Connected Vehicle Quality Engineering Manager

Industry: *NASI – Head Office (Regular Employee)

Company: Subaru of America

Job Description

Love. It’s what makes Subaru, Subaru®. And as a leading auto brand in the US, we strive to be More Than a Car Company®. Subaru believes in being a positive force in the communities in which we live and work, not just with donations but with actions that set an example for others to follow. That’s what we call our Subaru Love Promise®.

Position Summary

The Connected Vehicle Quality Engineering Manager leads the market quality improvement team, focusing on achieving superior quality standards for infotainment and connected vehicles in North America. This role is pivotal in establishing and managing the QE5 Connected Quality Engineering team, ensuring rapid resolution of quality issues through effective collaboration with Subaru of America, Subaru Corporation, and various suppliers. The manager will develop organizational strategies, foster team growth, and implement best practices to enhance the quality of Subaru’s connected vehicle offerings.

Major Responsibilities

• Leads the rapid resolution of infotainment and connected car related quality issues for vehicles sold in North America. Works as leader in the investigation to understand who to go to and work with, what steps need to be taken, what information is needed for the investigation, and managing workload of team members.
• Plans, develops, and operates a new Connected Quality Team (QE5). Implements the organizational strategy including best practices and staffing (job descriptions, skills needed, hiring, etc.).
• Negotiates and coordinates within the Fast Action & Solution Team (FAST) team and with Subaru of America (SOA), Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA), Subaru Corporation (SBR), and suppliers. Influences negotiations and decisions based on subject matter knowledge.
• Grasps and manages the progress status of issues and responds to new information and deploys information at progress meetings. Prioritizes issues appropriately and understands how to effectively move an investigation to its conclusion.
• Grasps the quality overview of the North American market and proposes improvements to the FAST organization. Stays informed about automotive market and applies new information learned to Subaru.
• Develops and motivates members and sets future direction of the team and its staff members. This includes goal setting, performance reviews, training, and career development.
• Strategizes with Subaru teams regarding future product proposals and coordinating work with SOA Connected Business and IT teams.

Additional Responsibilities

• Plans and organizes for retailer visits and regular quality improvement meetings (including overseas in Japan and Canada, etc.).

Required Skills & Personal Qualifications

• At least ten (10) years of related work experience, including:
  • At least six (6) years of experience managing quality improvement or development in an automotive company.
  • At least (8) years of work experience in connected development.
• Working knowledge of state-of-the-art quality inspection, quality engineering/quality assurance techniques, and general business operations.
• General knowledge of software – enough to understand Android OS and Linux structure, read JAVA and C source code and electrical circuits, and to read schematics.
• Understanding of (or ability to understand) Subaru’s quality issue resolution process and development process.
• Ability to set goals and objectives to complete projects effectively and efficiently.
• General knowledge of vehicle construction.
• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Experience managing software development processes preferred.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Strong computer skills (including Microsoft Office, especially Excel and Access), as well as ability to create reports and databases.
• Ability to foster cross-organizational teamwork.
• Ability to interact effectively with Japanese people and adapt to Japanese business practices.
• Ability to construct and propose organizational structure and strategy.
• Experience with managing people and leading a team.

Education/Experience Requirements: BA/BS with 10+ years of relevant experience

Work Environment:

• Required Travel: 10% (May Include weekend and occasional overseas travel)
• Hybrid Role: Remote work 2 days per week (After 90 Days Onboarding)
• Physical Demands:
  • Can perform light mechanical duties similar to an automotive technician.
  • May be required to lift moderately heavy automotive components up to 50 lbs.
• Internal Work Environment:
  • High pressure and deadline-oriented projects.
  • Frequently shifting priorities according to in-demand technical topics.
  • Frequent use of headset.
  • Prolonged use of PC.

Compensation: The recruiting base salary range for this full-time position is $111500 – 150000 / year. Within the range, individual pay is determined by factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. (Internal Job Grade: M2) In addition to competitive salary, Subaru offers an amazing benefits package that includes:

• Medical, Dental, Vision Plans
• Pension, Profit Sharing, and 401K Match Offerings
• 15 Vacation days, 9 Company Holidays, 5 Floating Holidays, and 5 Sick days.
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Vehicle Discount Programs
• See our Careers landing page for additional information about our compensation and benefit programs.