The Automation Program Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating automation programs from planning through deployment, with primary ownership for local automation program schedules and execution cadence. The role coordinates across local teams, global manufacturing sites, internal stakeholders, and external suppliers to support line transfers, equipment deployments, automation readiness, and production ramp activities.
The ideal candidate combines a strong technical foundation with disciplined program management experience, enabling effective coordination among engineering, operations, suppliers, and manufacturing sites while maintaining clear visibility to milestones, risks, dependencies, and critical path actions.
Primary Objectives: Manage local automation program schedules and coordinate with global sites and suppliers on line transfers, automation deployments, and execution readiness.
• Own and maintain local automation program schedules, milestones, deliverables, and execution plans to support timely completion of automation initiatives.
• Coordinate with global manufacturing sites, suppliers, engineering teams, and operations stakeholders on line transfers, automation deployments, equipment readiness, and implementation timing.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and business stakeholders to ensure automation solutions are implemented, executed, adopted, and sustained effectively.
• Monitor program timelines, milestone achievement, risks, dependencies, and open issues; provide accurate and timely status reporting throughout the program lifecycle.
• Lead recurring program reviews with engineering, operations, suppliers, and site teams to drive accountability, remove roadblocks, and maintain alignment across stakeholders.
• Support planning sessions for upcoming automation initiatives, including scope definition, targets, deadlines, resource needs, milestones, and critical path activities.
• Coordinate automation deployment activities including equipment build status, supplier readiness, site preparation, installation timing, validation support, and transition to production.
• Partner with manufacturing, process engineering, product development, quality, facilities, supply chain, and operations teams to ensure automation programs meet business, technical, safety, quality, and schedule objectives.
• Identify program risks early, develop mitigation plans, escalate appropriately, and drive corrective actions with internal and external stakeholders.
• Facilitate post-milestone and post-deployment retrospectives to capture lessons learned, identify improvements, and strengthen repeatability of future automation program execution.
• Maintain clear documentation of program status, key decisions, open actions, owners, due dates, and critical path items for leadership and project stakeholders.
Required Qualifications
• Strong technical understanding of automation systems, manufacturing equipment, process development, industrialization, or production line deployment.
• Demonstrated project or program management experience in manufacturing, automation, process engineering, equipment engineering, operations, or new product introduction environments.
• Experience managing schedules, milestones, dependencies, risks, and cross-functional deliverables across multiple teams.
• Ability to coordinate effectively with global manufacturing sites, external suppliers, and internal engineering and operations teams.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate technical details into clear program status, risks, decisions, and actions for technical and leadership audiences.
• Proven ability to lead structured reviews, drive issue resolution, and maintain accountability across matrixed teams.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage complex deployment timelines and cross-site coordination.
• Ability to identify execution gaps, escalate appropriately, and drive closure of open actions in a fast-paced manufacturing or engineering environment.
Preferred Requirements
• Experience with automation deployment, equipment installation, production line transfer, global manufacturing ramp, or supplier-led equipment implementation.
• Familiarity with automation technologies such as controls, robotics, machine vision, fixtures, test systems, automated assembly, or material handling systems.
• Experience working directly with automation suppliers, machine builders, contract manufacturers, or global manufacturing sites.
• Knowledge of NPI, process development, manufacturing readiness, validation, production ramp, or equipment acceptance processes.
• PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or similar project/program management certification is preferred but not required.
Education and Experience
Generally requires a Bachelor's degree in engineering, automation, manufacturing, operations, or a related technical field, with a minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience. A Master's degree or equivalent advanced technical/program management experience may be preferred.