Program Manager

Yazaki is a global leader in the research, development, and delivery of vehicle power and data solutions.

Yazaki works with virtually every major auto manufacturer globally, and we've strived to maintain strategic and stable growth throughout our 84-year history. Today, we're looking for energetic people with the potential to perform and the ability to strengthen - and thrive in - the positive work environment we pride ourselves on.

Location: Columbus, OH, USA  

What we are looking for:

Responsible for meeting established program targets and deliverables and for the successful completion of program objectives.  Programs can typically consist of a number of products, special projects, parts, and customer engineering centers, global product development locations and different technology suites. 

What you will be doing:

• Launch Readiness / Process Sign Off (PSO)
  • Conform to standard management system:  Global Process Management System (GPMS)
  • Ensure all tasks are performed for launch readiness and PSO
  • Coordinate all customer visits to the manufacturing facilities
  • Assist in supplying requirements to Manufacturing
  • Approve all resolutions to the follow-up issues that are presented to the customer
• Customer Contact
  • Coordinate and lead for all customer-critical issues while individual departments handle day to day issues
  • Review program metrics and satisfaction levels recurrently with the customer
• Program Scope
  • Coordinate, lead, and initiate the approval of program scope changes
  • Report the management of activities to executive management
• Scheduling and Tracking
  • Coordinate, lead, and approve the program schedule and tracking process to ensure the program meets the scope and customer requirements, to meet overall program metrics
  • Review program timing and progress toward achievement of targets and goals
  • Coordinate and lead the critical build phases, while approving support activities to ensure successful delivery of the program
  • Prepare regular reports for presentation to executive management, which address program progress status
• Meeting Minutes
  • Schedule program coordination meetings regularly
  • Lead the cross-functional program coordination meeting
  • Review the meeting minutes to ensure timely completion of all tasks
  • “Prime” the meeting minutes/open issues/corrective actions system by entering initial program information into the system.
• Open Issues
  • Review and assign newly entered open issues
  • Update issues in central tracking system
  • Review issue statuses between program meetings
  • Approve all closed issues
  • Classify and archive closed and approved issues for continuous improvement
  • Review open issues database for continuous improvement
  • Address any scope, schedule, and budget changes to the program brought on by open issues
• Engineering Change:  Review and coordinate Engineering Change Requests (ECRs) and eventual Process Change Request (PCR) and communicate and coordinate changes with the customer, affiliate and team members.
• Risk Assessment.
  • Coordinate the Risk Assessment Plan with the program team
  • Receive and review all recorded program risks
  • Allocate risk prevention and risk mitigation actions 

What you will bring to the table: 

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business management or adjacent discipline required
• 5 years applicable experience in Engineering, Sales or related field
• 6+ years of experience preferred
• Both domestic and international travel required between branches, customer and manufacturing sites
• Ability to work extended hours as required to support launch, customer events and to meet with stakeholders in different time zones

What we can provide you: 

• A safe collaborative learning work environment that stimulates creativity and exploration
• Diverse teams of experts
• Resources from around the globe
• Supportive leadership and team members to help you do your best work
• Opportunities for professional growth
• Competitive compensation and benefits package including incentive compensation, 401K match, tuition assistance and a generous holiday schedule

Yazaki North America is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, handicap, veteran status, or other legally protected status or characteristic. Equal opportunity extends to all aspects of the employment relationship. Yazaki North America complies with federal and state equal employment opportunity laws and strives to keep the workplace free from all forms of harassment.