related field

Job description

• Lead multiple complex automotive programs across multiple customers, ensuring achievement of business objectives, financial targets, timing, quality, and customer satisfaction throughout the product lifecycle.
• Own programs from development and industrialization through launch, production ramp-up, and series production, ensuring manufacturing readiness and successful execution.
• Lead programs involving complex assembly and manufacturing processes, coordinating product, process, tooling, equipment, and plant readiness activities.
• Drive cross-functional program execution across Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrialization, Quality, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Logistics, Finance, Sales, and other key functions.
• Manage overall program timing, milestones, risks, resources, budgets, tooling investments, capital expenditures, profitability, and EBIT performance.
• Lead multiple programs and customer interfaces simultaneously, balancing priorities across different timelines, requirements, and business objectives.
• Serve as a primary customer interface, proactively managing expectations, escalations, commercial topics, changes, and overall customer relationships.
• Drive business growth by supporting quotations, feasibility reviews, commercial activities, and new business opportunities in partnership with Sales.
• Ensure successful execution of APQP, industrialization, validation, launch, and production readiness activities in accordance with customer and company requirements.
• Secure required support from functional leaders and drive accountability for deliverables across all disciplines.
• Establish strong communication and governance across program teams, manufacturing sites, customers, and senior leadership.
• Ensure adherence to INPRO methodologies, procedures, governance requirements, and defined program responsibilities.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and supervision to Program Engineers and other program team members.
• Drive continuous improvement, lessons learned, risk mitigation, and corrective action activities across the program portfolio.
• Maintain compliance with all company policies, procedures, safety requirements, and mandatory training.

Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Program Management, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of experience within the automotive industry, preferably in a Tier 1 or Tier 2 supplier environment.
• Minimum 5 years of direct Program Management experience managing automotive programs from development through industrialization, launch, and production.
• Demonstrated experience leading multiple complex programs simultaneously across multiple customers.
• Strong experience with complex assembly and manufacturing environments, including coordination of manufacturing processes, tooling, equipment, automation, and production readiness.
• Proven industrialization and launch experience, with a strong understanding of the transition from product development into stable serial production.
• Deep knowledge of APQP, PPAP, automotive launch processes, and customer-specific requirements.
• Proven ability to lead large, cross-functional teams and influence Engineering, Operations, Quality, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Finance, and Commercial stakeholders.
• Strong customer-facing experience, including managing senior-level customer relationships, escalations, technical/commercial changes, and competing priorities.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing program profitability, EBIT, margins, budgets, tooling investments, and capital expenditures.
• Demonstrated ability to identify program risks, drive recovery plans, and make decisions in high-pressure launch and manufacturing environments.
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to manage a portfolio of programs and customers in a fast-paced automotive manufacturing environment.
• English required; additional languages are a plus.