Innovation Strategy Program Manager

Position Title: Innovation Strategy Program Manager

Position Summary:

The Innovation Strategy Program Manager role reports to the Innovation Technology Director and will be responsible for driving new, innovative, and adjacent business/product opportunities. This role will also interact regularly and strategically with the Global Automotive Innovation Team. 

The primary focus will be to work closely with our key customer contacts and/or customer advanced development teams to understand future needs and attachment strategy changes, identify what opportunities should be pursued, and manage those opportunities from initial discovery through to their transition to product launch teams.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Leveraging market knowledge to focus on growing products and introduce new ones applying the company, “Customer-Backed” approach
  • Cultivating and nurturing key customer relationships – specifically with advanced strategy, vehicle development, and product engineering groups
  • Identifying the implications and potential opportunities these might create for new product developments
  • Identifying/developing new product opportunities for unmet market/application needs to drive profitable, sustainable growth
• Applying companyinnovation strategies and processes to deliver results.
• Lead all projects through the stage gate development process from ideation to OEM delivery and follow up .
• Leading multi-disciplined teams and direct reports (Innovation and Development Engineers ),through guidance and coaching as well as influencing a broad scope of cross-functional resources utilizing the company innovation processes, both internal to the division and within the Company Global Automotive segment
• Roadmap industry attachement strategy changes to give account managers focus on where to look for new opportunities
• Driving decisions and accountability using business case criteria and balanced risk analysis, including value propositions and stage gate reviews
• Determining resource requirements to successfully execute the division’s innovation projects
• Prioritizing new opportunities with Senior Engineering Manager, Sales & Engineering Director, and Innovation Director, through use of divisional innovation tracker and APQP phase process
• Interacting regularly with the Global Automotive Products Innovation Team
• Creating and presenting formal presentations to all levels of the customer and to internal Leadership.
• Motivating and inspiring a culture of high performance

• Meeting deadlines both internally and externally
• Other tasks and duties as assigned.

Leadership Expectations:

• Exemplify and embody the Company Leadership expectations 
• Able to thrive and collaborate in a decentralized and entrepreneurial culture
• Able to take a high level of accountability and ownership for personal and company performance
• Able to communicate both verbal and written with clarity and simplicity
• Exemplifies a strategic-thinking approach and process to product management
• Able to make decisions and use critical thinking and analytical approaches when weighing options
• Nurturing an environment consistent with the company values and culture
• Outcome driven and applies the 80/20 principles to prioritize work demands
• Demonstrations a high level of leadership experience and emotional intelligence 

Required Skills and Education:

• Education/Experience:Bachelor’s degree - A. Bachelor's degree. from four-year College or University in Engineering, Business or Marketing; Master’s Degree a plus

• 5+ years engineering leadership experience and Project or Program Management to OEM customers.
• Traditional automotive industry Tier 1 experience or other similar markets, high volume, high product mix required.
• Knowledge/experience with metal stampings, cold-headed products, and injection-molded plastics, specifically precision components.
• Innovator with a market/customer focus – driven by curiosity to understand and solve problems through the stage gate development process.
• Experience Managing Direct Reports required.
• Proven track record of identifying market opportunities and commercializing solutions with OEM clients. Identifying what is good business to pursue, avoiding spending time and resources which will not result in program awards from OEM's
• Experience in dealing with customers and vendors
• Experience in customer and market research
• Experience in all aspects of developing and implementing commercialization plans
• Technical understanding of customer design requirements and analysis against competitor products
• Strong project management and technical marketing skills
• Ability to prioritize, work independently, and make well-thought-out decisions
• Strong organizational abilities and attention to detail
• Personal accountability to align with Employee Development & Leadership model
• An inner drive to understand, communicate and exceed established agreed upon goals
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills with ability and willingness to communicate, and work with other regions
• Proven ability to generate respect and trust from staff and external customers
• Commitment to apply the company resources Toolbox and its principles
• local travel in Michigan and occasional International travel.