Field Technical Manager

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Love. It’s what makes Subaru, Subaru®. As a leading auto brand in the US, we strive to be More Than a Car Company®. Subaru believes in being a positive force in the communities in which we live and work, not just with donations but with actions that set an example for others to follow. That’s what we call our Subaru Love Promise®.

Subaru is a globally renowned automobile manufacturer known for its commitment to innovation, safety, and sustainability. With a rich history dating back to 1953, Subaru has consistently pushed the boundaries of automotive engineering to deliver vehicles that offer not only exceptional performance but also a unique blend of utility and adventure.

Subaru's company culture is built on collaboration, diversity, and a shared passion for our product. We foster an inclusive environment that encourages employees to bring their unique perspectives and talents to the table. Our team members are driven by a common goal: to create exceptional vehicles that inspire and delight our customers.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identifies and reviews all relevant materials in preparation for deposition and other testimony, including but not limited to, repair orders, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) inquiries, CARFAX reports, TechLine cases, CAD case files, social media posts, videos, weather and location data, and documentation supplied by legal counsel.
• Develops and provides training to Field personnel, under the direction of the Technical Advisory Field Manager, on best practices and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to assist district managers in their oversight of retailer activities to reduce repurchases and lemon law-related actions while improving customer retention and loyalty.
• Assists and provides training to District Service Quality Managers (DSQMs) who are involved in warranty, lemon law, Better Business Bureau (BBB) arbitrations, breach of warranty, and other types of pre-litigation proceedings by researching and identifying the details of people, product, usage, and process exceptions resulting in these failures.
• Provides expert and corporate representative testimony at depositions, hearings, and trials. Following testimony, decision rendered or not, generates and distributes reports to internal stakeholders for the purpose of communication and documentation.
• Communicates with manufacturing, quality assurance, technical training, and engineering groups who are responsible for service-related, product, and field service quality matters, providing updates and insights as they arise for improvement activities.
• Provides updates to various groups internally at headquarters and in the Field on findings related to closed investigations or proceedings, providing insights and actions to assist these teams in taking preventative measures.
• Works effectively with retailers and customers on matters related to service and quality concerns that may impact lemon law, other similar legal actions, or customer retention and loyalty.
• Collaborates with CAD on consumer claims filed through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and provides advice on defensibility of lemon law/warranty claims based on the technical components of the claim, as well as service quality recommendations for Service personnel to defend such claims, as necessary.
• Testifies at depositions, arbitrations, Small Claims Court, and other hearings and trials.
• Assists in vehicle inspections/legal matters pertaining to product liability at the request of SOA in-house legal counsel.
• Acts as a technical resource to third-party expert vendors and outside counsel on product issues/analysis in litigation.
• Assists in periodic review of technical Policies & Procedures Manual and drafts revisions/recommendations to same based on legal interpretations and knowledge and provides input on mitigating risk.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Attends technical, professional, and leadership development programs, sessions, and activities.
• Supports Field Investigation Team (FIT) inspections as needed and where applicable to gain needed experience.
• Supports Quality Monitoring Team (QMT) for duration of activity as supplemental staff as necessary.
• Supports Fast Action & Solution Team (FAST) Quick Response Action (QRA) field investigation activities where necessary.
• Supports port rectification activities where necessary.
• Conducts vehicle inspection and preparation as part of function, performance, and quality evaluation in support of QMT activity and Product Management/Marketing to ensure positive outcomes for newly released vehicle models/designs prior to media evaluation.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully