Sub Discipline Manager - Exterior Trim (VSSQ/Body)

Executive Summary:

The Subdiscipline Manager is a first-line engineering leader responsible for team performance, technical excellence, resource planning, employee development, and the maintenance of regional engineering standards. The role combines people leadership, operational execution, technical governance, supplier management, and strategic contribution to ensure successful delivery of programs and engineering objectives.

Mission:

Subdiscipline Manager is responsible for the hierarchical management of teams and activities within the Exterior Trim area of responsibility, ensuring the delivery of all team-related outputs and deliverables.

They are also responsible for maintaining and ensuring the robustness of standards within their scope.

Key Activities:

• Lead an Exterior Trim team by defining priorities to ensure all expected deliverables and results are achieved.
• Ensure the quality and relevance of team deliverables while meeting project deadlines.
• Direct activities and/or processes to contribute to performance targets assigned to the organization across Quality, Cost, Delivery, and Performance (QCDP), including value optimization, mass reduction, and complexity reduction objectives.
• Oversee outsourced deliverables by ensuring robust input data, assessing the quality of received work, and driving continuous improvement plans.
• Anticipate staffing needs (internal and external) in alignment with project and deliverable schedules.
• Manage workload and determine the internal and outsourced resources required to support and execute programs. Manage external resources to ensure successful delivery of expected outputs.
• When applicable, maintain knowledge of key suppliers related to the team's activities and develop operational plans for utilizing those resources and competencies.
• Participate in structured problem-solving methodologies (RDP, DFSS) and maintain best practices through lessons learned and collaboration with global and regional teams.
• Define and manage team standards and verify their application across all local projects.
• Leverage competitive benchmarking activities in collaboration with the Global Technical Team when relevant to the team's activities.
• Ensure the development and continuous improvement of standards with methods and technical expert teams.
• Coach and guide the internal team, ensuring members possess the skills required to deliver all expected outputs through training, mentoring, and development activities.
• Conduct annual performance reviews, regular one-on-one discussions, and competency assessments for all team members.
• Define and monitor individual development and training plans.
• Implement and lead safety initiatives consistent with team activities, including shop-floor safety walks and audits.

Responsibilities:

• Operational and people management responsibility for the team.
• Accountable for both resources and results.
• Activities are primarily regional/local in scope.
• Technical scope may include programs, projects, production support, and engineering standards/references.
• Provides a forward-looking vision for the organization.
• Acts as the regional owner of technical standards and engineering references.

 Leadership Responsibilities:

• Provides direction and guidance to team members.
• Shares strategic vision as requested by management.

Cross-Functional Leadership:

• Interface with:
  • Vehicle Program Teams
  • Purchasing
  • Manufacturing
  • Quality
  • Supplier Quality
  • Suppliers
  • Vehicle Performance organizations
• Align technical decisions with business and program objectives
• Represent the discipline during leadership review and issue escalation meetings

Launch & Quality Ownership:

• Support launch readiness activities
• Lead corrective actions for quality and warranty concerns
• Ensure Lessons learned are incorporated into future designs
• Drive achievement of program KPIs and launch deliverables

Collaboration:

• Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders.
• Contributes to strategy development with internal and external partners.
• Establishes and manages relationships with external service providers and contractors.

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Bachelor degree in Engineering
• Minimum of 10 years of Product Engineering experience, through all phases of the design development process
• English proficiency sufficient to lead meetings and conduct business discussions
• Strong technical knowledge within the team's area of responsibility