Sr Customer Project / Program Manager

Cox Automotive is a leader in transforming the automotive industry, and they are seeking a Sr Customer Project / Program Manager to manage complex, cross-functional initiatives. This role involves engaging with clients, developing project plans, and ensuring successful delivery of projects while driving accountability across teams.

Responsibilities:

• Independently manage moderately to highly complex projects requiring collaboration across multiple Cox Automotive functions and/or external client organizations
• Apply consistent project management methodology (scope, charter, risk management, change control, close-out) across all engagements
• Engage directly with OEM and dealer client stakeholders to understand business needs, define scope, and align delivery to client expectations and contractual commitments
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans and schedules covering all workstreams; manage scope, schedule, risks, dependencies, and change control throughout the project lifecycle
• Facilitate cross-functional project teams comprising business, technical, and operational team members; drive accountability without direct management authority
• Lead regular workstream meetings, document decisions and action items, and maintain a central project repository (charter, requirements and designs, status reports, meeting summaries, risk/issue/action logs, deliverables)
• Prepare and distribute project status communications to sponsors, stakeholders, and executive leadership; escalate risks and issues with recommended mitigations
• Support the development of client-facing materials and value narratives in partnership with Account Management, Marketing, Product Management, Sales, Readiness and Operations teams
• Partner with Product Readiness and Business Readiness teams to ensure internal readiness, training, and handoff at project close
• Track and report on project KPIs; guide projects and programs based on business impact (revenue, retention, adoption, cost savings), and support post-project measurement of KPIs and measures of success
• Identify and recommend process improvement opportunities; contribute to the continuous improvement of project and program management methodology, tools, and documentation standards

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in related discipline and 4 years' experience in a related field. The right candidate could also have a different combination, such as a master's degree and 2 years' experience; a Ph.D. and up to 1 year of experience; or 8 years' experience in a related field
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects with competing priorities and deadlines
• Experience managing client-facing projects or programs, including executive-level stakeholder communication
• Proficiency in project management tools and methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid). Experience with Smartsheet and the Scaled Agile Framework are particularly applicable to this role
• Experience with the product development lifecycle
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills; able to translate complex program status into clear executive narratives
• Proven ability to drive alignment and accountability across teams without direct authority
• 5+ years of project or program management experience in complex, cross-functional environments
• Experience in automotive, digital marketing, or OEM/dealer ecosystems
• Familiarity with OEM and Enterprise/Large Dealer Group clients, contractual requirements, and compliance-driven delivery
• Experience with continuous improvement and process improvement methodologies and tools
• Demonstrated experience using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to improve the value and quality of project and program management services and deliverables