Program Manager

TITLE    Program Manager
COMPANY    JTEKT North America

DEPARTMENT    Production Administration
LOCATION    Vonore TN (Other locations considered)

CLASSIFICATION    Salaried Exempt
REPORTS TO    Manager – Production Administration

GRADE    105-107 (Depending on experience)
REVISION DATE    2/6/23    REVISION LEVEL    4

Summary/Purpose
Apply project management and production planning tools for the purpose of facilitating new products and/or new processes that meet the quality, cost, and delivery expectations of our customers.  The Program Manager’s core responsibility is follow-up on detail schedule progress and open issues to achieve a smooth, successful production launch.

Essential Duties and Accountabilities: 
•    Create and maintain project schedules and tracking documents.
•    Conduct formal APQP/20 Quality Gate reviews for each phase of a project.
•    Issue monthly production launch status reports including Open Issues list.
•    Provide customer documentation as required (surveys, capacity, schedules, project status). 
•    Coordinate launch activities between plant, related JNA departments and other JTEKT regions.
•    Plan and facilitate production launch meetings.
•    Ensure customer sample requirements are met and produced to the correct design level.
•    Assist with supplier development and direct material procurement.
•    Review and assist with the development of line layouts, process flow, capacity analysis, and equipment preparation with manufacturing engineering.
•    Understand the quality plan, review pFMEA & Control Plans, and follow-up improvement actions.
•    Provide input and assist with cost planning.
•    Monitor the progress of any required facility modification and/or additions.
•    Work with the packaging specialist to ensure supplier and product packaging designs meet requirement and packaging is available to support the production ramp-up schedule.
•    Work with production control to ensure that all logistics systems are in place to support SOP. 
Supervisory Responsibilities:
•    This position has no supervisory responsibilities. 
•    Cross-Functional Project Team Leadership
Job Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 
•    Leadership skills with ability to motivate cross-functional groups
•    Positive attitude, highly motivated, and high energy level
•    Good interpersonal skills and ability to promote a team environment
•    Strong written and oral communication skills
•    Flexible working hours, overtime and travel required
Education and Experience: 
•    Prefer Bachelors in Engineering, Business, or Related Field with 3+ years automotive experience.

Work Environment/Physical Demands: 
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
•    Work is mostly performed in a normal office setting with minimal exposure to health or safety hazards, and with substantial time spent working on a computer. Requires sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate computer keyboard and other office equipment.
•    The performance of this position may occasionally require exposure to manufacturing areas which require the use of personal protective equipment such as safety glasses with side shields and mandatory hearing protection.
•    Travel by automobile and plane required approximately 30-40% of time.
Employee may perform other duties as requested, directed or assigned.