Program/ Launch Manager

Purpose

The Program Manager – Automotive Seating is responsible for leading and coordinating all activities related to new product launches, engineering changes, customer programs, and continuous improvement initiatives for automotive seating systems. This role serves as the main point of contact between the customer, internal cross-functional teams, suppliers, and manufacturing operations to ensure successful program execution in terms of timing, cost, quality, delivery, and customer satisfaction.

The Program Manager will manage programs from award through launch, production ramp-up, and ongoing change management, ensuring compliance with customer requirements, APQP standards, IATF 16949 expectations, and company profitability targets.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• 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.

Qualifications

Required Education & Experience

• 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.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Project, Excel, PowerPoint, ERP/MRP systems, and program tracking tools.

Competencies

• Ability to prioritize projects, resolve problems, conduct research, and pay attention to details.
• Excellent computer skills.
• English and Business writing skills
• MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Outlook
• Proficient in advanced word processing, desktop publishing, and database management.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Business communication, transcription, proofreading, and accounting principles.
• Ability to communicate with all levels of employees, vendors, and customers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with seating customers such as GM, Ford, Stellantis, Toyota, Honda, Tesla, Rivian, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or similar OEMs.
• PMP certification or formal project management training.
• Experience with launch gate reviews, customer audits, safe launch, GP-12, run-at-rate, or production readiness reviews.
• Knowledge of seating validation, safety requirements, FMVSS, comfort, ergonomics, and durability requirements.
• Experience managing tooling suppliers, automation suppliers, and component suppliers.
• Experience in welding, robotic assembly, recliners, adjusters, seat frames, tracks, latches, trim covers, foam, and complete seat assembly.

Key Competencies

• Customer-focused leadership
• Strong ownership and accountability
• Launch discipline and urgency
• Cross-functional leadership
• Financial and business acumen
• Technical understanding of manufacturing processes
• Risk identification and escalation
• Data-driven decision making
• Strong communication at all organizational levels
• Problem-solving and continuous improvement mindset

Performance Metrics

• On-time program launch
• APQP and PPAP completion on schedule
• Program budget performance
• Tooling and equipment readiness
• Customer satisfaction and scorecard performance
• Launch quality performance
• Scrap and rework reduction
• Open issue closure rate
• Supplier readiness and PPAP completion
• Successful run-at-rate and production ramp-up
• Compliance with IATF and customer-specific requirements

Supervisory Responsibility

Has no supervisory responsibilities

Work Environment

This role requires regular interaction with manufacturing operations, engineering teams, suppliers, and customers. The Program Manager may be required to spend time on the production floor, attend customer meetings, support launch activities outside normal business hours, and travel as needed to customer, supplier, or company locations.

Physical Demands

• Ability to walk and stand on the manufacturing floor as required.
• Ability to review production lines, tooling, fixtures, and equipment.
• Ability to travel as required for customer and supplier support.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and fingers to handle, feel, or operate objects, tools or controls, and reach with hands and arms.  The employee is frequently required to walk, stand, talk and hear.  The employee must occasionally lift or move office products and supplies, up to 30 pounds or 15 kilograms.