Engineering Group Manager - Seat Complete

Role Overview

Technical Leadership and Seat Complete Integration

Program Execution and Decision-Making

Cross-Functional Alignment and Relationships

People Leadership and Team Capability

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or a related technical field.
• Demonstrated experience leading complete seat engineering, seat system integration, or a closely related automotive seating function.
• Deep technical knowledge of automotive seating, including seat structures, mechanisms, components, subsystems, integration, packaging, and vehicle interior interfaces.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical development from early concept and frontloading through validation, launch, and production issue resolution.
• Proven ability to make autonomous, timely decisions in ambiguous and high-pressure situations while balancing customer needs, technical requirements, business metrics, and department strategy.
• Strong understanding of engineering development processes, requirements management, design reviews, DFMEA, peer reviews, DFSS, validation, and issue-resolution disciplines.
• Demonstrated ability to lead DREs and integration engineers through complex program deliverables with accountability for timing, quality, technical performance, and launch readiness.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical issues, tradeoffs, risks, and recommendations clearly across engineering, program, purchasing, manufacturing, and supplier organizations.
• Proven ability to create cross-functional alignment and establish a clear path forward without unnecessary escalation or delay.
• Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to gain trust and confidence from team members, peers, senior leaders, program teams, purchasing, and suppliers.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, resolve conflict, remove roadblocks, and maintain composure while delivering results.
• Proven people-leadership skills, including coaching, feedback, talent development, recognition, performance management, and workload prioritization.
• Willingness to travel as required during development, execution, and launch phases.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Master of Science degree in engineering or a related technical field.
• Master of Business Administration.
• DFSS Black Belt certification.
• Experience with manufacturing automation and/or product design for automation.
• Experience with innovation and technical advancement within automotive seating or interiors.
• GM DOES NOT PROVIDE IMMIGRATION-RELATED SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS ROLE. DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS ROLE IF YOU WILL NEED GM IMMIGRATION SPONSORSHIP NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. THIS INCLUDES DIRECT COMPANY SPONSORSHIP, ENTRY OF GM AS THE IMMIGRATION EMPLOYER OF RECORD ON A GOVERNMENT FORM, AND ANY WORK AUTHORIZATION REQUIRING A WRITTEN SUBMISSION OR OTHER IMMIGRATION SUPPORT FROM THE COMPANY (e.g., H-1B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc.)
• #LI-JN1

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical development and integration of complete seat systems from concept through launch for assigned vehicle programs.
• Own seat complete technical execution, ensuring that seat structures, mechanisms, components, subsystems, trim, restraint interfaces, electrical content, occupant interfaces, and vehicle integration requirements are understood, compatible, and delivered as an integrated system.
• Apply expert knowledge of automotive seating, seat structures, seat mechanisms, component and subsystem development, seat complete integration, packaging, and vehicle interior integration to guide engineering decisions.
• Establish and maintain technical direction for the seat system, including requirements, interfaces, design intent, validation strategy, issue resolution, and launch readiness.
• Ensure seat solutions meet or balance vehicle technical specifications, seat system technical specifications, customer expectations, quality targets, cost objectives, mass targets, timing, manufacturability, serviceability, and other program imperatives.
• Lead technical reviews, peer reviews, DFMEA activities, DFSS application, design assessments, and cross-functional issue-resolution forums to drive robust engineering decisions and global read-across.
• Partner with suppliers to develop, mature, validate, and launch seat systems and technologies that meet GM requirements and program objectives.
• Identify technical risks early, assess tradeoffs, and drive mitigation plans to closure with clear owners, timing, and decision criteria.
• Lead GMNA Seat DREs and seat integration engineers in delivering vehicle program milestones, GVDP deliverables, and launch commitments on time and with excellence.
• Make timely, well-informed decisions within the scope of the role, balancing department strategy with the needs of the vehicle and the expected impact on customers and business metrics.
• Act autonomously to resolve ambiguity, remove roadblocks, and establish a path forward without waiting for unnecessary intervention.
• Ensure technical decisions are clearly documented, communicated, and understood by impacted stakeholders across Seats, the program team, purchasing, manufacturing, and suppliers.
• Manage competing priorities and a multitude of assignments with composure, organization, and disciplined execution.
• Lead balancing of portfolio imperatives, including HVI, and ensure VTS, SSTS, CTS, and other vehicle and seat requirements are achievable, compatible, and aligned.
• Ensure adequate engineering resources are identified and deployed to support program execution and frontloading initiatives, including strategic sourcing, design detail reviews, and other early development activities.
• Support execution and launch phases through appropriate travel and direct engagement with program, plant, and supplier teams as required.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships across Seat engineering, Seat leadership, Interior SMT, safety integration, purchasing, vehicle architecture, design studio, manufacturing, program teams, global development teams, and suppliers.
• Communicate complex technical issues and recommendations clearly to technical and non-technical audiences, enabling fast alignment and effective decisions.
• Create alignment on requirements, ownership, timing, risks, and next steps across teams and organizations.
• Represent Seat Complete Engineering in cross-functional forums and ensure Seat priorities, constraints, and technical needs are understood and incorporated into vehicle decisions.
• Partner with strategic suppliers to establish productive working relationships, drive accountability, and enable timely issue resolution and successful launches.
• Promote consistent global and regional collaboration and leverage lessons learned and best practices across programs.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of GMNA Seat DREs and seat integration engineers.
• Establish clear individual and team priorities, assign and stabilize workloads, and ensure resources are aligned to program and functional needs.
• Conduct regular team meetings and communicate GM policies, procedures, safety messages, functional strategy, and organizational priorities.
• Provide candid, constructive, and timely feedback; evaluate performance and behaviors; recognize contributions; and address performance concerns when necessary.
• Support employee career development plans, identify capability gaps, and execute training and development initiatives that increase team capability and capacity.
• Ensure employees complete mandatory GM training and role-specific technical or functional training.
• Participate in staffing initiatives, workforce planning, compensation planning, and compensation administration as required.
• Remove roadblocks and resolve employee concerns, complaints, and work-related issues in a timely and fair manner.
• Foster a workplace of choice grounded in accountability, inclusion, collaboration, technical excellence, and continuous improvement.