Lead Program Manager – Design

Here at Scout Motors, we're carrying forward the heritage of one of the most iconic American vehicles in history. A vehicle dating back to 1960. One that forged the path for future generations of rugged SUVs and trucks and will do so once again.
But Scout is more than just a brand, it’s a legacy steeped in a culture of exploration, caretaking, and hard work.
The Scout brand is all about respect. Respect for the past and the future by taking an iconic American brand that hasn’t been around for a while, electrifying it, digitizing it, and loading it with American innovation. Respect for communities by creating a company that stands for its people and its customers. Respect for both work and play, with vehicles that are equally at home at a camp site, a job site, or on a Tuesday commute. And respect for our customers by developing two powertrains that meet their requirements — an all-electric powertrain as well as the Harvester™ range extender powertrain which includes a built-in gas-powered generator with an estimated 500 miles of combined range.
At Scout Motors, we empower our talented, inclusive, and entrepreneurial teams to innovate. What makes a Scout employee? Someone who is a visionary and a leader, who seeks new paths and shares lessons learned. A knowledgeable doer who collaborates across the company to build better. A go-getter with unrivaled passion.
Join us at Scout Motors and be part of shaping the future of transportation. If you're ready to drive change and make history, apply now!
Overview
The Lead Design Program Manager is accountable for delivery of Design Operations priorities. Acting as a trusted partner to Design Operations leadership, this role converts strategic direction into executable plans, establishes governance and operating discipline, and drives timely decisions across complex, cross-functional programs. The position has ownership of portfolio visibility, milestone performance, budget and resource coordination, risk escalation, executive-level reporting, and continuous improvement of Design Operations processes. This role represents Design Operations in senior company forums, sets expectations across internal and partner teams, resolves competing priorities, and holds stakeholders accountable for commitments and outcomes. The Lead Design Program Manager also directly leads and develops one program support employee, establishing priorities, delegating work, evaluating performance, and building capability while retaining accountability for team results.
What you’ll do
Become part of an iconic brand that is set to revolutionize the electric pick-up truck & rugged SUV marketplace by achieving the following:
Program Planning, Governance & Delivery
Lead the integrated Design Operations portfolio by establishing program priorities, delivery strategies, milestones, approval gates, and resource plans across internal design projects, operational initiatives, prototype and show-vehicle activities, and launch-critical deliverables.
Set the governance framework and operating cadence for program reviews, 30/60-day forecasts, issue and decision logs, priority trackers, action registers, ownership, dependencies, and escalation paths.
Drive decisions and delivery accountability by challenging incomplete inputs, resolving cross-functional conflicts, defining recovery actions, and ensuring commitments to and from Design Operations are achieved.
Anticipate and escalate material risks with clear impact assessments, recommendations, and decision requirements before timing, budget, quality, capacity, or delivery targets are affected.
Executive & Cross-Functional Leadership
Serve as the lead operational representative for Design Operations in senior-level program, leadership, governance, and budget forums, presenting clear recommendations and securing timely decisions.
Lead critical Design Operations reviews by setting decision-focused agendas, aligning stakeholders in advance, presenting program health and tradeoffs, documenting outcomes, and enforcing follow-through.
Influence enterprise priorities and ways of working so Design Operations requirements, risks, capacity constraints, and dependencies are incorporated into broader business decisions.
Build durable alignment across functions by negotiating ownership, resolving competing priorities, and establishing shared commitments with Design disciplines, Engineering, Product Planning, Purchasing, Supplier Quality, Manufacturing, Finance, Logistics, and other enterprise partners.
Operational Strategy & Business Management
Define and continuously improve the Design Operations operating model, including portfolio governance, program trackers, resource and capacity planning, project intake, goal deployment, decision records, operational reviews, and shared documentation standards.
Act as the accountable Design Operations lead for the Business Management System (BMS) and Enterprise Program Management Office (EPMO), ensuring process compliance, surfacing systemic risks, and sponsoring improvements that increase organizational effectiveness.
Provide functional leadership for procurement and supplier workflows across Design Operations, setting expectations for requisitions, scope amendments, goods receipts, supplier requests, approvals, controls, and user adoption.
Own Design Operations budget governance and performance visibility by leading approval planning, monitoring operating expenses (OPEX) and labor, challenging variances, maintaining forecasts, and advising Design Operations leadership and Finance on risks and tradeoffs.
Establish decision-ready review and approval processes that ensure the right stakeholders, inputs, options, and recommendations are in place and that approved outcomes are implemented.
People Leadership & Capability Building
Provide direct people leadership for one program support employee, setting objectives, defining performance expectations, assigning priorities, coaching execution, and conducting ongoing perfo