Materials Strategy Senior Manager

Description

At General Motors, our product teams are redefining mobility. Through a human-centered design process, we create vehicles and experiences that are designed not just to be seen, but to be felt. We're turning today's impossible into tomorrow's standard -from breakthrough hardware and battery systems to intuitive design, intelligent software, and next-generation safety and entertainment features.

Every day, our products move millions of people as we aim to make driving safer, smarter, and more connected, shaping the future of transportation on a global scale.

The Role

As a Material Strategy Senior Manager, you will play a key role in shaping how materials move through GM's General Assembly operations and supporting areas. You will develop and execute lean material strategies - integrating automation technologies such as AMR/AGV systems, robotic kitting and sequencing, and (WMS) warehouse management systems - to deliver safer, lower-cost, and more reliable operations.

Working across Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Safety, IT/OT, Purchasing, Finance, and Value-Added Assembly (VAA), you will help ensure material and automation strategies are aligned with program timing, plant plans, and business goals. You will support new vehicle program launches from concept through ramp-up, managing risks and delivering stable, on-time results.

This role also involves tracking and improving key performance metrics - including safety, delivery, inventory turns, material handling cost, and automation uptime - using lean principles, value stream mapping, and standard work to drive continuous improvement.

You will collaborate closely with plant teams and travel periodically to manufacturing, warehouse, and VAA locations to support strategy deployment and troubleshooting. If you have a passion for lean operations, a hands-on approach, and the drive to make a real impact on GM's manufacturing performance - this is a great opportunity to grow your career at one of the world's leading automakers.

This role is expected to collaborate frequently with plant teams and may require periodic travel to manufacturing, warehouse, and VAA locations to support strategy deployment, launch, and troubleshooting activities.

What You'll Do:

Strategy & Leadership

• Own the enterprise lean material strategy for General Assembly and supporting areas, integrating automation, digital systems, and indirect labor optimization to deliver safer, lower-cost, and more reliable operations.
• Build and maintain a multi-year automation and material-flow roadmap (automation, vision, IoT, data analytics, digital twins) and translate it into a prioritized portfolio of projects with clear KPIs, ROI, and resource plans.
• Lead a high-performing salaried team of material and automation professionals; provide direction, coaching, and performance management, safety, quality, and cost targets.
• Act as the primary integrator between Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Safety, IT/OT, Purchasing, Finance, and Value-Added Assembly (VAA) to ensure material and automation strategies are embedded in program timing, plant master plans, and business cases.

• Identify, evaluate, and deploy advanced material automation solutions (e.g., ASRS, AMR/AGV systems, automated forklifts/tuggers, robotic kitting and sequencing, smart conveyors, autonomous glass and body cells) that eliminate waste and indirect labor while improving safety and throughput.
• Lead development of Statements of Requirements (SOR) and technical specifications for material automation and Logistics Management Systems (LMS); partner with Purchasing to select and onboard strategic suppliers that can scale across plants.
• Use simulation, digital twins, and data-driven analysis to validate material strategies, warehouse layouts, and line-side delivery concepts before physical implementation, ensuring designs are lean, right-sized, and flexible.
• Ensure all automation solutions are engineered and implemented to meet or exceed safety, cybersecurity, and ergonomic standards, in close partnership with Safety and Cybersecurity teams.

• Lead the material and automation workstream for new vehicle programs from early concept through SOR, detailed design, build, run-off, buy-off, and ramp-up, ensuring on-time, on-budget, and stable launches.
• Develop and execute lean material strategies for VAA (kitting, sub-assembly, sequencing) and supplier-integrated flows that enable flawless launches, short changeover times, and robust steady-state performance.
• Coordinate cross-functional launch teams, manage issues and risk registers for material and automation scope, and provide clear, data-driven status and readiness updates to senior leadership.

• Define, monitor, and act on material and automation KPIs (safety, delivery performance, inventory turns, material handling cost, indirect labor productivity, equipment utilization, automation uptime) to drive continuous improvement.
• Champion lean material flow using tools such as value stream mapping, standard work, visual management, error proofing, and GMS principles to systematically remove waste, variability, and overburden.
• Own department budgets for material operations and automation (capital and expense); optimize spend through robust business cases, scenario analysis, and disciplined post-implementation reviews.
• Manage strategic supplier relationships for automation and material handling systems; define support models, SLAs, and lifecycle strategies that protect uptime, performance, and total cost of ownership.

• Build, develop, and retain a diverse, future-ready team of material and automation experts; identify successors and enable career growth through mentoring, stretch assignments, and targeted training in emerging technologies.
• Model and reinforce a strong safety, quality, and lean culture, embedding GMS behaviors and standard work in all material and automation activities.
• Lead change management for new technologies and processes, ensuring frontline engagement, effective training, and rapid adoption across plants and VAA partners to capture full value from lean and automation investments.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 8+ years of combined experience in automotive or high-volume manufacturing, with progressive responsibility in materials management, manufacturing engineering, and/or automation.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams and/or large cross-functional projects involving material flow design, warehouse operations, or line-side delivery systems.
• Proven track record implementing material automation technologies (e.g., ASRS, AMR/AGV systems, robotic handling, LMS/WMS, MES integrations) in production environments.
• Strong knowledge of lean manufacturing, and value stream mapping with measurable improvements in cost, productivity, and quality.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making skills; comfortable using simulation, analytics, and digital tools to design and optimize systems.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization and present to senior leadership.

• Experience in General Assembly material flow, VAA management, sequencing, kitting, and sub-assembly planning.
• Hands-on experience with industrial control systems and plant floor automation (PLC/robot interfaces, conveyance, vision systems, IoT devices) related to material movement.
• Background in data analytics and automation of business processes (e.g., Power BI, Python, simulation tools) supporting material and labor optimization.
• Prior leadership experience in a global or multi-site environment, with exposure to different manufacturing footprints and cultures.