Senior Program Manager Automotive
About the role
Connect Group is seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Program Manager Automotive to lead customer program management across multiple sites in a high-mix/low-volume EMS (Electronics Manufacturing Services) environment. This critical leadership role ensures the successful delivery of customer programs, drives profitability, and strengthens customer relationships while overseeing the performance of multi-functional teams.
Key Responsibilities
Customer Management & Growth
- Own regional customer program strategy focused on retention, expansion, and lifetime value
- Ensure timely, cost-effective, and quality delivery of solutions aligned with customer objectives
- Lead NPI execution, product transfers, and continuous improvement initiatives with strategic customers
- Strengthen executive-level relationships, proactively resolving escalations and addressing evolving customer needs
- Lead QBRs and contractual reviews; align forecasts, budgets, price renegotiations, and margin protection strategies
- Proactively explore new business opportunities and market trends to support account development
Leadership & Strategic Execution
- Develop and implement site-level program management strategies, tailored to local/regional dynamics
- Act as the senior program management authority across locations, partnering with operations, supply chain, engineering, and quality functions
- Coach, guide, and mentor junior program managers; foster a high-performance culture and knowledge sharing
- Champion cross-functional collaboration and ensure strategic customer voices are translated into actionable outcomes
- Coordinate complex, matrix-managed initiatives across multiple manufacturing sites
Contract Management
- Oversee contract lifecycle, including renewals, compliance, renegotiation (where applicable), and customer communication
- Ensure all agreed business conditions are internally communicated and adhered to
- Monitor contract deviations impacting margin and propose new terms when necessary
- Deliver contract management training for site PM teams
KPI Ownership & Business Performance
- Monitor and analyze core KPIs (Revenue, Book-to-Bill, Margin, COPA, BOM/BOL, OTD, ITO, E&O, AR/DSO, Working Capital)
- Drive customer profitability through cost control, margin improvements, and reduction of excess & obsolete stock
- Lead initiatives to optimize performance, quality, delivery, and financial alignment with contract terms
- Identify risks to business continuity and implement strategies to mitigate customer churn
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Finance, or related field (MBA strongly preferred)
- Minimum 6 years of experience in the EMS automotive industry, including multi-site program leadership in high-mix/low-volume environments
- Proven success managing large-scale business with full P&L responsibility
- Experience with NPIs, product transfers, and customer-facing escalation management
- Expertise in financial systems and manufacturing cost drivers
- Demonstrated ability to apply Lean/Continuous Improvement in transactional processes
- Willingness and ability to travel occasionally.
Skills & Competencies
- Executive-level presence with exceptional commercial acumen
- Outstanding communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
- Strong leadership with the ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority
- Entrepreneurial, self-driven, and highly organized
- Culturally adaptable and able to align teams around diverse working styles and customer expectations
- Deep understanding of contract manufacturing business dynamics and customer lifecycle management
Why Join Us?
At Connect Group, you’ll join a dynamic, forward-thinking EMS company with a strong focus on customer success, operational excellence, and innovation. This is a high-impact role with visibility at executive level and the opportunity to shape strategic customer programs across multiple countries.
