Global Parts Commonization Lead

Responsibilities for this Position

Position Title: Global Parts Commonization Lead

Location: Sterling Heights, MI, United States

Category: Engineering

Job Type: Full-Time

Country: United States

State: MI

City: Sterling Heights

Remote Work Options: On-Site

Security Clearance Required: Ability to obtain security clearance

Career Level: Senior

Requisition ID: 17629320

Description: Global Parts Commonization Lead

Role Description

The Global Parts Commonization Lead is responsible for developing, implementing, and running the global parts commonization process across the organization. This role will define processes, coordinate with Global P5X domain leads (i.e. Vetronics, Survivability, Mobility, etc.) to identify and control common parts, establish and host a governance board, and ensure alignment with global strategies. The lead must focus on maximizing the benefits of commonization globally, considering cross-border, cross-site, and cross-cultural considerations. The role requires global collaboration and awareness/experience of trade compliance, regulatory laws, and data protection requirements are highly beneficial (i.e. ITAR, EAR, CUI, CGP, etc.).

A key component of this role is the creation and stewardship of a Common Reference Parts Librarya centralized repository of standardized, approved components used across products and regions. Drawing from industry best practices, the lead will ensure this library is continuously updated, governed, and leveraged to drive enterprise-wide benefits, including:

• Cost Reduction: By minimizing part proliferation and maximizing economies of scale, the organization can negotiate better pricing with suppliers, reduce inventory holding costs, and simplify procurement processes.
• Quality and Reliability: Standardizing parts improves consistency in manufacturing, enhances reliability, and reduces the risk of defects caused by variability.
• Manufacturing Flexibility: A common parts library enables greater flexibility in production scheduling, plant loading, and capacity planning, as parts can be sourced or substituted across multiple locations.
• Design Efficiency: Engineers can accelerate product development cycles by reusing proven components, reducing the time and resources spent on redundant design and validation activities.
• Supply Chain Resilience: Commonization mitigates supply chain risk by reducing dependency on unique or single-source parts, and facilitates contingency planning in the event of disruptions.
• Regulatory Compliance: Centralized control of parts ensures adherence to trade compliance, export control, and other regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of non-compliance across markets.
• Global Collaboration: The role fosters a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing across sites and geographies, promoting best practices and harmonized standards.

The Global Parts Commonization Lead will champion the adoption of the common parts library, drive continuous improvement, and report on key metrics to demonstrate value to the organization. This role is pivotal in supporting enterprise goals for operational excellence, cost competitiveness, and global market responsiveness.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical:
  • Define, develop, and maintain the global parts commonization process, including criteria for part selection and control.
  • Coordinate with domain leaders to identify, evaluate, and designate parts for commonization.
  • Set up and manage a governance board to oversee commonization decisions and process adherence.
  • Implement processes and tools for tracking, reporting, and auditing common parts usage globally. Including leveraging existing Preferred, Populate, or Common Component Selection Guides / databases already developed.
  • Ensure alignment of commonization strategies with business objectives, trade compliance, and regulatory requirements.
• Mentorship and Knowledge Management:
  • Mentor and guide regional and domain-specific teams on commonization strategies, best practices, and standards.
  • Promote knowledge sharing and continuous improvement by documenting lessons learned, maintaining process documentation, and facilitating training.
  • Foster cross-functional and cross-cultural collaboration to ensure broad understanding and adoption of commonization practices.
  • Lead initiatives for global awareness and education on the benefits and requirements of parts commonization.
• Process and Tools:
  • Develop, implement, and maintain global processes and tools for parts commonization, including documentation templates and governance workflows.
  • Host regular governance board meetings, reviews, and audits to ensure process compliance and continuous improvement.
  • Integrate parts commonization processes into existing enterprise systems (e.g., Integrated Process System, KMS/GEARS).
  • Evaluate and recommend new tools and technologies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the commonization process.

Required/Preferred Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Supply Chain, Business Administration, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in engineering, supply chain, or manufacturing. Preference of at least 5 years in a global or cross-functional leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing enterprise-wide processes, preferably in parts standardization or commonization.
• Proven ability to work effectively across borders, sites, and cultures; experience in global organizations is highly valued.
• Strong understanding of trade compliance, export control, and data protection regulations affecting parts management.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience in hosting and managing governance boards or cross-functional committees.
• Familiarity with process management tools, documentation systems, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
• Ability to mentor, train, and lead geographically dispersed teams.
• Analytical and strategic thinking skills, with attention to detail and commitment to continuous improvement.
• Proficient with GDLS processes and products
• Ability to travel (10% Cdn) and (10% US & International) and possess/be able to acquire and maintain a valid passport
• Ability to maintain a Security Clearance
• Must be able to meet Anthropometrical Size Requirements for confined space

Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company offering a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; and technology products and services. General Dynamics employs more than 100,000 people across 65 countries worldwide and in all 50 U.S. states, more information is available at General Dynamics Land Systems, is a business unit of General Dynamics, and is an innovative leader of ground combat systems' equipment and software for our clients. Our performance-driven team partners with the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corp and other militaries across the Globe to ensure that next generation ground combat vehicles are ready to protect our fighting men and women in uniform. General Dynamics Lands Systems provides a competitive compensation package, site specific flexible work schedules, 401(k) with Company Match; Bonus Eligibility, Employee Development Opportunities, Tuition Reimbursement, On-site Amenities, and comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, General Dynamics Land Systems ("GDLS") provides all persons with equal opportunity and access to all aspects of employment process, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, or membership in any group protected by federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws. GDLS also is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans.. If, due to a disability, you need an accommodation to search or apply for an opportunity with GDLS, please call 586-825-4000 or send an e-mail to for assistance and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
Global Parts Commonization Lead

Role Description

The Global Parts Commonization Lead is responsible for developing, implementing, and running the global parts commonization process across the organization. This role will define processes, coordinate with Global P5X domain leads (i.e. Vetronics, Survivability, Mobility, etc.) to identify and control common parts, establish and host a governance board, and ensure alignment with global strategies. The lead must focus on maximizing the benefits of commonization globally, considering cross-border, cross-site, and cross-cultural considerations. The role requires global collaboration and awareness/experience of trade compliance, regulatory laws, and data protection requirements are highly beneficial (i.e. ITAR, EAR, CUI, CGP, etc.).

A key component of this role is the creation and stewardship of a Common Reference Parts Librarya centralized repository of standardized, approved components used across products and regions. Drawing from industry best practices, the lead will ensure this library is continuously updated, governed, and leveraged to drive enterprise-wide benefits, including:

• Cost Reduction: By minimizing part proliferation and maximizing economies of scale, the organization can negotiate better pricing with suppliers, reduce inventory holding costs, and simplify procurement processes.
• Quality and Reliability: Standardizing parts improves consistency in manufacturing, enhances reliability, and reduces the risk of defects caused by variability.
• Manufacturing Flexibility: A common parts library enables greater flexibility in production scheduling, plant loading, and capacity planning, as parts can be sourced or substituted across multiple locations.
• Design Efficiency: Engineers can accelerate product development cycles by reusing proven components, reducing the time and resources spent on redundant design and validation activities.
• Supply Chain Resilience: Commonization mitigates supply chain risk by reducing dependency on unique or single-source parts, and facilitates contingency planning in the event of disruptions.
• Regulatory Compliance: Centralized control of parts ensures adherence to trade compliance, export control, and other regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of non-compliance across markets.
• Global Collaboration: The role fosters a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing across sites and geographies, promoting best practices and harmonized standards.

The Global Parts Commonization Lead will champion the adoption of the common parts library, drive continuous improvement, and report on key metrics to demonstrate value to the organization. This role is pivotal in supporting enterprise goals for operational excellence, cost competitiveness, and global market responsiveness.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical:
  • Define, develop, and maintain the global parts commonization process, including criteria for part selection and control.
  • Coordinate with domain leaders to identify, evaluate, and designate parts for commonization.
  • Set up and manage a governance board to oversee commonization decisions and process adherence.
  • Implement processes and tools for tracking, reporting, and auditing common parts usage globally. Including leveraging existing Preferred, Populate, or Common Component Selection Guides / databases already developed.
  • Ensure alignment of commonization strategies with business objectives, trade compliance, and regulatory requirements.
• Mentorship and Knowledge Management:
  • Mentor and guide regional and domain-specific teams on commonization strategies, best practices, and standards.
  • Promote knowledge sharing and continuous improvement by documenting lessons learned, maintaining process documentation, and facilitating training.
  • Foster cross-functional and cross-cultural collaboration to ensure broad understanding and adoption of commonization practices.
  • Lead initiatives for global awareness and education on the benefits and requirements of parts commonization.
• Process and Tools:
  • Develop, implement, and maintain global processes and tools for parts commonization, including documentation templates and governance workflows.
  • Host regular governance board meetings, reviews, and audits to ensure process compliance and continuous improvement.
  • Integrate parts commonization processes into existing enterprise systems (e.g., Integrated Process System, KMS/GEARS).
  • Evaluate and recommend new tools and technologies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the commonization process.

Required/Preferred Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Supply Chain, Business Administration, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in engineering, supply chain, or manufacturing. Preference of at least 5 years in a global or cross-functional leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing enterprise-wide processes, preferably in parts standardization or commonization.
• Proven ability to work effectively across borders, sites, and cultures; experience in global organizations is highly valued.
• Strong understanding of trade compliance, export control, and data protection regulations affecting parts management.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience in hosting and managing governance boards or cross-functional committees.
• Familiarity with process management tools, documentation systems, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
• Ability to mentor, train, and lead geographically dispersed teams.
• Analytical and strategic thinking skills, with attention to detail and commitment to continuous improvement.
• Proficient with GDLS processes and products
• Ability to travel (10% Cdn) and (10% US & International) and possess/be able to acquire and maintain a valid passport
• Ability to maintain a Security Clearance
• Must be able to meet Anthropometrical Size Requirements for confined space

Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company offering a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; and technology products and services. General Dynamics employs more than 100,000 people across 65 countries worldwide and in all 50 U.S. states, more information is available at General Dynamics Land Systems, is a business unit of General Dynamics, and is an innovative leader of ground combat systems' equipment and software for our clients. Our performance-driven team partners with the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corp and other militaries across the Globe to ensure that next generation ground combat vehicles are ready to protect our fighting men and women in uniform. General Dynamics Lands Systems provides a competitive compensation package, site specific flexible work schedules, 401(k) with Company Match; Bonus Eligibility, Employee Development Opportunities, Tuition Reimbursement, On-site Amenities, and comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, General Dynamics Land Systems ("GDLS") provides all persons with equal opportunity and access to all aspects of employment process, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, or membership in any group protected by federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws. GDLS also is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans.. If, due to a disability, you need an accommodation to search or apply for an opportunity with GDLS, please call 586-825-4000 or send an e-mail to for assistance and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

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