Project Manager (Automotive)

Company Profile: Our client has been a manufacturer of diesel engines and power solutions for over 75 years, to the highest levels of performance and reliability. They have grown to become one of the leading suppliers of diesel and gas engines in the power solutions market.

Job Location: Cambridgeshire

Job Position: Project Manager (Automotive)

Job Status: Contract

Job Description:

The program will develop a suite of engine and power train technologies for a 30% reduction in fuel consumption/CO2 that are scalable across multiple vehicle platforms. The technologies will be integrated and demonstrated on a across a range of products.
The role is responsible for delivering the Project outcomes by managing commercial issues, ensuring effective team-working and the continued engagement and support of key stakeholders. This will include both the elements of work internally as well as other work packages performed by external partners.
The role will be based in Cambridgeshire and reports to the manager of the Low Carbon Energy Research Team in the UK. The expectation is 3 days a week in Cambridgeshire plus time in Leicestershire and other UK locations - 1/3 of time in the USA, 2/3 time UK.
The project manager will work in partnership with the Chief technologist who owns and directs the overall technical approach of the complete program ensuring the quality of the program outputs.
There will be 3 phases of work that will overlap and interact with a total budget of c$50m over 5 years. It is intended that the project manager will be a constant through that period. a) Phase 1 is the program technology definition phase which will be primarily simulation based.

b) Phase 2 is the detailed development of the component and sub-system technology packages. 8 technology packages are planned (each project of circa $3-$4m) which include preparation of components for the final integration.

c) Phase 3 is the integration of the developed powertrain technology packages into the vehicle demonstrator and vehicle optimisation.

Main Responsibilities:

Lead and own the creation, maintenance, analysis, reporting of the project plan for the HDVE SI project and its links to the sub projects.
Lead the execution of the project to time, cost, resource, and IP and contract constraints (technical quality is owned by Chief technologist).
Manage the finances and resources of the program.
Report progress on activity and deliverable execution, time and budget to the External Programme Manager and to the Execution manager.
Coordinate the writing and presentation of the deliverable documentation to the External Programme Manager (delivered by Chief technologist).
Ensure stakeholders are effectively communicated to (Chief technologist owns ensuring program is of value to our business).

Skills / Qualifications:

Experience of leading projects of comparable size and complexity with a wide base of resources internally and externally, preferably with experience in automotive (ie engine/vehicle complex projects).
Superior planning and financial systems skills including the ability to understand end effectively manage links and impacts between the multiple external plans of sub projects.
Excellent written and verbal communication - internal and external audiences of all levels including sufficient presence to engage and influence external program manager and external organisations who are delivering parts of the project.
Ability to form a good working relationship with the Chief technologist, Technology Integration lead and External Program manager - this will be a close team.
Clear well balanced decision making.
Business sense.
Preferable - understand the technical language of Engine and Machine products (not needed to be a technical expert).

Salary/Rate: £ 26.92-40.38 per hour ltd