Operations Strategy Specialist - AUTONOMOUS DRIVING

VW. Two letters. Endless opportunities. A bright future.

Innovation. Sophistication. Optimization. This is our Passion.

Worldwide, the Volkswagen Group has a long tradition of dramatic innovations. The Volkswagen Group with its headquarters in Wolfsburg is one of the world's leading automobile manufacturers and the largest carmaker in Europe. The Group comprises twelve brands from seven European countries: Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, SEAT, KODA, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Scania and MAN. Here in the US, we are blending German engineering with American ingenuity.

As ADMT, we develop and realize fully autonomous mobility and transportation services. Our mission is to make mobility-and transportation-as-a-service safe, accessible and most attractive for society. For that, we cover the entire ground from strategy and business development, software development and end-2-end integration, fleet operations to next-generation self-driving systems. Being the driver in Volkswagen Group initiative for mobility solutions, we are an integral part of Volkswagen Group's future success.

PLEASE NOTE: There is no sponsorship available for this role.

Role Summary

The Operations Strategy Specialist - AUTONOMOUS DRIVING, role sits within the Volkswagen Group of America's Autonomous Driving, Mobility, & Transport (ADMT) business unit. ADMT is currently preparing for the commercial launch of its SAE Level 4 autonomous mobility and transport business in the U.S.

This role will build strategies and roadmaps that streamline the efficiency of autonomous vehicle-facing processes within an industrial facility context, supporting efficient and effective commercial fleet operations in Austin and subsequent additional markets. This individual will be an expert in operational strategy and fleet management, recommending efficiency gains throughout the autonomous vehicle value chain, as well as routinely identifying the on-the-ground people, process, and technology changes needed to enable ADMT business success. This role sits on the cutting edge of operational strategy in the U.S. autonomous and self-driving vehicle industry.

The ideal candidate will have a highly strategic background in an operations-heavy space, as well as excellent business planning, analytical, organizational, project management, and communication skills.

Role Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

* Develop a strategic roadmap of projects that advance the operational efficiency of autonomous vehicle-facing processes in an industrial warehouse context, with example processes including but not limited to: routine vehicle checks, cleaning processes, vehicle parking and charging, light repairs, technology updates, data transfers, and more

* Build human capital strategies and staff forecasting models to enable the labor fulfillment of all the vehicle-facing processes on a daily basis

* Evaluate the ideal mix of local vs. remotely based employees required to support daily commercial operations, collaborating on the design of an autonomous fleet monitoring organization that supports safe and compliant autonomous mobility

* Drive internal alignment on operational projects and roadmaps across multiple cross-functional stakeholders including strategy, business development, product, local operations, engineering, and more

* Routinely develop and communicate updates on operational planning to key leaders and organizational committees, inclusive of strategic recommendations to company leadership as requested

* Support regular business reviews with detailed budget and planning milestone updates

Business Development

* Conduct "build vs. buy" analysis on the autonomous mobility value chain, identifying areas where external partners could add significant value to ADMT's operational ecosystem

* Evaluate potential partners and/or vendors that can support different components of ADMT daily commercial operations

* Setup and manage procurement processes with priority partners and/or vendors for delivery of goods and services, including supporting commercial contract negotiations where appropriate (e.g. RFPs / RFQs, bids, bid selection, etc)

* Support ongoing relationship management (including performance management) of priority partners and/or vendors to ensure long-term, mutually beneficial commercial relationships between ADMT and our partner ecosystem

Operations & Implementation

* Develop and manage project plans to put operational roadmaps into action, taking ADMT plans from strategy into implementation

* Drive process improvements that lead to increased operational efficiency, financial savings, and decreased risk across industrial facilities and fleet operations

* Support repair, service, and maintenance stakeholders to optimize service and maintenance processes as and when needed

* Manage operations & logistics budgets to plan and support financial forecasting as needed

Years of Relevant Experience:

6+ years of professional experience in either operations strategy/consulting, industrial operations management, logistics/supply chain management, industrial design, high-growth technology-enabled operations, operations automation, or an equivalent space.

Education

* Bachelor's degree in Economics, Business, Finance, Engineering, or other quantitative field of study with a history of comparable qualification

* MBA or Masters in a quantitative field is a plus

General Skills Necessary to Perform Role:

* Strategic Thinking - Strong business acumen, familiarity with corporate decision-making processes, and a structured problem-solving mindset capable of tackling highly-ambiguous strategic questions

* Program and Project Management - Demonstrated history of managing multiple complex workstreams toward the delivery of desired target outcomes

* Analytical Skillset - Comfortable working with data to generate business insights and drive executive decision-making

* Operational Excellence - Capable of designing and developing operational process flows that reduce operational risk while optimizing business outcomes, promoting stability, and meeting demanding SLAs

* Stakeholder Management - Ability to build strong cross-functional relationships and work effectively within a collaborative, team-based environment to achieve business goals

* Communication - Exceptional written and verbal communication skills

* Adaptability - Capable of successfully operating in fast-paced and dynamic environments with a high-level of autonomy

Required Skills:

* Experience in an operations, fleet management, or logistics-heavy industry, for example large digital marketplace businesses, e-commerce, mobility, industrial production, or a technology space with a strong logistics or operations process component

* Proficiency in quantitative analysis, financial modeling, forecasting, and budget management

* Familiarity with mobility, transportation, and the autonomous driving industry, including different operating models and key value chain activities

* Comfort working with third-party strategic partners and vendors, including executing commercial contracts and managing external stakeholders to deliver according to project requirements

* Experience with industry procurement practices and processes (e.g. vendor RFP/RFQ)

Desired Skills:

* Managing large scale commercial fleet assets in the transportation industry

* Experience with industrial engineering and design thinking

* Six Sigma Certification

* Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP)

* Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM)

Work Flexibility:

* Domestic & international travel required

Volkswagen Group of America is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome and encourage applicants from all backgrounds, and do not discriminate based on race, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, color, gender identity/expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable laws.

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