Overview

The Manager, Prototype & Pre-Series Management leads the operational planning, coordination, readiness, and execution of Scout’s engineering Prototype, prototype, and pre-series vehicle activities. 

The role provides leadership across engineering fleet operations, pre-series management, test-location and proving-ground coordination, and vehicle/test readiness. It establishes an integrated operating model to ensure vehicles, test assets, locations, logistics, and validation activities are aligned with vehicle-program priorities. 

Serving as the central operational interface among Vehicle Engineering, Verification & Validation, Prototype Builds, Logistics, Procurement, test organizations, proving grounds, and external partners, the Manager ensures that vehicles and supporting resources are available in the right configuration, at the right location, and at the right time. 

The role leads the team responsible for day-to-day execution while maintaining overall accountability for operational priorities, resource allocation, issue escalation, process maturity, and transparent reporting to program leadership. 

What you’ll do

Become part of an iconic brand that is set to revolutionize the electric pick-up truck & rugged SUV marketplace by achieving the following:

Prototype & Pre-Series Operations 

• Lead the operational management of Scout’s engineering prototype, prototype, and pre-series vehicle activities. 
• Establish priorities for vehicle readiness, allocation, configuration, usage, movement, maintenance, and availability based on engineering and validation requirements. 
• Ensure engineering vehicles are available in the required configuration and condition to support development and validation activities. 
• Establish standardized processes for vehicle intake, handover, tracking, readiness, storage, and release. 
• Provide leadership and escalation support when vehicle availability, configuration, logistics, or operational constraints put program activities at risk. 

Pre-Series & Validation Readiness 

• Lead operational coordination between prototype and pre-series vehicle availability and planned engineering and validation activities. 
• Ensure alignment among Design Verification Plans (DVPs), vehicle availability, vehicle configuration, test requests, test locations, and program timing. 
• Establish visibility of planned versus executed validation activities and ensure significant gaps and risks are escalated. 
• Support prototype-build and vehicle-program milestone readiness through structured status reporting and risk management. 
• Drive resolution of conflicts involving vehicle demand, test priorities, available assets, timing, and engineering requirements. 

Engineering Fleet & Vehicle Logistics 

• Provide leadership for engineering fleet operations across applicable Scout locations. 
• Oversee vehicle receiving, release, internal handover, storage, transportation, operational readiness, and real-time status visibility. 
• Oversee domestic and international movement of prototype and engineering vehicles, including associated documentation and import/export requirements. 
• Ensure appropriate management of vehicle permits, insurance, compliance records, and prototype identifiers. 
• Oversee benchmark and competitor-vehicle operations where applicable and drive effective fleet utilization. 

Test Locations & Proving Grounds 

• Provide leadership for the identification, planning, evaluation, and utilization of proving grounds and other vehicle test locations. 
• Ensure test-site capabilities, availability, timing, and cost are aligned with engineering and validation requirements. 
• Oversee coordination with proving-ground operators, test agencies, and external partners. 
• Ensure test locations and associated logistics are secured early enough to support program and seasonal test requirements. 
• Support commercial and operational coordination with Procurement, Legal, and external test partners. 

Operational Planning & Program Integration 

• Translate vehicle-program and validation requirements into an integrated operating plan across vehicles, test locations, logistics, and supporting resources. 
• Establish short- and medium-term priorities based on program milestones and identify resource bottlenecks early. 
• Coordinate dependencies across Engineering, V&V, Prototype Builds, Logistics, Procurement, and external partners. 
• Provide clear status, risks, escalations, and decision requirements to program and engineering leadership. 

Team Leadership 

• Lead, coach, and develop the Prototype & Pre-Series Management team. 
• Establish clear ownership, responsibilities, priorities, and operating standards across the function. 
• Balance team capacity and workload against changing program demands. 
• Create a culture of accountability, transparency, proactive issue resolution, and hands-on execution. 
• Build scalable processes and organizational capability as Scout’s prototype and pre-series fleet grows. 

Governance, Reporting & Continuous Improvement 

• Establish operational KPIs and management reporting covering vehicle readiness, fleet utilization, validation readiness, logistics, test-location utilization, risks, and constraints. 
• Implement structured processes for identifying and escalating issues affecting program execution. 
• Drive standardization of processes, tools, and reporting across prototype and pre-series operations. 
• Capture lessons learned and incorporate them into future prototype and pre-series phases

Location & Travel Expectations:

• This role will be based out of the Scout Motors corporate headquarters in Charlotte, NC or Novi, Michigan.. 
• This role requires 4-5 days per week in the office, with regular in-person meetings and events. 
• Travel: Domestic and international travel is required to support vehicle operations, proving-ground activities, test campaigns, supplier engagements, and operational reviews. A valid driver’s license and passport are required.

What you’ll bring 

We expect all Scout employees to have integrity, curiosity, resourcefulness, and strive to exhibit a positive attitude, as well as a growth mindset. You’ll be comfortable with change and flexible in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. You’ll take a collaborative approach to achieve ambitious goals. Here's what else you'll bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Operations, Logistics, Supply Chain, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience. 
• 10+ years of relevant automotive experience, preferably within an OEM or automotive-development environment. 
• Significant experience with prototype, prototype, pre-series, engineering fleet, vehicle validation, or vehicle-development operations. 
• Demonstrated experience leading teams and complex cross-functional operations. 
• Strong understanding of vehicle-development and validation processes, including DVPs, prototype/pre-series builds, vehicle test activities, and program milestones. 
• Experience coordinating engineering vehicle fleets, prototype logistics, vehicle readiness, and/or major test campaigns. 
• Ability to manage competing vehicle, test, resource, and schedule priorities and to drive effective risk mitigation and escalation. 
• Strong stakeholder-management, analytical, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills. 
• Comfort operating in a fast-paced development environment with evolving processes and priorities. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Leadership experience within an OEM prototype, pre-series, test, validation, or engineering-operations organization. 
• Experience supporting complete vehicle-development programs from early prototypes through pre-series maturity. 
• Familiarity with major vehicle proving grounds and external test providers. 
• Experience with domestic and international prototype-vehicle logistics and import/export considerations. 
• Experience with engineering and program-management systems such as JIRA, Polarion, or Teamcenter. 
• Experience establishing operational KPIs, dashboards, and management reporting. 
• Experience in a startup or rapidly scaling automotive organization

What you'll gain

The benefits of joining Scout include the chance to build products and a company from the ground up.  This is a chance to create something new and lasting – with an iconic brand at its foundation.  In addition, Scout provides competitive compensation and benefits to support your physical, mental, and financial wellbeing. Program specifics are detailed in company policies and employee benefit guides, select highlights:

• Competitive insurance including:
  • Medical, dental, vision and income protection plans
• 401(k) program with:
  • An employer match and immediate vesting
• Generous Paid Time Off including:
  • 20 days planned PTO, as accrued
  • 40 hours of unplanned PTO and 14 company or floating holidays, annually
  • Up to 16 weeks of paid parental leave for biological and adoptive parents of all genders
  • Paid leave for circumstances related to bereavement, jury duty, voting time, or military leave
• Corporate Vehicle Program with:
  • Eligibility for 1 assigned vehicle
  • A mobility stipend

Pay Transparency

This is a full-time, exempt position eligible to receive a base salary and to participate in an annual performance bonus program. Final salary offered will be determined based on factors including but not limited to the candidate's skills and experience. The annual performance bonus program is preset and not candidate dependent.

Initial base salary range = $140,000.00 - $170,000.00

Internal leveling code: M8