Program Manager

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Lear, a global automotive technology leader in Seating and E-Systems, enables superior in-vehicle experiences for consumers around the world. Our diverse team of talented employees in 38 countries is driven by a commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and sustainability. Lear is Making every drive better™ by providing the technology for safer, smarter, and more comfortable journeys. Lear, headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, serves every major automaker in the world and ranks #179 on the Fortune 500. Further information about Lear is available at lear.com or follow us on Twitter @LearCorporation.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Program Manager who will be responsible for the full lifecycle management of Thermal Comfort System (TCS) programs, from business award through Start of Production (SOP). As the primary program owner, this role leads cross-functional teams, manages customer communications and commercial negotiations, and ensures successful program execution in line with Quality, Cost, and Delivery (QCD) objectives.

Responsibilities

1. Program Management

• Lead program kick-off activities and develop the Master Schedule.
• Ensure all APQP, PPAP, and SOP milestones are achieved on time.
• Chair program meetings and gate reviews, publish status reports, identify risks, and drive issue resolution.
• Manage all program documentation to ensure deliverables meet customer and company requirements.

2. Customer Management

• Lead customer meetings and program reviews.
• Respond promptly to customer requirements, engineering changes, and concerns.
• Manage the full ECR/ECN process, coordinate internal assessments, and secure customer approvals.

3. Cross-Functional Team Leadership

• Lead cross-functional teams across Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Quality, Finance, R&D, and Sales.
• Define responsibilities, establish accountability, and remove barriers to execution.
• Drive effective collaboration and resolution of cross-functional issues.

4. Cost & Commercial

• Manage program budgets and monitor costs to achieve profitability targets.
• Lead commercial assessments of engineering changes and customer claims.
• Drive Value Analysis/Value Engineering (VA/VE) initiatives for cost reduction.

5. Quality & Delivery

• Coordinate APQP activities and drive PPAP preparation and submission.
• Collaborate with Quality teams on 8D root cause analysis and corrective action implementation.
• Ensure material readiness during prototype and launch phases to support a successful SOP.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Automotive, Industrial, or related discipline); Master's Degree preferred.
• PMP certification required.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in the automotive industry, including program management experience.
• Proven experience managing new product development programs from business award through SOP within a Tier 1 supplier environment.
• Strong knowledge of APQP, PPAP, IATF 16949, and OEM customer requirements.
• Experience managing OEM customers and leading cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency in MS Project, Gantt Charts, and Microsoft Excel.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and stakeholder management skills.