Program Manager at Wolverine Advanced Materials – Blacksburg, Virginia

About Wolverine Advanced Materials

Wolverine Advanced Materials produces and sells performance-critical, specialty elastomer-coated metals used in gaskets for automotive & industrial applications; automotive brake noise insulators and NVH (noise, vibration & harshness) damping solutions for automotive.

Wolverine employs approximately 600 people worldwide and has manufacturing operations in Virginia, Florida, Germany, and China, as well as sales & technical offices in Michigan, Germany, Japan, China, Brazil, and India.

Wolverine Advanced Materials, an entity of Center Rock Capital, is a leading developer and manufacturer of high-performance materials. Our core competency is in performance-critical, specialty elastomer–coated metals that offer damping and seal-ability solutions in the automotive and gasket industries.

Center Rock Capital is a company where they see potential where others may not look; and as a team we can find the right solution to the right challenge.

For more information, visit centerrockcp.com or wamglobal.com.

About the role

The Program Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and overseeing programs that align with organizational goals. This role involves managing multiple projects within a program, coordinating cross-functional teams, and ensuring successful delivery within scope, budget, and timeline.

This position is located in Blacksburg, Virginia and is not telework eligible.

What you'll do

• Define program objectives, scope, deliverables, and success criteria in alignment with business strategy.
• Develop, maintain, and execute integrated program plans, including schedules, budgets, and resource plans.
• Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams to deliver program objectives on time, within scope, and within budget.
• Monitor program performance, identify risks and dependencies, and implement effective mitigation and contingency plans.
• Establish and lead regular program management reviews, including governance, escalation, and decision-making forums.
• Communicate program status, risks, issues, and progress through clear, structured updates to leadership and customers.
• Ensure compliance with organizational standards, policies, and applicable regulatory or customer requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement and best practices in program management, including workflow optimization, task simplification, and lead-time reduction.
• Define, track, and achieve effectiveness and efficiency KPIs for program execution and launches, ensuring on-time delivery of samples and PPAP submissions
• Manage resource allocation across projects and resolve priority conflicts to support overall program success.

• Own program financial performance, including cost control, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Serve as the primary interface between commercial, engineering, operations, and customers for assigned programs.
• Support change management and ensure controlled execution of scope, schedule, and cost changes.

Qualifications

· Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, or a related field.

· Minimum of 5 years of experience in program or project management, preferably within the automotive industry.

· Demonstrated experience with APQP and PPAP tools in an automotive manufacturing environment.

· Demonstrated leadership, organizational, and cross-functional coordination skills in a matrix organization.

· Proficiency in program management tools and methodologies, with Agile experience preferred.

· Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management capabilities.

· PMP and/or PgMP certification preferred.

Key Competencies

· Strategic thinking and strong problem-solving capability.

· Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively in a fast-paced environment.

· Strong analytical skills with sound judgment and decision-making ability.

· Collaborative, adaptable, and results-oriented.

· Hands-on leader with the ability to lead and achieve results through influence within a matrix organization.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Wolverine Advanced Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer.