General Assembly Manager

Position Summary:

The General Assembly (GA) Shop Manager is the on-the-ground leader for our final assembly process. You are accountable for the "Don't Build, Ship, or Sell a Defect" principle in General Assembly. You will create a shop floor culture where every technician is safe to speak up, empowered to stop the line for a quality or safety concern, and takes personal ownership that no defect is built in GA, passed to the next station, or allowed to leave your shop.

Key Responsibilities:

• Safety & People (Our Foundation):
• Create and maintain a zero-incident culture within the GA shop, ensuring compliance with all safety procedures, especially for lifting, electrical work, and vehicle movement.
• Ensure every assembly station is ergonomically sound and free from safety hazards. A comfortable technician is a quality-focused technician.
• People (Our assets):
• Directly lead, coach, and develop the GA supervisory team and all assembly technicians.
• Foster a culture of engagement, teamwork, and continuous improvement on the line.
• Foster a team that sees no distinction between a safety near-miss and a quality escape—both are critical signals to improve the process.
•  
• Quality (Our Promise):
• Absolute owner of "Don't BUILD a Defect" in GA through In-Station Process Control and strict adherence to standardized work. Empower every technician to be a quality inspector.
• Ensure "Don't SHIP a Defect from GA" by validating the quality of every vehicle before it leaves the assembly line through rigorous final checks.
• Support "Don't SELL a Defect" by ensuring your shop's quality performance meets final customer requirements, preventing any assembly-related issues from reaching the customer.
• Serve as the first point of contact for GA-related quality issues, working closely with the Quality team and his team to implement containment and permanent corrective actions.
• Champion the rapid response to any Andon pull, focusing on true root cause to prevent repeat stops for the same issue.
• Productivity:
• Execute the daily production schedule for the GA shop, achieving target units per hour (UPH) and on-time completion.
• Monitor and improve key metrics like line speed, cycle time, and first-time-through (FTT).
• Collaborate with the Lean team to optimize line layout, material presentation, and workflow using lean tools.
• Cost:
• Manage the GA shop budget, controlling costs for labor, tools, and consumables.
• Minimize waste, damage, and rework costs within the assembly process.
• Ensure proper handling and usage of expensive components (e.g., infotainment systems, engines, transmissions).
• Environment:
• Ensure proper handling and disposal of wastes generated in GA (e.g., packaging, minor fluids, batteries).
• Comply with all environmental standards for the shop.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Associate or Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, Automotive) or a related field.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in automotive assembly, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or management role within a General Assembly shop.
• Direct experience with CKD assembly processes is highly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of vehicle systems (electrical, powertrain, interior trim).
• Proven ability to troubleshoot assembly issues and implement countermeasures.
• Experience with lean manufacturing principles and a continuous improvement mindset.