The Company

An Automotive Supplier in the interiors space, our client is a multi-billion-dollar global diversified public company that designs and manufacturers various engineered components and products for numerous industries worldwide. Founded over 130+ years ago, our client continues to grow in a rapidly changing environment.

The Opportunity

The General Manager will lead a management team of intelligent, dynamic and veteran automotive professionals. This newly created role is one of three regionally focused leadership positions that will manage the operations P&L to support Product Launch throughout the North American Operations.

Job Definition

The General Manager will be responsible for leading the North America Operations across this global organization to support sales teams in reaching and exceeding financial targets. In this key leadership role, it will be expected to pull a team together using techniques that will influence positivity and motivation. This position has direct responsibility for developing and executing go-forward strategies and plans that optimize product launch for the operations teams. Full product P&L responsibility from winning the award to customization and bringing it to life. Managing across all operational functions where P&L is impacted, developing solutions to achieve and exceed targets, while increasing revenue and profitable growth. The ideal candidate will have deep Automotive (Tier 1 or 2) understanding of how to communicate with cross functional and matrixed reports and the customer, has a solid business acumen and must be willing to roll up their sleeves and be part of the solution.

This position reports to the President of the Automotive Business Unit with four (4) direct reports in the North American region; (2) Operations, CI, Program Management.

Skills

The primary responsibility for the GM is to drive profitable execution and increased technical competency for the automotive business’s product planning and product launch while strengthening the business’ long-term sustainability.

• Provide direction, strategy planning and performance for all manufacturing operations.
• Responsible for operational and financial performance of the North American region.
• Ensures that, as the business grows, its processes the capabilities to meet or exceed all industry and customer expectations for cost, quality, launch, delivery and responsiveness.
• In conjunction with plant management teams set operational and / or performance goals for each department which are achievable and tied to long-term goals and continuous improvement.
• Train and monitor the team’s utilization of established systems and processes to track and optimize productivity and standards, metrics and performance targets to ensure effective return on assets.
• Working closely with Marketing & Strategy team to develop best cost to serve strategies within North America.
• Capacity capex, business case review and sign off to ensure optimal assets utilization.
• Collaborating on future developments and creating a roadmap as a vision for the products. Communicating internally and externally with all stakeholders, producing business cases for product opportunities as a basis for investment. Producing forecasts and financial models. Providing impact estimates and buy-in from Senior Leadership and various functional leaders, through effective written business plans.
• Understanding competitor strengths, weaknesses, and direction. Develop pricing strategies and tactics. Competitive pricing analysis. Dealing with internal positioning and pricing bundles. Implement new pricing and discount structures / strategies. Maintaining detailed knowledge of the Automotive industry/market.
• Oversee program launch plans, working closely with Program Management to identify gaps and development solutions to target flawless launch objectives, across the product line.
• Leading a safety-first approach; maintaining a zero-accident culture.
• Building credible business cases considering necessary commercial and technical aspects and ensure they are executed successfully, meeting financial commitments.
• Helping define the organizational structure, guiding recruitment, team development, and motivation within the region.
• Building effective business alliances. Partnering with Sales, Marketing, Engineering, Operations and Finance teams to evaluate automotive OEM’s technical requirements and quoting on innovative solutions based on client’s roadmap.
• Ensuring that all projects are executed on-time, on-budget, and according to our client’s global system process, quality, and functional safety standards. Team builder: motivate team efforts to accomplish goals.
• Leading and providing a direction and a mission to the regional team including disciplinary responsibility and further development of the team and appropriate expertise.
• Help implementing company standards, policy, and compliance within the North American region.