Manager Program Management

Job Description

About the Team 

The Program Management team in El Salto acts as the central coordination point for customer programs and internal cross-functional execution. The team works closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing, SCM, Finance, Sales, and global counterparts to deliver programs on timing, cost, scope, and quality commitments. The culture should emphasize ownership, proactive communication, disciplined escalation, and collaboration across sites. This role is expected to strengthen program governance, develop team capabilities, and help create a predictable launch and execution rhythm.

What can you look forward to as Manager Program Management:

• Lead and develop regional automotive chassis/suspension programs.
• Own program governance, milestone tracking, risk management, escalation, and cross-functional alignment.
• Coordinate customer communication and internal decision-making for timing, cost, quality, scope, and resource topics.
• Drive launch readiness, change management, and action closure across Engineering, Operations, Quality, SCM, Purchasing, Finance, and Sales.
• Prepare and present program status, KPIs, risks, and recovery plans to internal leadership and customer stakeholders.
• Improve standard PM processes, reporting discipline, and lessons-learned practices across the portfolio.

Your Profile as Manager Program Management:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Operations, or related field; master’s degree preferred. 7+ years of automotive program/project management experience, ideally in Tier 1 manufacturing or chassis/suspension systems.
• People leadership experience, including coaching, prioritization, and performance routines for a technical/business team.
• Strong knowledge of automotive development and launch processes such as APQP, PPAP, change management, and customer milestone reviews.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen: timing, budget, investment, business case, and risk/opportunity tracking.
• Fluent Spanish and advanced English for customer and global stakeholder communication.

Why you should choose ZF in El Salto?

• Benefits over legal minimums.
• A supportive collaborative team environment.
• Supportive Employee Groups and community outreach activities.
• Innovative products and technologies.