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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Vehicle Program Assistant

💰 $45,000 - $65,000

AdministrativeAutomotiveProgram ManagementOperations

🎯 Role Definition

The Vehicle Program Assistant is the organizational backbone of a vehicle development or fleet management team. This individual provides critical administrative, logistical, and coordination support to ensure that vehicle programs run smoothly, on schedule, and within budget. Acting as a central point of contact, they facilitate communication between various departments, manage vehicle logistics, maintain detailed records, and assist program managers with tracking key milestones. This role is essential for bridging the gap between engineering, testing, and management, ensuring all moving parts of a complex vehicle program are perfectly aligned.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Administrative Assistant or Executive Assistant
  • Junior Project Coordinator
  • Automotive Service Advisor or Technician
  • Recent Graduate (Business, Communications, Automotive Technology)

Advancement To:

  • Vehicle Program Coordinator
  • Associate Program Manager
  • Fleet Manager
  • Vehicle Logistics Specialist

Lateral Moves:

  • Purchasing Coordinator
  • Engineering Operations Coordinator
  • Logistics Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Act as the primary administrative support for one or more Vehicle Program Managers, assisting with daily operational and logistical tasks.
  • Meticulously track and document vehicle build plans, engineering changes, and retrofit activities from initiation to completion.
  • Coordinate the complex logistics of vehicle movements, including domestic and international shipping, ensuring timely delivery for testing, marketing events, and executive reviews.
  • Manage the entire lifecycle of fleet and prototype vehicles, including procurement, registration, titling, insurance, and eventual decommissioning or sale.
  • Maintain a highly accurate and up-to-date database or tracking system for all program vehicles, detailing their specifications, location, status, and assigned driver or department.
  • Prepare and distribute comprehensive program status reports, meeting agendas, and detailed meeting minutes to all relevant stakeholders.
  • Create and maintain visually compelling presentation materials for program gateway reviews, executive briefings, and team-wide updates.
  • Serve as a liaison between the program management team and cross-functional departments such as Engineering, Design, Purchasing, and Quality Assurance.
  • Facilitate key program meetings by handling scheduling, preparing necessary documentation, and tracking action items to ensure accountability.
  • Process and track purchase orders, invoices, and expense reports related to vehicle parts, services, and transportation, ensuring alignment with the program budget.
  • Manage and maintain an inventory of critical vehicle components, prototype parts, and testing equipment, coordinating orders as needed.
  • Support the planning and execution of internal and external events, such as vehicle test trips, auto shows, and media drives.
  • Ensure all program vehicles comply with federal, state, and local regulations, including managing documentation for DOT, EPA, and CARB requirements.
  • Coordinate vehicle service and maintenance schedules with internal shops or external vendors to maximize vehicle uptime and readiness for testing.
  • Field and triage incoming requests for vehicle usage, information, and issue resolution from various teams across the organization.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis related to vehicle usage, test mileage, and program costs.
  • Assist in developing and refining internal processes and documentation to improve the overall efficiency of the vehicle program operations.
  • Collaborate with engineering teams to understand vehicle issues and help coordinate the appropriate diagnosis and repair activities.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the program management team to ensure alignment on short-term goals and deliverables.
  • Onboard new team members by providing them with an overview of vehicle program processes, systems, and key contacts.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy by ensuring high-quality data entry and record-keeping for all vehicle-related activities.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • MS Office Suite Mastery: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, formulas), PowerPoint (creating executive-level presentations), and Word.
  • Project Management Software: Hands-on experience with tools like Jira, Confluence, Smartsheet, or Microsoft Project for tracking tasks and timelines.
  • ERP/MRP Systems: Familiarity with enterprise resource planning systems such as SAP or Oracle for processing purchase orders and managing inventory.
  • Data Management & Entry: High degree of accuracy and speed in data entry and maintaining complex databases or spreadsheets.
  • Fleet Management Software: Experience with or ability to quickly learn dedicated fleet management platforms (e.g., Geotab, Samsara, Donlen).
  • Basic Automotive Knowledge: A fundamental understanding of vehicle components, systems, and the vehicle development lifecycle.
  • Reporting & Visualization: Ability to generate clear, concise reports and simple data visualizations to communicate program status.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional Organizational Skills: The ability to manage multiple vehicles, tasks, and priorities simultaneously without sacrificing quality.
  • Meticulous Attention to Detail: A keen eye for detail is crucial for managing vehicle specifications, compliance paperwork, and financial records accurately.
  • Proactive Problem-Solving: Identifying potential issues with logistics, scheduling, or resources and taking the initiative to find solutions before they become critical.
  • Clear & Concise Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for interacting effectively with engineers, managers, vendors, and drivers.
  • Interpersonal Savvy & Collaboration: A natural ability to build positive working relationships across different teams and functions within a large organization.
  • Adaptability & Composure: Thriving in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where priorities and plans can change rapidly.
  • Time Management: Strong ability to prioritize tasks effectively to meet tight deadlines and manage a high-volume workload.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or GED equivalent, coupled with significant relevant experience.
  • Associate's Degree.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s Degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Project Management
  • Automotive Technology
  • Communications
  • Operations or Supply Chain Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2-5 years of experience in an administrative, coordination, or operational support role.

Preferred: Direct experience within the automotive, manufacturing, or tech industry. Experience supporting a project or program management office (PMO) is highly desirable.

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