Automotive Manufacturing Program Manager - Casting

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Position Summary: The Automotive Manufacturing Program Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating customer programs from quotation, development, tooling, launch, and production readiness through full production support. This role serves as the primary interface between the customer, engineering, quality, operations, supply chain, tooling, and plant leadership teams to ensure programs are delivered on time, within budget, and in alignment with customer requirements. The ideal candidate will have strong automotive manufacturing program management experience, with preferred experience in aluminum die casting, high-pressure die casting, machining, tooling, and new product launch activities.

• Lead assigned automotive manufacturing programs from award through launch, production ramp-up, and ongoing production support.
• Develop, maintain, and communicate program timing plans, milestones, deliverables, open issues, and risk mitigation plans.
• Serve as the primary customer contact for program timing, technical deliverables, launch readiness, engineering changes, commercial issues, and program status updates.
• Coordinate cross-functional activities with engineering, quality, production, maintenance, purchasing, logistics, finance, tooling, and plant operations teams.
• Manage APQP activities, including feasibility reviews, design reviews, process flow, PFMEA, control plans, gage planning, capability studies, run-at-rate activities, PPAP submissions, and customer approvals.
• Track tooling, equipment, fixtures, gauges, packaging, EDI requirements, material readiness, and supplier deliverables to support successful program launch.
• Support engineering change management by evaluating timing, cost, quality, material, tooling, and production impacts.
• Monitor program budgets, capital expenditures, tooling costs, material costs, and change requests to ensure financial targets are achieved.
• Identify bottlenecks, launch risks, capacity constraints, quality concerns, and production roadblocks; lead corrective actions to keep programs on track.
• Coordinate prototype builds, pre-production trials, process validation, PPAP runs, and launch readiness reviews.
• Support customer visits, audits, launch meetings, technical reviews, and issue-resolution activities.
• Ensure compliance with applicable customer-specific requirements, IATF 16949 standards, ISO requirements, internal quality systems, and company procedures.
• Prepare and present program status reports to customers, leadership, and internal stakeholders.
• Provide ongoing support to manufacturing operations after launch to ensure a smooth transition into stable production.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Preferred candidates will have hands-on or program leadership experience in aluminum die casting or high-pressure die casting environments, including knowledge of die design, tool build and tryout, casting process development, trim operations, machining, leak testing, heat treatment, shot monitoring, scrap reduction, die maintenance, and process capability improvement. Familiarity with casting defects, root cause analysis, and corrective actions related to porosity, soldering, flash, dimensional variation, cold shuts, and surface quality is highly desirable.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, Operations Management, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in automotive manufacturing, program management, launch management, engineering, quality, or operations.
• Experience managing new product launches, engineering changes, tooling projects, and customer program deliverables.
• Working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, control plans, SPC, MSA, 8D problem solving, root cause analysis, and corrective action processes.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, GD&T, customer requirements, and technical documentation.
• Strong project management skills, including timeline development, critical path tracking, budget management, risk management, and cross-functional follow-up.
• Strong communication, leadership, organization, and customer-facing skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, project management tools, ERP systems, and customer portals.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

• Experience with aluminum die casting, high-pressure die casting, machining, tooling, or automotive structural/component manufacturing.
• Experience working with OEMs or Tier 1 automotive suppliers.
• Knowledge of IATF 16949, ISO 9001, customer-specific requirements, and automotive quality systems.
• PMP, Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt, CQE, or related certification.
• Experience with lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, value analysis/value engineering, and cost reduction initiatives.
• Experience supporting EV, powertrain, chassis, body structure, or safety-critical automotive components.

• Customer focus and professional communication
• Strong technical aptitude and manufacturing process knowledge
• Leadership without direct authority
• Problem solving and decision making under pressure
• Attention to detail and follow-through
• Financial and commercial awareness
• Ability to drive accountability across cross-functional teams

This role operates in both office and manufacturing plant environments. The employee may be required to spend time on the production floor, participate in tooling or launch trials, attend customer or supplier meetings, and travel as needed to support program requirements. The employee must be able to comply with all safety requirements, wear required personal protective equipment, and work around manufacturing equipment, tooling, machinery, and die casting operations as applicable.

Work Authorization

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire. Candidates who currently hold valid work authorization under a TN or H-1B visa may be considered, provided they are authorized to work for this employer without requiring new or additional visa sponsorship. The company is unable to sponsor new employment-based visas or other immigration sponsorship for this position.

At Magna, we believe that a diverse workforce is critical to our success. That’s why we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We hire on the basis of experience and qualifications, and in consideration of job requirements, regardless of, in particular, color, ancestry, religion, gender, origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability or gender identity. Magna takes the privacy of your personal information seriously. We discourage you from sending applications via email or traditional mail to comply with GDPR requirements and your local Data Privacy Law.

As part of our commitment to a fair, consistent, and efficient recruitment process, we may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in the initial screening of applications submitted through our Workday system. These tools help identify qualifications and experience that align with the role requirements. Please note that AI is used solely to support our recruiters. Final decisions are always made by the hiring manager and the hiring team. Importantly, no applicant data is shared externally through these AI tools. All information remains securely within our systems and is handled in accordance with our privacy and data protection policies.

If you have any questions or concerns about this process, feel free to contact our Talent Attraction team.