Project Manager - Automotive Software PD

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: US Product Development Project Manager / Lead – Software-Defined Vehicle

This role leads cross-functional product development projects in a software-defined vehicle environment, driving delivery from early concept through industrialization and product introduction. You will combine project leadership with technical coordination to ensure successful hardware–software integration, alignment with product and platform strategies, and achievement of scope, timing, cost, quality, and feature targets in a complex automotive context.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of cross-functional development programs, with a strong focus on integrated hardware and software solutions for software-defined vehicles.
• Drive project execution across scope, timing, cost, quality, and feature dimensions, ensuring adherence to QDCCFS objectives.
• Ensure that all project activities align with overall product and platform strategies as well as broader business objectives.
• Develop and maintain detailed L1–L3 project plans, including milestones, dependencies, and critical paths.
• Break down overall program scope into manageable streams, epics, and deliverables, and structure these within tools such as Jira.
• Continuously monitor critical path activities, identify deviations, and proactively address delivery risks.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration across engineering domains including electrical and electronic systems, software, integration, testing, and purchasing.
• Act as the central interface between key stakeholders, product owners, system architects, and external suppliers to ensure consistent understanding and execution.
• Facilitate alignment and coordination across global teams and organizations, ensuring effective communication and collaboration across regions.
• Define, balance, and secure requirements from multiple stakeholders, ensuring that technical and business needs are clearly captured and understood.
• Manage scope changes, concept decisions, and technical trade-offs to protect project objectives while enabling innovation.
• Consolidate cost estimations, build budget forecasts, and track budget performance throughout the project lifecycle.
• Secure the necessary resource allocation across teams and monitor resource utilization to ensure efficient delivery.
• Maintain a comprehensive risk register, regularly assess project risks, and drive implementation of mitigation actions.
• Ensure compliance with quality standards, functional safety requirements, cybersecurity expectations, and legal or regulatory obligations.
• Prepare and present structured project status updates at gate reviews and governance forums, enabling informed decision-making.
• Create and maintain clear, structured project documentation using tools such as Jira, Confluence, and SharePoint.
• Deliver key project artifacts including project plans and milestone roadmaps, scope documentation and technical descriptions, budget and resource forecasts, risk registers and mitigation plans, and executive-level gate review materials.

Essential Skills

• Proven experience in project management within an automotive product development environment, ideally involving software-defined vehicles.
• Strong understanding of the automotive development lifecycle, including the specific context and challenges of software-defined vehicle architectures.
• Hands-on experience with integration, verification, and validation (V&V) activities, including system-level testing.
• Knowledge of system architecture concepts and the ability to work closely with system architects on complex vehicle systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage hardware–software integration projects from concept to launch.
• Strong planning, structuring, and execution capabilities, including the development and management of multi-level (L1–L3) project plans.
• Experience with stakeholder management across global organizations, including engineering, purchasing, suppliers, and leadership.
• Ability to structure complex problems, simplify ambiguity, and drive clear, timely decision-making.
• Proficiency with project and collaboration tools such as Jira, Confluence, and SharePoint for planning, tracking, and reporting.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence and lead without formal authority across diverse teams.
• Demonstrated leadership in ambiguous environments, with a track record of guiding teams through change and uncertainty.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to anticipate risks, develop mitigation strategies, and maintain a comprehensive risk register.
• Experience managing project budgets, consolidating cost estimates, and tracking resource utilization.
• Awareness of functional safety principles, with familiarity with ISO standards considered a strong plus.
• Understanding of quality, cybersecurity, and legal compliance requirements within automotive product development.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working specifically in a software-defined vehicle context, including coordination of software, electronics, and vehicle integration.
• Systems engineering or system architecture within automotive or complex embedded systems.
• Exposure to functional safety standards such as ISO, with practical experience in applying these standards considered a strong advantage.
• Consulting-style skills, including the ability to structure complex workstreams, provide strategic guidance, and support governance decision-making.
• Experience preparing and delivering executive-level project reports, gate review materials, and governance presentations.
• Familiarity with global development organizations and the ability to operate effectively across time zones and cultures.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, evolving environment where priorities may shift and new requirements may emerge.
• Any relevant technical degree or certification in engineering, computer science, systems engineering, or a related field is beneficial.

Work Environment

This role operates in a highly collaborative, cross-functional environment focused on software-defined vehicle development and integrated hardware–software solutions. You will work closely with engineering teams across electrical and electronic systems, software development, integration, and testing, as well as with purchasing and external suppliers. The position involves regular interaction with global teams, requiring effective coordination across different time zones and organizational structures. Work typically takes place in a professional office and lab setting, using modern project management and collaboration tools such as Jira, Confluence, and SharePoint to plan, track, and document project activities. The environment emphasizes structured governance, formal gate reviews, and adherence to quality, functional safety, and cybersecurity standards, while also encouraging proactive leadership, clear communication, and thoughtful decision-making in a complex and evolving technical landscape.

This is a Contract position based out of Greensboro, NC.

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $48.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Greensboro,NC.

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 6, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.