Automotive Program Manager

About the role

Kelly® Engineering is seeking a Program Manager for a direct-hire position with a manufacturer of high-performance braking systems in Clover, South Carolina. This opportunity combines customer-facing automotive program leadership with the ability to build a more structured approach to product development and program execution. Overview Our client designs and manufactures braking products for motorsports, passenger vehicles, commercial fleets, and emergency response applications. Its products support demanding environments where performance, reliability, and consistent quality matter—from competitive racing to everyday fleet operations. The Program Manager will lead customer programs from early opportunity assessment through development, production approval, and launch. Working with sales, engineering, quality, and production, this person will establish a practical Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) framework, coordinate customer requirements, and keep program milestones, resources, and deliverables on track. The portfolio includes predominantly racing programs alongside automotive OEM work, requiring an approach tailored to each customer and project.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer programs from initial opportunity assessment through development, Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), and transition into production.
• Serve as a primary program contact for automotive OEM and Tier 1 customers, coordinating requirements, meetings, milestones, and outstanding deliverables.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive APQP framework, adapting requirements to each customer, product, and program’s complexity.
• Translate high-level product development milestones into detailed plans with clear task ownership, deadlines, dependencies, and approval requirements.
• Partner with sales during the opportunity stage to assess customer expectations, resource needs, timing, and alignment with manufacturing capabilities.
• Coordinate engineering, quality, production, and sales activities to support timely execution within agreed budgets and resource constraints.
• Identify program risks, resolve cross-functional obstacles, and escalate issues that could affect timing, cost, quality, or customer commitments.
• Coordinate required engineering and quality deliverables, including Design FMEAs, control plans, and production approval documentation.
• Establish focused program reviews that drive decisions, accountability, and follow-through.
• Maintain program schedules and report progress, customer metrics, resource needs, and open actions to leadership.
• Improve and standardize program management processes while applying the appropriate level of structure to racing and OEM programs.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated automotive project or program management experience involving OEMs or Tier 1 suppliers.
• Strong knowledge of APQP and experience applying it to product development and production launches.
• Direct experience managing customer requirements, leading customer meetings, and coordinating program deliverables.
• Ability to build and implement practical program management processes.
• Understanding of how sales, engineering, quality, and production activities connect throughout the product lifecycle.
• Familiarity with automotive quality planning deliverables, including Design FMEAs, control plans, and PPAP.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Project or a comparable scheduling tool, along with Microsoft Excel.
• Strong organization, problem-solving, communication, and cross-functional follow-through.
• Ability to coordinate technical work, manage competing priorities, and hold teams accountable for agreed commitments.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field preferred; relevant automotive program management experience will also be considered.
• Interest in automotive technology, motorsports, or performance products is a plus.

Benefits

• Voluntary benefit plans including medical, dental, vision, telemedicine, term life, whole life, accident insurance, critical illness, a legal plan, and short-term disability.
• Retirement savings plan.
• Service bonus and holiday pay plans (earn up to eight paid holidays per benefit year).
• Transit spending account.
• Paid sick leave under the applicable state or local plan.