General Description
The Senior Director, Platform Management is responsible for the strategic leadership, execution, and financial performance of an assigned customer platform consisting of multiple programs across one or more manufacturing locations. This role serves as the executive point of accountability for customer satisfaction, profitability, launch performance, commercial execution, and program governance throughout the product lifecycle.
The Senior Director leads a team of Senior Program Managers and Program Managers and acts as the primary liaison between executive leadership and customer decision-makers. The role ensures alignment across Commercial, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Purchasing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing functions to deliver business objectives while achieving customer commitments.
The incumbent develops platform strategies that drive revenue growth, operational excellence, customer retention, and long-term profitability.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide strategic oversight for all programs within an assigned customer platform.
- Establish platform objectives, priorities, and performance metrics aligned with corporate goals.
- Ensure successful execution of program launches, engineering changes, product transfers, and end-of-life activities.
- Drive consistency in program management practices, governance, reporting, and risk management.
Customer Relationship Management
- Serve as the executive relationship owner for designated customer platforms.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with customer leadership and decision-makers.
- Lead customer business reviews and escalation management activities.
- Represent the company in customer strategy discussions, negotiations, and operational reviews.
Financial Performance
- Accountable for platform profitability, revenue growth, program margins, and achievement of financial targets.
- Partner with Finance and Commercial teams to monitor customer pricing, commercial recoveries, tooling investments, and change management activities.
- Review and approve business cases, investment requests, and major commercial decisions.
- Identify and drive opportunities for margin improvement and cost reduction.
Program Execution
- Ensure programs achieve launch readiness, quality, timing, cost, and customer satisfaction objectives.
- Monitor key program metrics and implement corrective actions when performance gaps exist.
- Oversee risk identification, mitigation strategies, and escalation processes.
- Ensure alignment between customer requirements and operational capabilities.
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Lead collaboration among Operations, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Sales, and Finance functions.
- Resolve complex business and operational issues impacting customer platforms.
- Champion continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives.
- Promote accountability and alignment across all supporting functions.
Talent Management
- Lead, coach, develop, and evaluate Senior Program Managers and Program Management teams.
- Establish succession planning and leadership development initiatives within the Program Management organization.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, customer focus, and continuous improvement.
- Ensure organizational capabilities support current and future business requirements.
Strategic Planning
- Participate in customer growth strategies and new business acquisition activities.
- Support quotation reviews, platform business planning, and capital investment decisions.
- Assess market conditions, competitive trends, and customer initiatives that may impact future growth opportunities.
- Develop long-term platform strategies to support sustainable business growth.
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Operations Management, Finance, or related field required.
- Master's degree (MBA or equivalent) preferred.
Experience
- 15+ years of progressive experience in Program Management, Operations, Engineering, Commercial Management, or related manufacturing leadership roles.
- Minimum 7 years of leadership experience managing large cross-functional teams.
- Experience managing multiple programs for major OEM customers within an automotive or manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated success leading large customer platforms with full P&L accountability.
- Experience working directly with executive-level customer stakeholders.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Exceptional leadership and organizational influence skills.
- Advanced knowledge of program management methodologies and product development processes.
- Strong financial acumen with experience managing revenue, profitability, capital expenditures, and business cases.
- Excellent customer relationship management and negotiation capabilities.
- Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to lead through complexity and drive results across multiple functions and locations.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and executive engagement skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.