Sr. Manager, OEM Programs

Be essential at Cars Commerce

At Cars Commerce, we’re fanatical about simplifying everything about car buying and selling. We do right by our customers and consumers to better connect the industry with simplified and tierless technology to enhance, measure and drive local automotive retail. Whether through our No.1 most recognized marketplace, Cars.com, our industry-leading digital experience, Dealer Inspire, our trade and appraisal technology, AccuTrade, or our new Cars Commerce Media Network, Cars Commerce is essential for success in the automotive industry.

No one ever travels alone here: at its core, Cars Commerce is collaboration. In fact, it’s built into the very fabric of our shared values. We like to say we Rise Together – putting people at the center of what we do, from consumer to customer to community. Life at Cars Commerce makes it easy when we share the ethos to be Open to All, encouraging open-minded communication because we know diverse thinking yields better outcomes. But critical to our success is Caring to Challenge and Taking Ownership, fueling a competitive spirit in a respectful environment where we think about tomorrow but act today. At our foundation, we have integrity, Doing the Right Thing, even when it’s hard. It’s our shared commitment to these values that makes Cars Commerce a place where growth becomes not only possible, but downright unavoidable.

But don’t take our word for it. As a U.S. News & World Report Best Company to Work For in 2024, we're obsessive about the employee experience. We are among the top 20% being declared “Best” of our industry based on six critical factors that are important to employee wellbeing, like quality of pay, benefits, work life balance and more.

About the Position:

Dealer Inspire / Cars Commerce is a certified provider of multiple products and services within many automotive Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) programs. These certifications allow for franchise dealer enrollments and significantly contribute to the market penetration of products and revenue generated for the company. The Senior Manager, OEM Program Management will lead a team of OEM Program Managers to successfully manage business objectives, client relationships and work pipelines necessary to maintain and grow these OEM program affiliations.

This Senior Manager will be a dynamic, confident and transformative leader for a team of OEM Program Managers, well-versed in software technology and digital marketing and who excels in developing people and client relationships. This team will work in direct relationships with OEM clients to lead and manage the work request pipeline, facilitate business meetings, identify and consult to new opportunities, and troubleshoot/resolve issues. Members of this team will be the business points of contact, partnering and interacting closely with Technical Program Managers to service each program’s technical needs. This team will also coordinate and build strong relationships with internal Technology, Product, Operations, Marketing, and Sales departments for ensuring the successful implementation and high-quality delivery of all program strategy, growth, and technical opportunities and deliverables.

OEM program pipelines include both routine maintenance efforts as well as the introduction of more complex integrations and large-scale projects requiring OEM Program Management in full partnership with Technical Program Management to help set expectations, evaluate priorities, understand desired outcomes and manage a project plan and roadmap to ensure smooth execution. The role of Senior Manager will oversee these activities across multiple programs, providing direction to team members, resolving priority conflicts, and maintaining a rollup view and client roadmap of the overall work pipeline related to managing these programs. Additionally, the Senior Manager will operate in close partnership with leaders across Technology, Product, Operations, Marketing, and Sales departments to continuously evolve and improve processes, align on priorities and timelines, discuss needed resource allocation, and provide analysis of program technical needs against business objectives.

The primary goals of the Senior Manager, OEM Program Management role are to balance the needs and wants of OEM programs against internal business goals and resource priorities while developing and leading the members of the team for the client strategy and relationships. The ideal candidate is a proven leader with thorough experience building and maintaining high-efficiency workflows, personnel/relationship development processes, accountability for client deliverables, and communication channels for direct reports working with high-profile programs or client accounts.

Functions of the Role:

• Lead, manage, develop, and mentor a team of OEM Program Managers focusing on business growth, personnel development, client relationship stability, and operational excellence.
• Consult, advise and recommend software, technical, digital strategies for clients while staying knowledgeable on industry trends and all product offerings and services
• Maintain close working partnerships with all external and internal leaders across functional areas and client/partner counterparts
• Initiate and collaborate on goals for OEM programs aligned with business and technical objectives. Measure and communicate progress towards these goals.
• Accountable for understanding health scores and satisfaction across all programs, identifying areas for improvement and resolving in collaboration with the technical teams.
• Apply change, risk, and resource management to balance the needs of all programs and evolve operations through partnership with internal departments..
• Lead across all programs and projects to maintain strategy and process for continuous client and team performance improvements.
• Maintain a roadmap of program business strategy and client requested projects and objectives, partnering with leadership to guide prioritization and resource distribution. Keep leadership informed through progress reports and risk/opportunity analysis.
• Maintain program profitability (revenue vs. cost) and opportunity across programs, providing periodic updates and identifying programs with disproportionate cost/reward balances.
• Collaborate with leadership to create and refine strategic objectives within current and future programs.

Required Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in business management, digital marketing, computer sciences, software engineering, technology/project management, or similar practical experience.
• 5-8+ years of experience in program, product, or project management or similar roles.
• 3-5+ years of management experience with small to mid-sized teams.
• Experience managing teams and leading through influence of others
• Prior Business to Business Experience with OEMs or Large Dealer Groups
• Record of successful, high value account/program management, preferably within the automotive industry.
• Thorough knowledge and proficiency in program, product, project management, and SDLC methodologies.
• Strong ability to balance stakeholders through negotiation and organizational savvy.
• Excellent customer service skills and ability to understand client needs
• Strong skills in process orientation, Exceptional organizational skills, Calm Under Pressure
• Outstanding presentation, communication and delivery skills to engage clients and team members. Must possess the ability to present over the phone
• Fast learner interested in the ever-changing software, technical, digital marketing industry
• Strong performance and ability to execute a roadmap and plan.
• Knowledge of all software, technical, digital products
  • Website infrastructure and technology
  • Analytics and Reporting (Google GA4)
  • SEO principles and fundamentals
  • Digital Advertising/Media
• Required Certifications:
  • Google Analytics/Ads

In the spirit of pay transparency, we are excited to share the base salary range for this position which is not inclusive of bonuses, benefits or other forms of compensation that the position may be eligible for. If you are hired at Cars Commerce, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills and/or experience. If the salary range is close to what you're seeking, then we encourage you to apply and learn more about the total compensation package for this position.

Our Comprehensive Benefits Package includes:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Healthcare Plans
• 401(k) with Company Match + Immediate Vesting
• New Hire Stipend for Home Office Set-Up
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Generous PTO
• Refuel - a service based recognition program where employees receive additional paid time away to learn grow and reset
• Paid Holidays, Floating Holiday, Volunteer Day, Recharge Day
• Learn more about our Benefits, Perks, & Culture on our LinkedIn Life Pages!

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