Program Director

Job Description

Title: Program Director

Location: Remote Metro Detroit (occasionally attend onsite meetings)

Reports To: VP, Smart Digital

Vacancy: This is an existing position

This role will require an on-site presence at the client's location for meetings.

As the Program Director, you will serve as the primary strategic lead for senior client relationships, overseeing digital dealer program solutions for a top-tier Automotive OEM. This is a high-impact leadership position responsible for the growth and delivery of Smart Digital products and services.

You will orchestrate key deliverables across client engagement, dealer consulting, technology execution, and advanced data analytics. The ideal candidate will be equally committed to driving the client’s success and ensuring the program's long-term health and profitability.

In this role, you are the bridge between J.D. Power’s delivery capabilities and the OEM’s strategic priorities. You will influence the digital evolution of the automotive retail landscape, navigating a fast-paced environment to ensure the client’s dealer network remains competitive, digitally mature, and highly efficient.

• Trusted Advisor: Cultivate high-level relationships with OEM stakeholders, acting as a thought partner to influence their dealer digital strategic agenda.
• Industry Expertise: Serve as the subject‑matter expert in automotive dealer digital programs, providing proactive recommendations on emerging trends, industry shifts, and competitive benchmarking.
• Growth Identification: Proactively identify and present new program opportunities and service enhancements that align with the client’s business objectives.

• People Leadership: Lead and mentor a national team of 17 digital consultants, fostering a culture of excellence to ensure program deliverables exceed dealer satisfaction benchmarks.
• Quality Assurance: Advocate for the client’s priorities internally, supervising rigorous quality assurance processes to ensure all work meets "world‑class" standards.
• Responsiveness: Champion a culture of high‑touch service, ensuring the team remains agile and thoughtful in response to client needs.

• Product Roadmap Management: Oversee the execution of technology solutions (CRM, RPA, and Call Management), managing the full lifecycle from requirements gathering and QA to launch.
• Vendor Management: Manage third‑party technology partnerships to ensure seamless integration and performance.
• Data‑Driven Insights: Direct the delivery of data and analytics services, ensuring the OEM receives actionable insights to drive program performance.

• Experience: 15+ years of professional client‑facing experience in automotive dealer digital programs, marketing, or consulting.
• OEM Expertise: Proven track record of managing direct OEM relationships at a senior level.
• Domain Knowledge: Deep expertise in website optimization, lead management, digital advertising, and digital retailing.
• Technical Literacy: Strong understanding of Salesforce, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and AI applications within the automotive sector.
• Leadership: Demonstrated ability to manage large, remote teams and complex, multi‑million‑dollar program budgets.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree required.

"I am looking for a diplomatic leader who can synthesize differing opinions into a unified strategy. This role requires more than just project management; it requires professional gravitas to counsel OEM executives and the operational discipline to keep diverse delivery initiatives on track. You must be passionate about the future of digital automotive retail and possess the communication skills to inspire both your team and your client."

This position has a starting salary range of $170,000 to $230,000 per year. This is the range we reasonably and in good faith expect to pay for the role at the time of posting. An employee’s pay within the range is determined by a number of factors, including relevant skills, education, qualifications, experience, performance, business…