Program Manager – Strategic Partnerships

Role Purpose

This role acts as the strategic and operational backbone of major cross‑functional initiatives, with a strong focus on Chinese OEM partnerships (Leapmotor, Dongfeng, …) and transformation programs. The position combines: • Executive support and strategic preparation • Program / PMO discipline and value tracking • Cross‑functional orchestration • Market & competitive intelligence (China OEM landscape) The role ensures disciplined execution, fact‑based decision making, and alignment across Strategy, Purchasing, Engineering, Finance, Legal, Regions, and Transformation governance.

Key Responsibilities

1. Cross‑Functional Leadership & Program / PMO Coordination

• Act as the single point of coordination across functions and workstreams • Structure, prepare, and follow up Steering Committees, executive reviews, and workshops • Ensure alignment on objectives, milestones, decisions, risks, and dependencies • Track execution versus plan; anticipate issues and drive corrective actions • Maintain action logs, decision logs, and escalation paths

2. Execution Tracking, Governance & Value Delivery

• Structure, prioritize, and track initiatives in line with program / transformation governance standards • Monitor progress on milestones, savings/value, risks, and interdependencies • Interface with VCP to ensure data, financial validation, and reporting consistency • Produce clear, reliable, executive‑ready reporting (weekly/monthly dashboards, status notes)

3. Market & Competitive Intelligence

• Build and maintain a structured intelligence framework • Monitor strategy, ownership, partnerships, technology roadmaps, and competitive moves (Europe & global) • Track key trends: regulation, cost structures, go‑to‑market models, technologies • Deliver synthesized insights (one‑pagers, briefs, dashboards) to support partner prioritization and positioning

4. Process, Tools & Ways of Working

• Define and continuously improve end‑to‑end processes (initiative structuring, partner evaluation, governance) • Deploy tools and templates • Reinforce execution discipline, transparency, and accountability across teams

5. Executive Support & Strategic Preparation

• Prepare briefings, presentations, and decision memos for senior leadership and OEM engagements • Support negotiation and engagement preparation with facts, benchmarks, and scenarios • Act as a trusted sparring partner for structuring complex strategic and transformation topics

Profile & Experience

Required

• 10+ years of experience in program management / PMO, strategy, transformation, consulting, or operations • Strong exposure to cross‑functional and international environments • Proven ability to operate in ambiguous, fast‑paced, executive‑level contexts • Strong analytical, synthesis, and execution‑tracking skills • Experience working with senior stakeholders

Strong Plus

• Exposure to China context, Chinese OEMs. • Automotive, E-mobility, Autonomous driving Technology, or technology‑driven industry background • Experience in value‑creation, cost, or large transformation programs

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strategic thinking with strong execution discipline • Ability to structure complexity into clear frameworks and decision points • High‑impact written and visual communication (executive level) • Strong rigor, reliability, and follow‑through • Hands‑on, proactive, and impact‑driven mindset • Comfort operating at the intersection of strategy, finance, and execution

Languages

• English: fluent (mandatory) • Mandarin Chinese: strong advantage