Project Manager

Wipac Technology Limited is Europe’s leading automotive lighting designer and manufacturer for the luxury and supercar markets. We supply headlamps and rear lamps for many of the world’s most iconic car brands. Wipac has grown significantly in recent years and was sold to a large Chinese corporation Anrui Optoelectronics at the end of 2019. Anrui have a strong desire to invest significantly and continue to grow their share of the European and North American automotive lighting markets. Wipac is focussed on its transformation to be a world-class manufacturer and as such wants to attract the best individuals who have the drive and commitment to contribute to the positive change of the business.

About the Role

Responsible and accountable for managing & coordinating cross functional projects for WIPAC, ensuring that deliverables, objectives and KPI’s are achieved at the project level and that the agreed customer requirements are met. Ensuring that the Customer relationships are managed effectively to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction for current & future business.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for all Project Management aspects relating to the successful delivery of projects that have been assigned.
• Work with multi-disciplined teams and demonstrate full accountability for on time delivery of the agreed scope and adherence to WIPAC’s Project Lifecycle Phase Exit Process, using best practice project management techniques.
• Achieve and report on agreed KPI’s using the Project Dashboard.
• Manage project budgets by maintaining an accurate, up to date Project Budget Worksheet, showing budget, actual and forecast information for prototypes, D&D, tooling and piece price, revenue, expenditure & margins.
• Manage project timing and maintain an accurate, up to date project timing plan.
• Liaising with suppliers and internal resources to ensure good visibility of project status and highlight concerns.
• Lead customer project meetings and visits & be the customer point of contact to successfully manage customer relationship during the project phases.
• Chair and minute internal project meetings, maintaining a project level open points list, with the project team as appropriate.
• Ensure that all Projects are managed in accordance with Company Policies and Procedures.
• Ability to identify, report and escape project risks in line with approved business processes.
• Ability to ensure that Project and Series Engineering Changes are managed in accordance with Company Policies and Procedures.
• Effective project scope and change management in line with approved business processes including preparation of commercial aspects of project related changes.
• Manage pre-production build phases & process equipment development in line with project requirements.
• When required / appropriate, provide support and mentoring to Project Engineers to ensure successful project delivery.
• If required, support the Head of Programme Management with development of Project Management tools and processes.
• Report project status to the Senior Management team at monthly project reviews.

Qualifications

• Previous experience working within an automotive Company ideally a 1st Tier Supplier.
• Educated to degree or equivalent level in a technically based subject.
• Relevant Project management experience, ideally with some qualification e.g. PRINCE 2.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Interpersonal skills that enable you to work with people at all levels and develop good working relationships.
• Problem solving and negotiation skills.
• Initiative and the ability to offer new ideas.
• Ability to plan, multi-task and manage time effectively.
• Ability to motivate and lead a team.
• Computer literate in Microsoft office programmes including Project.
• German speaking preferred but not essential.

Key Measures

• Quality: Adhere to project procedures and document requirements.
• Cost: Manage and track cost against and within project budgets.
• Delivery: To deliver to project timings, budgets and cost as agreed with the Customer.
• People: Personal development and training against appraisal matrix.
• Health & safety: Adhere to company procedures & audit requirements.
• Housekeeping: Meet requirements of 5S audits.