We are CARIAD, an automotive software development team with the Volkswagen Group. Our mission is to make the automotive experience safer, more sustainable, more comfortable, more digital, and more fun. To achieve that we are building the leading tech stack for the automotive industry and creating a unified software platform for over 10 million new vehicles per year. We’re looking for talented, digital minds like you to help us create code that moves the world. Together with you, we’ll build outstanding digital experiences and products for all Volkswagen Group brands that will transform mobility. Join us as we shape the future of the car and everyone around it.
Role Summary:
This position will be responsible for steering the all test and integration related activities of the North American Delivery Unit of the product line E3 1.1, working closely with the Global Delivery Unit to ensure a competitive E³ 1.1 product delivery for all MEB & MQB vehicles in North American Region (USA, Canada & Mexico). Additionally, this position will provide regional steering support for all E³ 1.1 -related activities in North America. This position will be a hybrid role based in Chattanooga TN.
Role Responsibilities:
NAR Technical Program Planning
- Responsible to plan all E³ 1.1 product testing and integration activities in the region, carried out at CARIAD Inc or sub-contracted to VW of America, Audi of America or regional suppliers.
- Collaborate closely with CARIAD SE stakeholders to carry out plausibility checks of planned developments (cross-system across all roles).
- Collaborate closely with CARIAD SE stakeholders to define & document the underlying assumptions of the distribution of test scopes
- Review & follow-up on the commissioning of the test and integration scopes requested by CARIAD SE from entities in the region.
- Review & follow-up on the transfer of the "Shelf release interface document" to entities in the region.
- Responsible for consolidation of all proof-of-work / performance records for all E³ 1.1 product development activities at CARIAD Inc, VWoA, AoA & regional suppliers.
- Responsible for following up with CARIAD SE on the acceptance of performance records as a foundation for the inter-company invoicing.
Regional Steering of the Test & Integration activities
- Manage all E³1.1 related test activities in the region, also if they are executed outside of CARIAD Inc.
- Oversee & steer the regular in-time and in-quality delivery of all E³ 1.1 test activities in the region sub-contracted to VW of America, Audi of America and regional suppliers.
- Provide status, action plan and recommendations to executive leadership on an ongoing basis based on agreed KPIs.
- Accountable for the efficient allocation of internal & external resources involved in the E³ 1.1 test activities at CARIAD Inc, VWoA, AoA & regional suppliers.
- Review & follow-up on the weekly test status of the E³ 1.1 product development activities prepared by System-level Leads at CARIAD Inc, VWoA & AoA.
- Review & follow-up on the weekly reporting of the status in the CARIAD SE steering meeting.
- Responsible for the weekly consolidation & reporting of the cross-system overall status of all E³ 1.1 product development activities at CARIAD Inc, VWoA, AoA & regional suppliers.
- Review & follow-up on the distribution of steering orders relating to all E³ 1.1 test activities at CARIAD Inc, VWoA, AoA & regional suppliers.
- Review & follow-up on the release execution process for shelf-release of all E³ 1.1 product development activities at CARIAD Inc, VWoA, AoA & regional suppliers.
- Review & follow-up on the shelf-release recommendation statements from CARIAD Inc, VWoA, AoA & regional suppliers working on behalf of CARIAD in the region.
General Skills:
- Leads with Integrity: Speaks-up with compassion & empathy to firmly stand by our values, principles, rules & regulations.
- Takes Accountability: Assumes personal responsibility for making and keeping realistic agreements and openly owning mistakes and consequences, while demonstrating continuous commitment and consideration for the larger interests of society, the environment, the company and the team.
- Creates Clarity & Momentum: Aligns people, processes and systems to create forward momentum. Anticipates and removes impediments. Builds consensus and motivates teams to joint-action to achieve common goals across organizational boundaries & cultural differences.
- Thoughtful Problem Solver & Communicator with Executive Presence: Thinks analytically, critically, creatively and communicating with clarity, direction & purpose.
- Intentional Team player: Shapes culture, roles & responsibilities with care & empathy to create engaged, empowered & high-performing interdisciplinary teams, working frameworks and processes that drive results & ensure project success.
- Attentive Listener: Listens actively while withholding judgment and advice. Clarifies intentions & motivations to anticipate and address potential conflicts & avoid misunderstanding.
- Drives Diversity: Acts from a deep-rooted belief that we build better teams & products when we empower & learn from the broadest spectrum of humanity.
- Thrives in Ambiguity: Approaches challenges with an open and curious mindset and a strong bias towards action. Zooms out to systematically map out the situation and is comfortable making high impact decisions based on limited or conflicting information.
- Develops Strategy, Partnerships & Business: Strong empathy, influencing and negotiation skills that help create alignment around product execution, budgets, resources, program planning, etc. Highly execution focused by working in conjunction with various stakeholders and counterparts.
Required Specialized Skills:
- Demonstrated successes in developing strong long-term working relationships across many layers of an international organization and across cultural boundaries.
- Cross-team resource management to align and reach project goals.
- Able to provide both high-level strategic context and dive into the weeds on Continuous Development and Release Process Management.
- Proven success in technical program management for large organizations. Extensive experience leading multiple cross-functional, interdisciplinary teams through function release & validation.
- Deep understanding of vehicle software architecture and the fundamentals of different electronics system on modern vehicles.
- Experience managing multiple product areas and backlogs simultaneously.
- Comfortable interacting with executive managements across multiple business functions
- Deep knowledge of Automotive processes and standards
Desired Skills:
- Deep understanding of VW Group Product Development & Release Processes.
- History of working with VW Group suppliers
- Extensive Network within the Volkswagen. Groups R&D Organizations.
- Bi-lingual in German & English.
Workplace Flexibility:
- Extensive work schedule flexibility for remote meetings & workshops during German business hours.
- Domestic and international travel required based on business need.
Years of Relevant Experience:
- 7+ years of work experience
- 4+ years’ experience in project management
Required Education:
- Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) in Electrical/Computer Engineering, Computer Science or related technical field
Desired Education:
- Master’s Degree (or equivalent) in Electrical/Computer Engineering, Computer Science or related technical field
