Principal Program Manager, Auto & Industrial

Description

The company is publicly listed on NASDAQ and runs a digital marketplace that matches manufacturers with buyers. Manufacturers get the resources they need to grow, and buyers at Fortune 1000 companies can draw on manufacturing capacity around the world.

This role owns a portfolio of the company's most complex and highest-value production programs. There are often several running at once, many worth $5M or more each, and they span everything from award to launch and then ongoing supply. You are the main contact for the customer and guide the cross-functional and partner teams that deliver the work. You answer for quality, delivery, and financial results.

You will also work on how programs are run across the company. You set the standard for program management, drive operational changes that let the portfolio grow, and mentor the other program managers.

This role reports to the Director, Strategic Program Operations.

Responsibilities

• Run several complex production programs at once, often $5M or more each, from opportunity and award through first article, launch, and repeat orders.
• Build detailed program plans that satisfy customer and internal requirements for scope, schedule, quality, and cost.
• Deliver programs using the company's product development process, which follows Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP).
• Manage program budgets and financials, covering tooling, capital, and margin, and take action to hit financial targets.
• Track launch and production metrics, including schedule adherence, on-time delivery, quality, customer experience, and program financial results.
• Act as the main contact for customer program, engineering, quality, and procurement teams.
• Lead cross-functional teams from Sales, Field Deployed Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain Planning, and the Partner Network on each program.
• Hold manufacturing partners to their program commitments and work with them on capacity, schedule, and quality problems.
• Balance resources, partner capacity, and dependencies across concurrent programs. Spot risks early, escalate when needed, and lead mitigation and recovery across customer, partner, and internal teams.
• Report program status in regular reviews with customers and internal leadership.
• Identify chances to grow programs within existing accounts and pass them to Sales and Account Management.
• Lead cross-functional operational initiatives that make programs more efficient, scalable, and repeatable.
• Define and track program KPIs and use the data to find and drive improvements.
• Apply Lean principles and operational best practices to program workflows, and look for automation and process gains.
• Create and maintain program management standards, templates, and playbooks for the team.
• Work with Product and Engineering to improve the tools and systems that support program execution.
• Mentor and coach program managers on launch planning, customer management, financial management, and structured problem solving.
• Handle escalations for difficult issues across the portfolio.
• Help onboard new program managers and take part in hiring.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in engineering, business, operations, supply chain, or a related field.
• 12+ years of program or project management experience, including leading production programs in manufacturing.
• Hands-on experience with processes such as CNC machining, injection molding, sheet metal, stamping, die casting, or extrusion.
• A record of running multiple complex programs at once, often $5M or more each, from award through launch and into repeat production.
• Working knowledge of APQP and related quality planning practices.
• Experience managing program budgets, timelines, scope, and financial results.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and managing supplier or contract manufacturer performance.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and facilitation skills in technical and manufacturing settings.
• Strong written and verbal communication, including the ability to present to executives.
• You stay hands-on and accountable, and you will go into the details to keep a program on track.
• You are credible with a customer's program director and with a partner's plant manager.
• You work in a structured, data-driven way and act on program signals before they become escalations.
• You are customer focused and communicate clearly and proactively.
• You build processes and standards that others can follow.
• You can work independently and also as part of a team in a fast-moving environment.
• Preferred qualifications:
• 5+ years of military experience, such as in program management, acquisition, logistics, or operations.
• PMP certification.
• Lean or Six Sigma certification.
• Experience in automotive, aerospace, defense, or industrial manufacturing.
• Experience with PPAP, AS9102 first article inspection, or other customer launch requirements.
• Familiarity with ERP systems, Salesforce, BI tools such as Tableau or Looker, and project management tools such as Smartsheet, Jira, Asana, or Microsoft Project.
• Experience in a high-mix contract manufacturing or manufacturing marketplace setting.

Conditions

Remote or hybrid.

About 25% travel to customer and partner facilities.

You must be ITAR eligible, meaning a U.S. person under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (22 C.F.R. § 120.62), such as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, or person granted asylum or refugee status. This is required because the role gives access to export-controlled information.

The estimated base salary for new hires is $116,000-$143,000 per year, plus an annual bonus. Final pay depends on factors such as job-related skills, relevant experience, and location.

The company considers all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability.

Benefits

• 401(k) match.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, floating and fixed holidays, and maternity and bonding leave.
• Employee assistance program and other wellbeing resources.
• Additional benefits beyond those listed.