New Product Development Program Manager Jobs in Michigan

Automotive Product Development Program Manager

This role for Product Development Program Manager carries broad ownership across a single vehicle program, encompassing program planning, control, studio, prototype, and launch phases. It operates as an individual contributor requiring cross-functional alignment to drive issue closure and critical decisions. Responsibilities include managing milestones, decisions, and deliverables to support future launches & on-going production while supporting business plan targets, launch readiness, and vehicle quality. Client Racing programs operate with leaner structures than standard programs, requiring direct collaboration with Engineering, Studio, Marketing, Manufacturing, New Model Programs, Finance, Purchasing, Logistics, Capacity Planning, and Launch teams to execute program milestones. Split of the Job: 30% change control, 30% supplier coordination, 10% BOM management, 30% program management / meeting leadership

·         Manage and track Change Request (CR) approvals. Generate CR reporting decks and track program activities.

·         Maintain Cost Detail Document (CDD) trackers. Create CDDs, verify cost capture against the Finance Bill of Materials (BOM), and route for formal approval.

·         Execute Engineering Change Management (ECM). Review base vehicle Engineering Change Notice (ECN) distributions, identify impacts to program-specific content, communicate switchover timing to assembly facilities, and track inventory to mitigate obsolescence. Process initial and change control releases for unique supplier-owned service parts. Communicate release data to the CAD team for Teamcenter 3D model updates.

·         Lead and facilitate cross-functional meetings, including Design & Function (DF), Change Control (CC), Software Change Control, and ongoing Service touchpoints.

·         Drive Total Value Management (TVM) savings initiatives.

·         Coordinate with suppliers to identify action items and enter savings into the tracking system (CRID).

·         Execute general program management and ongoing production support activities.

·         Biggest Pain Point Today: The biggest pain point is the lack of ability to systematize our program, requiring unique problem solving and ownership. We use the common Client processes but often deviate from them because our production volume is so low.

·         What level of financial ownership is expected? Only build CDDs.

·         Who are the daily stakeholders? Engineering, logistics, mfg, suppliers.

What would make a candidate successful in the first 90 days?

1. Ownership and autonomy in preparing ECR's for review.

2. Understanding of unique supply chain and engineering development process as it deviates from Client systems.

3. Understanding of inventory management and high level plan for obsolesce management.

·         This role is for a launch/change-control owner embedded in a performance vehicle program.

·         Must have Recent vehicle launch/change-control experience (within 5 years)  

·         Hands-on ECN/ECM + BOM reconciliation experience

·         Teamcenter (or equivalent OEM PLM) used in production releases We do not use this 100%, ******we use a more manual process. ECN is more important *******

Skills Required:

·         Program Management, Change control , Cost engineering. Mandatory Client Systems

·         Needed as of Day One: WERS

Skills Preferred:

·         Manufacturing BOM, Billing

Experience Required:

·         3-5 years in automotive program management, product development, or engineering release.

·         Experience managing engineering change notifications (ECNs) and change requests (CRs). Experience aligning financial data with engineering BOMs.

·         Demonstrated tracking of production inventory to minimize obsolescence during switchovers.

·         Experience leading technical and operational meetings with cross-functional teams and external suppliers.

·         They need Client experience, if they were at a supplier working with Client that could be acceptable.

Experience Preferred:

·         Prior experience with low-volume, performance vehicle production.

·         Background involving performance vehicles and Client Racing products.

·         Previous Design & Release or technical engineering experience

Education Required:

·         Bachelor's Degree

Education Preferred:

·         Certification Program, Master's Degree

Additional Information :

·         WORK STATUS · Hybrid (4 days per week in the office)