Area Manager Plant Launch

The Plant Launch Manager (LL5) for the Chennai Transmission Plant (CTP) provides overall plant leadership for the industrialization, launch, and stabilization of new transmission programs, transmission upgrades, localization initiatives, and export configurations. This role is accountable for integrating product, manufacturing, quality, supplier, and plant-operating teams to deliver safe, capable, cost-effective, and on-time launches through all Global Product Development System (GPDS) milestones—from early manufacturing feasibility through Job 1 and sustainable high-volume production.

Operating as the senior plant launch authority, the Plant Launch Manager sets the launch governance, leads cross-functional decision-making, escalates enterprise risks, and develops the launch organization. The role owns plant launch readiness against Quality, Cost, Delivery, Safety, and Morale (QCDSM) targets while ensuring a disciplined handoff to production operations.

1. Plant Launch Strategy, Governance & GPDS Delivery

• Own the integrated plant launch strategy, master timing plan, investment readiness, and operating cadence for CTP transmission programs in alignment with GPDS gateways and regional/global program requirements.

• Lead cross-functional launch governance involving Powertrain Product Development, Global Powertrain Manufacturing Engineering (PTME), Plant Quality, Production, Maintenance, Material Planning & Logistics, Finance, Purchasing, and Supplier Technical Assistance.

• Establish clear launch deliverables, escalation paths, recovery plans, and executive reporting for all critical program milestones, including virtual build events, verification prototypes, tooling trials, Production Trial Runs (PTRs), Job 1, and ramp-up.

• Provide concise plant readiness assessments and risk-based recommendations to plant, regional, and global leadership forums; drive timely resolution of issues that threaten program timing, cost, quality, or safety.

• Ensure launch lessons learned are captured, standardized, and applied to future CTP and regional powertrain programs.

2. Manufacturing Readiness, Process Capability & Investment Execution

• Direct the readiness and technical integration of machining, assembly, test, material handling, gaging, automation, traceability, and supporting infrastructure for new or modified transmission processes.

• Govern installation, commissioning, runoffs, capability validation, and final buy-off of manufacturing equipment, tooling, test cells, leak-test systems, torque systems, CNC machining centers, washing systems, and quality stations.

• Ensure critical-to-quality process capability targets are achieved prior to handoff, including a minimum Cpk of 1.67 for critical parameters unless an approved program-specific requirement applies.

• Lead plant-level decisions on manufacturing feasibility, capacity, cycle time, staffing, ergonomics, maintenance strategy, and launch containment; ensure corrective actions are integrated into program timing.

• Control launch-related capital and operating expenditures, validate business cases, and ensure investment delivery meets approved scope, timing, and cost commitments.

3. Quality, APQP & Launch Issue Resolution

• Accountable for launch quality planning and execution, including APQP, PPAP readiness, PFMEA, Control Plans, standardized work, Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and layered process verification.

• Lead senior-level problem-solving for systemic launch concerns such as machining variation, assembly mismatches, test failures, leak failures, supplier defects, and throughput losses using 8D, Shainin Red X, Six Sigma, 5-Why, and other disciplined methods.

• Ensure robust issue management through the applicable Ford systems, including AIMS, WERS, and CMMS3, with clear ownership, verified containment, permanent corrective actions, and closure discipline.

• Partner with Supplier Quality and Supplier Technical Assistance to manage supplier launch performance, PPAP maturity, incoming quality risks, and escalation of critical component concerns.

• Ensure launch-affected processes are prepared for internal and external quality-system audits, including ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 requirements.

4. People Leadership, Safety & Operational Handoff

• Lead, coach, and develop Plant Launch Supervisors and technical launch resources; set clear accountabilities, build succession depth, and strengthen launch-management capability across the plant.

• Create a safety-first launch culture by ensuring all activities comply with Ford safety requirements, Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), High-Risk Activity (HRA) controls, machine guarding, ergonomics, and contractor-management expectations.

• Lead plant change-management activities required for successful launch, including workforce planning, operator and maintenance training, work instructions, staffing ramp-up, and production ownership transfer.

• Align with plant operating leadership to define launch exit criteria, stabilize QCDSM performance, and execute a structured handoff from launch operations to serial production.

• Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and accountable team environment that enables rapid escalation, data-based decisions, and continuous improvement during high-intensity launch periods.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automobile Engineering, Production/Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or Business Administration is preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum of 12 years of progressive experience in automotive manufacturing engineering, plant operations, industrialization, or launch, with significant exposure to powertrain assembly, machining, or test operations.

• Minimum of 5 years of people-leadership and/or major program-launch leadership experience in an automotive transmission, engine, or comparable high-volume manufacturing environment.

• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional launches from manufacturing readiness through Job 1 and stable volume ramp-up.

• Proven experience managing capital projects, launch budgets, supplier interfaces, and multiple concurrent project workstreams under demanding timing constraints.

TECHNICAL SKILLS & TOOLS

• Powertrain manufacturing: strong knowledge of CNC machining, precision gaging, metallurgy fundamentals, washing, assembly automation, torque systems, leak testing, end-of-line testing, traceability, and material flow.

• Launch systems: advanced understanding of GPDS, APQP, PPAP, PTR, PFMEA, Control Plans, SPC, MSA, standardized work, and manufacturing readiness reviews.

• Engineering and change control: ability to interpret GD&T drawings, tolerance stack-ups, process specifications, and engineering-change workflows, including WERS and CMMS3.

• Problem solving: expert application of structured problem-solving methods; Shainin Red X and/or Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt certification is strongly preferred.

• Program management: proficiency in integrated timing, risk management, investment governance, executive communication, and performance dashboards.

LEADERSHIP & BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES

• Executive communication: communicates technical and business risks clearly and decisively with shop-floor teams, plant leadership, regional stakeholders, and global engineering organizations.

• Collaboration and influence: builds productive partnerships across global engineering hubs and local plant functions, aligning diverse stakeholders around shared program outcomes.

• Strategic execution: translates program objectives into disciplined plant actions, anticipates constraints, and drives practical recovery plans when performance deviates from target.

• Resilience and adaptability: leads constructively through ambiguity, compressed timing, and high-pressure launch conditions while maintaining focus on safety, quality, and team wellbeing.

FORD LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS

• Focus on Customers: Deliver transmission products with world-class quality, reliability, and performance.

• Care for Each Other: Create an inclusive, psychologically safe, and physically safe environment where people can speak up, learn, and succeed.

• Fuel Growth: Develop people and continuously improve launch processes, manufacturing capability, and operational performance.

• Simplify: Remove unnecessary complexity, eliminate waste, and establish scalable, robust processes for production.

• Build Ford’s Future: Prepare CTP’s people, systems, and manufacturing capability for future powertrain technologies and evolving customer needs.