Cost Planning Senior Principal Engineer - Automotive

• To achieve HDMA business targets, it is critically important to determine whether a given part/system design is cost competitive and a reasonable value for the money.
• The Cost Planning Sr. Principal Engineer serves as a senior technical leader within the assigned category, responsible for evaluating cost competitiveness, guiding proposal direction, and aligning stakeholders to deliver business results.
• This role exercises independent judgment in assessing cost targets and proposals while recommending direction and escalating final decisions as appropriate.

Key Accountabilities

Technical Leadership, Direction Setting, and Team Guidance:

• Leverages experience, technical credibility, and business judgment to lead category cost optimization discussions and drive alignment among design, cost, purchasing, and related stakeholders.
• Assesses the strength of proposals versus alternatives and determines the recommended direction, actions, priorities, and schedule for the Cost Planning team within the assigned category.
• Provides guidance to cost engineers on analysis approach, issue breakdown, task ownership, and timing in order to maintain commitments and achieve category targets.
• Influences decisions through clear, persuasive written and verbal communication and through fact-based evaluation of cost, feasibility, competitiveness, and customer value.

Expertise and Strategic Cost Evaluation:

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