Project/Program Design Senior Manager

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Program Management Office (PMO) leader to establish and lead the PMO function for our large automotive semiconductor power management group. In this role, you will drive portfolio governance, project execution excellence, and cross-functional alignment across a complex ecosystem of product development programs, manufacturing ramps, and operational initiatives. You will implement best-in-class program management practices with strong emphasis on functional safety governance and risk management, establish disciplined stage-gate processes that embed functional safety review and compliance tracking, drive on-time and on-budget delivery, and ensure visibility and accountability across the entire program portfolio. This role requires deep automotive semiconductor experience, mature program/portfolio management expertise, strong functional safety knowledge (ISO 26262, SOTIF), and the ability to coordinate effectively with engineering, operations, quality, functional safety, finance, and customer teams.

Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the PMO organization: Define PMO vision, governance structure, processes, tools, and team composition. Build a team of program managers and coordinators capable of supporting 15-25 concurrent programs across design, development, validation, and production phases. Develop PMO operating standards and playbooks aligned with automotive industry best practices.
• Implement portfolio management and governance: Establish portfolio-level governance including quarterly portfolio reviews, go/no-go decision frameworks, and resource allocation processes. Create visibility into program status, risks, dependencies, and critical path items across all active programs. Ensure alignment between portfolio strategy and business objectives.
• Drive program execution excellence: Partner with program leads and cross-functional teams to establish clear milestones, deliverables, dependencies, and success criteria for each program. Implement stage-gate processes aligned with product development lifecycle. Track program health (schedule, budget, scope, quality, risk) with real-time dashboards and regular steering reviews.
• Manage schedule, budget, and resource allocation: Establish robust program estimating and planning processes. Monitor budget execution and spending forecasts across the program portfolio. Manage resource conflicts and allocation optimization to maximize efficiency and minimize bottlenecks. Escalate critical resource or budget constraints to leadership.
• Drive functional safety governance and compliance across program portfolio: Establish functional safety management processes aligned with ISO 26262 and SOTIF requirements. Ensure functional safety reviews are embedded in stage-gate processes and design milestones. Track functional safety metrics including ASIL classifications, safety case development, and FMEA/FTA completion. Collaborate with functional safety and quality teams