A.L.P. is an international leader in designing, manufacturing, and distributing components for lighting and other technical industries. With world-class capabilities in plastics molding, metal fabrication, and other high-tech processes, A.L.P. offers challenging, rewarding job opportunities in a variety of career specialties. We are global in reach, with locations throughout North America and Europe.
We are seeking a dynamic and highly organized Program Manager specialized in the automotive industry to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives from inception through delivery. This role offers an exciting opportunity to drive innovation, optimize processes, and ensure the successful execution of strategic programs that advance automotive technology and business objectives. The ideal candidate will possess a passion for automotive advancements, exceptional leadership skills, and a comprehensive understanding of project and program management methodologies.
Responsibilities:
Program Management & APQP Launch
- Own the APQP process from program award through launch, PPAP, and run-at-rate.
- Develop and maintain program timelines covering tooling, validation, sampling, tool tryout, PPAP, and customer start of production.
- Lead cross-functional launch teams across Engineering, Tooling, Quality, Operations, Purchasing, and Estimating; drive action items, milestones, and accountability.
- Manage customer gated reviews, milestone reporting, and required deliverables.
- Track program tooling from kickoff through PPAP approval, including customer- and offshore-built tooling, and coordinate tooling input where design affects part handling, gating, or cycle time.
- Lead engineering change management, including impact assessment, re-quotation, approvals, and revision history.
- Maintain complete, audit-ready program documentation in accordance with ISO/IATF requirements.
- Identify and communicate program risks early and develop actionable countermeasures.
Customer Relationships & Account Growth
- Serve as the primary program-level contact for automotive customers and sales agencies, managing program, technical, quality, and commercial matters.
- Represent the company in customer program reviews, sourcing and technical discussions, plant visits, and customer visits to the Dickson facility.
- Manage customer portals, submission systems, scorecards, registrations, and customer-specific requirements.
- Coordinate packaging approval and launch of returnable packaging programs with Customer Service and Logistics.
- Translate technical and cost information into clear, professional customer presentations.
- Develop relationships across customer organizations and identify opportunities for follow-on, carryover, and new business.
Quotation Management
- Own the automotive RFQ process from intake and feasibility review through timely submission.
- Direct and prioritize Estimating activities and review automotive cost builds for accuracy and completeness.
- Ensure quotations reflect realistic assumptions for press selection, tonnage, cycle time, cavitation, secondary operations, packaging, freight, tooling, and capital requirements.
- Prepare customer-specific quotation packages, including cost breakdowns, tooling/ED&D, supply chain and capacity analyses, and project documentation.
- Maintain the automotive quotation log by revision, status, customer feedback, and win/loss results.
- Lead re-quotations when design, volume, material, packaging, or equipment assumptions change.
Quality, Compliance & Launch Readiness
- Partner with Quality to plan and execute PPAP requirements, including PSW, IMDS, control plans, process flow, PFMEA, MSA, and capability studies.
- Support the company’s IATF 16949 requirements and customer QMS audits and supplier assessments.
- Plan and manage safe-launch/GP12 requirements, customer-controlled shipping when applicable, and 8D corrective actions through closure.
- Ensure gauging, inspection fixtures, and measurement capabilities are defined, sourced, and available before production launch.
Capacity, Capital & Cross-Functional Coordination
- Translate awarded and quoted programs into machine-hour, floor-space, tooling, equipment, and staffing requirements.
- Maintain a consolidated view of automotive capacity and program loading.
- Support capital planning and justification for automotive program requirements in partnership with Operations and Technical Services.
- Coordinate with Plant Management and Operations on press selection, capacity, staffing, and launch readiness.
- Partner with Purchasing on resin, components, subassemblies, and supplier performance affecting program delivery.
Safety & Compliance
- Promote a safe work environment by identifying and correcting unsafe conditions and practices.
- Comply with company quality systems, customer-specific requirements, and applicable regulatory standards.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, manufacturing, business, or a related field — or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant automotive experience.
- Three or more years of experience in automotive manufacturing, quality, process engineering, launch, APQP, or program management.
- Experience serving automotive OEMs or Tier 1 suppliers, including General Motors, Ford, Stellantis, Toyota, or Honda programs.
- Experience participating in or supporting new product launches, APQP activities, PPAP submissions, or customer program execution.
- Working command of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, control plans, MSA, SPC, capability analysis, and 8D problem solving.
- Experience with OEM and Tier 1 or 2 customer portals, customer-specific requirements, and supplier scorecards.
- Ability to read and interpret 2D drawings, 3D models, and GD&T, and to navigate CAD data sufficiently to support estimating and program decisions.
- Aptitude and willingness to develop commercial literacy — to learn A.L.P.'s cost models well enough to review a build-up, understand what drives it, and defend it in front of a customer.
- Excellent written and verbal communication; able to prepare and deliver clear presentations to customer and internal leadership.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and project scheduling tools; comfort learning ERP, quoting, and PLM systems.
- Ability to manage multiple concurrent programs against competing customer deadlines.
- Willingness to travel 20–30% and to work on-site at the Dickson, Tennessee facility.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Referral program
- Relocation assistance
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
