Position Summary
The Sr Strategic Customer Project / Program Manager is a seasoned project management professional and trusted partner to Cox Automotive’s OEM, enterprise client, and internal business stakeholders. This role manages end-to-end delivery of complex, cross-functional initiatives across Dealer Marketing and the broader Consumer organization from business case development through operational handoff.
The Sr Strategic Customer Project / Program Manager operates at the intersection of program strategy, client-facing delivery, and measurable business outcomes. Engagements are selected based on business value (revenue, retention, cost reduction, regulatory/contractual requirement) and complexity (cross-organizational, multi-stream, or requiring new capabilities). This is not a coordination-only role: the Sr Strategic Customer Project / Program Manager is expected to lead, influence, and drive accountability across teams that do not report to them.
Key Responsibilities
- Independently manage moderately to highly complex projects requiring collaboration across multiple Cox Automotive functions and/or external client organizations.
- Apply consistent project management methodology (scope, charter, risk management, change control, close-out) across all engagements.
- Engage directly with OEM and dealer client stakeholders to understand business needs, define scope, and align delivery to client expectations and contractual commitments.
- Develop and maintain detailed project plans and schedules covering all workstreams; manage scope, schedule, risks, dependencies, and change control throughout the project lifecycle.
- Facilitate cross-functional project teams comprising business, technical, and operational team members; drive accountability without direct management authority.
- Lead regular workstream meetings, document decisions and action items, and maintain a central project repository (charter, requirements and designs, status reports, meeting summaries, risk/issue/action logs, deliverables).
- Prepare and distribute project status communications to sponsors, stakeholders, and executive leadership; escalate risks and issues with recommended mitigations.
- Support the development of client-facing materials and value narratives in partnership with Account Management, Marketing, Product Management, Sales, Readiness and Operations teams.
- Partner with Product Readiness and Business Readiness teams to ensure internal readiness, training, and handoff at project close.
- Track and report on project KPIs; guide projects and programs based on business impact (revenue, retention, adoption, cost savings), and support post-project measurement of KPIs and measures of success.
- Identify and recommend process improvement opportunities; contribute to the continuous improvement of project and program management methodology, tools, and documentation standards.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in related discipline and 4 years’ experience in a related field. The right candidate could also have a different combination, such as a master’s degree and 2 years’ experience; a Ph.D. and up to 1 year of experience; or 8 years’ experience in a related field.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects with competing priorities and deadlines.
- Experience managing client-facing projects or programs, including executive-level stakeholder communication.
- Proficiency in project management tools and methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid). Experience with Smartsheet and the Scaled Agile Framework are particularly applicable to this role.
- Experience with the product development lifecycle.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills; able to translate complex program status into clear executive narratives.
- Proven ability to drive alignment and accountability across teams without direct authority.
Preferred
- 5+ years of project or program management experience in complex, cross-functional environments.
- Experience in automotive, digital marketing, or OEM/dealer ecosystems.
- Familiarity with OEM and Enterprise/Large Dealer Group clients, contractual requirements, and compliance-driven delivery.
- Experience with continuous improvement and process improvement methodologies and tools.
- Demonstrated experience using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to improve the value and quality of project and program management services and deliverables.
Competencies/Skills
- Analytical Thinking: Applies effective analytical techniques; identifies root causes; assesses alternative solutions.
- Budgeting: Creates accurate project schedules; monitors actuals vs. plan; identifies and reports variances and delays.
- Consulting: Understands client objectives; explains requirements and deliverables; monitors performance vs. expectations.
- Managing Multiple Priorities: Manages concurrent projects; responds to shifting priorities while maintaining delivery commitments.
- Project Administration & Management: Consistent application of PM methodology, tools, and documentation across the full project lifecycle.
- Communicates with Consideration: Effective two-way communication; adjusts style for audience; creates positive executive impressions.
- Focuses on Execution: Establishes challenging goals; tracks and communicates progress; overcomes obstacles to meet commitments.
Drug Testing:
To be employed in this role, you'll need to clear a pre-employment drug test. Cox Automotive does not currently administer a pre-employment drug test for marijuana for this position. However, we are a drug-free workplace, so the possession, use or being under the influence of drugs illegal under federal or state law during work hours, on company property and/or in company vehicles is prohibited.
Compensation:
Compensation includes a base salary in the range of $81,400.00 - $122,000.00. The base salary may vary within the anticipated base pay range based on factors such as the ultimate location of the position and the selected candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Position may be eligible for additional compensation that may include an incentive program.
Benefits:
The Company offers eligible employees the flexibility to take as much vacation with pay as they deem consistent with their duties, the company’s needs, and its obligations; seven paid holidays throughout the calendar year; and up to 160 hours of paid wellness annually for their own wellness or that of family members. Employees are also eligible for additional paid time off in the form of bereavement leave, time off to vote, jury duty leave, volunteer time off, military leave, and parental leave.
Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States for any employer without current or future sponsorship.
EOE, including disability/vets
