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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Vehicle Project Coordinator

💰 $60,000 - $95,000

AutomotiveProject ManagementVehicle DevelopmentEngineering Coordination

🎯 Role Definition

A Vehicle Project Coordinator acts as the central link between engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and quality assurance teams. This role ensures that automotive projects are executed on time, within scope, and in alignment with safety, regulatory, and performance standards. Coordinators manage the flow of technical information, project schedules, and deliverables while supporting continuous improvement in vehicle programs.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Project Assistant / Project Scheduler
  • Engineering Coordinator / Program Support Specialist
  • Quality or Production Associate

Advancement To:

  • Vehicle Project Manager
  • Senior Program Manager
  • Product Development Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Supply Chain Coordinator
  • Manufacturing Project Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  1. Coordinate cross-functional teams to deliver vehicle development milestones on schedule and within budget.
  2. Support program management activities across design, prototype, testing, and production phases.
  3. Maintain detailed project timelines, Gantt charts, and status reports for leadership visibility.
  4. Track engineering change requests (ECRs), validation activities, and approval documentation.
  5. Facilitate communication between engineering, purchasing, manufacturing, and quality departments.
  6. Ensure all project deliverables comply with internal standards and regulatory requirements (ISO, IATF, etc.).
  7. Prepare and distribute project updates, dashboards, and KPI reports to stakeholders.
  8. Manage supplier interactions and coordinate part availability for development builds.
  9. Support risk management activities by identifying and mitigating schedule or quality risks.
  10. Assist with prototype vehicle builds, test coordination, and issue resolution tracking.
  11. Organize and lead project meetings, record minutes, and follow up on action items.
  12. Monitor cost performance, budget adherence, and resource allocation.
  13. Collaborate with engineering leads to ensure design releases align with production readiness.
  14. Develop and maintain Bill of Materials (BOM) tracking for prototype and production phases.
  15. Assist in the preparation of vehicle launch documentation and quality gate reviews.
  16. Oversee documentation control, ensuring version integrity and audit compliance.
  17. Support new model introduction (NMI) activities in coordination with manufacturing plants.
  18. Interface with global project teams to align regional and corporate program objectives.
  19. Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives in project workflow and reporting processes.
  20. Manage logistics for test vehicles, ensuring timely availability and maintenance tracking.
  21. Provide administrative and technical support for project audits, safety reviews, and process validations.
  22. Maintain confidentiality of proprietary design and project information.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficiency in Microsoft Project, Excel, Power BI, and PLM tools (e.g., Teamcenter, Windchill, SAP).
  • Understanding of vehicle development cycles, prototype phases, and production processes.
  • Knowledge of automotive standards (ISO 9001, IATF 16949, APQP, PPAP).
  • Experience with engineering documentation, BOM management, and configuration control.
  • Familiarity with CAD and engineering drawings interpretation.
  • Strong data analysis and reporting skills using Excel or data visualization tools.
  • Ability to manage cross-functional communication platforms and digital workflows.
  • Working knowledge of supply chain and procurement coordination.
  • Exposure to program budgeting and cost tracking tools.
  • Understanding of risk and change management methodologies.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional organization and multitasking ability in fast-paced environments.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills across technical and non-technical teams.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset.
  • Demonstrated attention to detail and accuracy in documentation.
  • Proactive leadership and stakeholder management capabilities.
  • Adaptability to changing project priorities and timelines.
  • High collaboration and teamwork orientation.
  • Strong time management and prioritization abilities.
  • Commitment to quality, safety, and continuous improvement.
  • Professional presentation and reporting skills.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or Project Management.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Automotive Engineering
  • Industrial or Mechanical Engineering
  • Business Administration
  • Project Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–7 years in automotive or manufacturing project coordination.

Preferred:

  • Experience in vehicle development programs, prototype build coordination, or OEM/Tier-1 supplier environments.
  • Background in project tracking tools, engineering processes, and cross-functional communication within automotive projects.
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