Senior Manager, Automotive Programs

Own the Automotive Program Portfolio

• Own performance across Xometry's portfolio of automotive production programs against cost, quality, delivery, and growth objectives
• Establish program governance, operating cadences, and customer review rhythms appropriate to automotive expectations
• Maintain a consolidated view of automotive program loading, capacity commitments, and launch timing across the partner network
• Lead risk identification, escalation, and mitigation across customer, partner, and internal teams
• Report portfolio health to Xometry leadership and to customer program teams

Grow the Automotive Book of Business

• Identify and develop new production program opportunities within existing automotive accounts, including OEMs and Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers
• Partner with Sales and the field engineering team to qualify opportunities, shape the technical and commercial approach, and win awards
• Build senior-level relationships with customer purchasing, program management, and supplier quality organizations
• Translate customer sourcing roadmaps into a forward pipeline of Xometry opportunities
• Own a defined growth target for the automotive segment

Drive Launch and Quality Execution

• Own the APQP process from program award through tooling, validation, PPAP submission, run-at-rate, and customer start of production
• Build and maintain program timelines covering tooling, sampling, tool tryout, validation, PPAP, and SOP milestones
• Partner with Quality to execute PPAP requirements including PSW, control plans, process flow, PFMEA, MSA, and capability studies
• Plan and manage safe-launch and GP12 requirements, customer-controlled shipping where applicable, and 8D corrective actions through closure
• Support Xometry's quality management system obligations and participate in customer QMS audits and supplier assessments
• Ensure operational readiness for production ramps, program transfers, and engineering change execution

Develop the Partner Base for Automotive Work

• Work with the Partner Network and field engineering teams to identify and qualify partners capable of meeting automotive quality and volume requirements
• Assess partner production readiness, capacity, and quality systems ahead of program placement
• Drive partner performance against on-time delivery, PPM, and cost targets on automotive programs
• Lead escalation and recovery when partner performance puts a customer commitment at risk
• Build contingency and dual-source strategies for critical automotive programs

Lead and Develop the Team

• Manage, coach, and develop a team of program managers supporting automotive programs
• Set clear performance expectations, accountability frameworks, and development plans
• Balance program assignments against team capacity and program criticality
• Coach the team on customer management, launch discipline, and structured problem solving
• Standardize automotive program management practices and build repeatable playbooks as the portfolio scales

What You'll Bring To Xometry:

Core Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field
• 8+ years of experience in automotive program management, launch, supplier quality, or manufacturing operations
• 2+ years of direct people leadership experience, or demonstrated leadership of program teams
• Working expertise in APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, control plans, MSA, SPC, and 8D problem solving
• Strong understanding of IATF 16949 and customer-specific requirements
• Demonstrated track record launching automotive programs from award through SOP
• Experience managing supplier or contract manufacturer relationships and performance

How You Work

• Credible with both a customer program director and a supplier's plant manager
• Structured and data-driven, converting program signals into decisions before issues become escalations
• Comfortable owning both a growth number and an execution scorecard without trading one for the other
• Strong written and verbal communication, including executive-level presentation skills
• Able to build the operating model while running it in a fast-moving environment

Location and Travel

• Remote, with preference for candidates based in the Midwest or Southeast automotive corridors
• Approximately 30-40% travel to customer and partner facilities
• Must be a citizen or legal resident of the United States, or hold a visa that allows you to work in the United States without sponsorship

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience at an automotive OEM or Tier 1 supplier
• Experience with EV, battery, or lightweighting programs
• Familiarity with ERP systems, PLM, and supply chain analytics tools
• PMP, Six Sigma, or Lean certification
• Experience in a high-mix contract manufacturing or manufacturing marketplace environment