Automotive Design Project Manager – Staff Leasing Contract

Automotive Design Project Manager

Location

Milan, Italy

Employment Type

Contract / Staff Leasing

Overview

A global technology and innovation company is seeking an Automotive Design Project Manager to support its automotive design and innovation activities within a multidisciplinary international design center.

This role acts as the primary coordination point between global stakeholders and the local automotive design team, ensuring effective communication, project execution, and alignment throughout the vehicle design process. The position combines project management, cross-cultural coordination, and automotive design program support in a highly international environment.

Key Responsibilities

Project Coordination & Delivery

• Coordinate automotive design projects from concept development through production-ready deliverables.
• Manage project schedules, milestones, deadlines, and stakeholder expectations.
• Ensure smooth collaboration between international teams and design partners.
• Monitor project progress and proactively address risks, issues, and dependencies.

Cross-Cultural Communication

• Act as the key liaison between international stakeholders and the local design organization.
• Facilitate communication across multicultural teams and business functions.
• Support the translation and interpretation of technical, design, and cultural information when required.
• Ensure alignment between business objectives, design direction, and project execution.

Design Process Support

• Develop a strong understanding of automotive design workflows and methodologies.
• Support design activities from early concept exploration to production implementation.
• Assist in organizing reviews, presentations, workshops, and project meetings.
• Help maintain consistency and quality throughout the design process.

Market & Industry Research

• Build and maintain knowledge of global automotive design trends and market developments.
• Conduct benchmarking activities and competitive analysis.
• Support strategic design discussions through research and market insights.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Prepare and support internal presentations and project communications.
• Coordinate with design, product, branding, user experience, and business teams.
• Facilitate decision-making through clear reporting and project visibility.

Travel & Collaboration

• Travel periodically to support project activities, workshops, benchmarking exercises, and stakeholder engagements.
• Collaborate closely with global design and product teams across multiple regions.

Required Qualifications

Experience

• Experience in project management, preferably within:
  • Automotive design
  • Transportation design
  • Product design
  • Industrial design
  • Related creative industries
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate complex international projects involving multiple stakeholders.

Industry Knowledge

• Strong interest in automotive design and vehicle development.
• Understanding of design processes, creative workflows, and product development cycles.
• Familiarity with automotive industry trends and market dynamics is advantageous.

Language Skills

• Fluent spoken and written English.
• Fluent spoken and written Mandarin Chinese.
• Ability to facilitate communication between international teams.

Core Competencies

• Excellent project planning and organizational skills.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Proactive and solution-oriented mindset.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining strong team collaboration.
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced multicultural environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting automotive OEMs, mobility companies, or transportation design consultancies.
• Knowledge of the Chinese automotive market and consumer trends.
• Exposure to strategic design, innovation, or future mobility projects.
• Experience working with international design studios or global product development organizations.