Design Program Manager – Portfolio Management

Role Overview

• Lead end-to-end portfolio and resource management across the Human Interface Design organization, spanning Vehicle OS generations, Mobile Apps, Web Properties, Foundations, and Advanced UX workstreams.
• Partner with the Director of Design Operations, Directors of Design, and Product and Engineering Portfolio managers to design, refine, and operationalize portfolio management processes that enable long-range planning and organizational clarity.
• Apply deep domain knowledge across HID’s multi platform ecosystem to drive resource balancing, capacity planning, and roadmap definition for cross-dependency, cross-functional initiatives.
• Identify risks, constraints, and interdependencies early, and develop clear mitigation strategies and action plans that maintain alignment and momentum across teams.
• Relentlessly prioritize the portfolio, ensuring the organization focuses on the highest value work and enabling teams to forecast, plan, and execute with confidence.
• Use strategic influencing and relationship building skills to align teams and leaders around shared priorities, ensuring work is appropriately staffed and consistently delivered.
• Demonstrate professional courage and operational urgency, motivating collaborators to elevate engagement, meet commitments, and navigate ambiguity with confidence.
• Employ modern project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Lean) and leverage GM enterprise tools—including the Atlassian suite, Jira Advanced Roadmaps, and Power BI—to drive operational rigor and cross-team visibility.
• Communicate portfolio health, outcomes, and risks with transparency, tailoring insights and narratives for Directors, VPs, and cross-functional partners.
• Contribute thought leadership, role model effective operational behaviors, and mentor others to elevate HID’s portfolio management maturity and operational excellence.
• Travel Requirement: If this role is performed outside of Warren, MI, there will be up to a 25% travel requirement to Warren, MI.

Requirements

• BS in Business, Engineering, Human Centered disciplines, or equivalent experience demonstrating strong analytical and operational capability.
• 7+ years of experience in Project Management, Product Management, or Operations leadership managing large, diverse, and multi program portfolios spanning complex ecosystems such as software, hardware, services, or automotive systems.
• Proven ability to plan, manage, and optimize portfolios at scale, including multi
• year roadmaps, cross-platform design initiatives, and high-dependency workstreams (e.g., Vehicle OS generations, mobile apps, web properties, design systems, and advanced UX).
• Expertise in portfolio management frameworks and capacity planning tools, including the Atlassian suite, Jira Advanced Roadmaps, Power BI, and related enterprise systems.
• Ability to interpret technical documentation, UX workflows, and design system dependencies and translate them into actionable portfolio and resource plans.
• Demonstrated strength in building data driven forecasts, scenario models, and resource strategies to inform leadership decisions.
• Exceptional communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to synthesize complexity into clear narratives for Directors, VPs, Tech Leads, PMs, and Designers.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills with a demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority across multiple functions and levels.
• Proven ability to operate in ambiguity, create clarity, and lead teams through changing tools, processes, and operating models.
• Calm under pressure, skilled at managing escalations, resetting expectations, and navigating competing priorities in fast-moving environments.
• Analytical mindset with a commitment to continuous improvement in systems, processes, and operational rigor.

Benefits

• medical
• dental
• vision
• Health Savings Account
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• retirement savings plan
• sickness and accident benefits
• life insurance
• paid vacation & holidays
• tuition assistance programs
• employee assistance program
• GM vehicle discounts and more