Program Manager, Automotive Testing

Overview

The Program Manager serves as the primary customer point of contact and is accountable for planning, coordinating, and executing automotive testing programs from award through closeout. This role works across Test Engineering, Operations, Data Quality, Business Development, Contracts, Finance, and other support functions to ensure customer requirements, contractual scope, schedules, deliverables, and changes are clearly understood and successfully delivered.

Contract Management

• Review awarded programs to confirm customer requirements, contractual scope, test requirements, schedules, deliverables, and required customer inputs.
• Identify and resolve gaps, conflicts, missing information, and program risks with the customer and internal teams before testing begins.
• Establish clear expectations and due dates for customer-supplied test articles, parts, documentation, and other required deliverables.

Customer & Program Management

• Serve as the primary customer contact from program award through completion.
• Maintain consistent communication with customers and management regarding status, schedule, scope, risks, issues, deliverables, and upcoming activities.
• Track customer deliverables and proactively communicate requirements and deadlines to support on-time execution.

Cross-Functional Program Leadership

• Coordinate cross-functional support across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Procurement, Contracts, Finance, Business Development, and other functional teams.
• Facilitate program alignment, drive action on open items, and ensure commitments are followed through to completion.
• Ensure effective communication between customer-facing personnel and teams responsible for test execution.

Logistics

• Coordinate receipt, tracking, storage, disposition, and disposal of customer vehicles, test articles, parts, components, and related property.
• Resolve shipping, receiving, logistical, or customer-property issues with internal teams and customers as needed.

Invoicing & Program Closeout

• Review completed testing and program activity against contracts, purchase orders, approved changes, and additional services to support accurate invoicing.
• Resolve discrepancies between work performed, contractual scope, and invoiced services.
• Ensure required documentation, customer deliverables, financial items, and operational actions are complete before program closeout.

Performance Expectations

The Program Manager will have performance responsibility for their assigned programs and will be expected to:

• Deliver assigned programs on schedule and in accordance with contractual scope and requirements.
• Maintain strong customer relationships through clear, consistent communication.
• Ensure customer inputs, test deliverables, documentation, and closeout requirements are completed on time.
• Manage program changes, risks, issues, billable work, and invoicing accuracy.
• Coordinate shared resources across a matrixed organization and provide timely program status to management.
• Capture lessons learned and provide program completion reporting, including estimated versus actual performance.

Qualifications

To be considered for the Program Manager role, candidates should bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, project management, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 3–5 years of experience in program management, project management, automotive testing, engineering services, manufacturing, or a related technical environment.
• Demonstrated ability to understand contractual requirements, manage scope, and coordinate activities across a matrixed organization.
• Strong organizational, communication, customer relationship, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with technical…